Product Review: Beaba, Baby Cook

Beaba, Baby Cook. This is how I make all of Sophia's food. I love it! First of all, I have peace of mind that it prepares properly because it was created for this one specific reason. Secondly, it is light and compact. I keep it in the box and pull it out once or twice a week. I make the food in bulk, so I don't need to use it every day. Also, it cooks, purees, defrosts and reheats. Most people recommend a food processor or the magic bullet, but those products only puree. Who has time for the extra steps. It is available at William-Sonoma with a beautiful cook book for $149. I highly recommend buying this product. The holidays are coming. You may want to purchase it for someone special who has a little angel of their own.

Making Homemade Baby food

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am making all of Spphia's baby food. It is so enjoyable and satisfying to know I can be at home making pure, organic food from scratch for my little peanut. What I have come to discover is that at five months, the menu is quite boring. I have made her fresh apple sauce with a splash of cinnamon, fresh sweet potato, fresh bananas, and fresh butternut squash with a hint of cinnamon as well. Sophia is eating like a champ, and she really enjoys meal time. For breakfast she has mashed bananas with her rice or oatmeal cereal. Lunch is usually one or two selections of the fruits and vegetables mentioned above. Dinner is commonly one vegetable or warm applesauce. I will be sure to post recipes when the menus get more exciting (probably in a month or two). Just some tips for those of you who are interested:

Wash everything, even if it will be peeled.
Buy organic when possible.
Cook vegetables with steam.
Puree very fine.

Product Review: Graco Bumper Jumper - Little Jungle

Wow! I have been waiting to use this with Sophia since we registered for it when I was pregnant. You see my niece and nephew loved this toy when they were babies. We used to laugh so hard watching them bounce and spin. Now we are enjoying Sophia's dance moves in this wonderful Graco toy. It hangs in any doorway that has molding or trim work. While baby bounces, the device stays still so no paint is rubbed off on the doorway of choice. It took Sophia one day to figure out the cause and effect motion that when she pushes down on the floor with her feet, she goes bouncing up into the air. It has vinyl straps that won't irritate their hands or face. It comes with two attachment toys in some models and a padded seat. The only thing I recommend is placing a support blanket around baby if they are younger than 6 months. They may tend to wobble back and forth in the seat while on the wild bounce chase. I have noticed Sophia's sleep improving since we introduced this toy. It is a great way to get their legs strong and burn some calories. It is easily moved from one doorway to the next, so a busy mom or dad can bring baby around the house as they tend to their important chores. This is one of those age old toys all house holds with babies must have.

Great Night's Sleep

Yesterday Sophia took three amazing naps and two of them were in the crib. Ahh:)
Last night she hit the hay at 7 pm and slept until 2 am. She woke shortly for a diaper change and feeding and off she went to dreamland again until 5:30 am. GREAT NIGHT!

Anybody who thinks less day sleep equals more night sleep is not correct. Dr. Weissbluth says in his book, "Sleep begets sleep."
All that means is the more regularly a baby sleeps, the better they will sleep, as seen in Sophia's example above.

Product Review: Graco Baby Einstein Discover & Play Activity Center

I was very excited when Sophia turned 4 months. Her head and neck control was awesome, and she was getting quite tired on lying on her back. I knew it was time for the exersaucer. I must admit that it took Jeff no time to set up, and it is constructed very well. But I am a little disappointed in the toys available for Sophia's entertainment. My niece calls this her "Rap Station". Sophia will have one hand on the spinning wheels while her other hand is on the buttons that light up and play music. Honestly, other than that, the remainder of the accessories are boring. The dragon puppet annoys her. She eats the felt tower of shapes and completely ignores the seventies, psychedelic sun. Other exersaucers have accessories that detach and can be replaced so babies attention is always enticed. With this Graco exersaucer, it's what you see is what you get.

After seeing her torso control improve and her enjoyment with the few select toys, I am convinced that an excersaucer is a must have for all babies. I am not convinced that this is the one to buy. Careful shopping friends.

Daylight Savings Time: How to Get Baby to Adjust?

So we all had perfectly sleeping babies and toddlers, then we realized... "What time is it, really?"

Last night we actually were able to get to bed early when all of a sudden I said to Jeff, "It's not 10 pm, it's 9 pm." We realized that this could effect Sophia's sleep, but this morning I realized it would only effect my sleep for one day. Sophia woke up this morning at her normal time exactly. 5:30 am. Normally I breast feed until 6 and then go downstairs to start the day. But it was really 4:30. Oh no. Too early. I knew I had this one chance to train her. I took her out of her crib as if it was a normal morning and I breast fed her for about 30 minutes. Once finished, her body language was saying, 'I'm up, Mom.' So I kissed her on the cheek and placed her in the crib until the clock said 6:30 which meant it was really 5:30. Ahh, I did it. No I didn't let her cry. I put the night light on and she played and talked and ate her toes while I rested my eyes. I took her out of her crib this time at her new normal time. I quietly left our room with Sophia in one arm and Dr. Weissbluth's sleep book in the other hand. In the book, there is one paragraph on daylight savings time. The only instructions he gives is to continue putting your little one to bed the same time every night. If last night she went down at 6:30, tonight she does the same. Don't worry that it's really 5:30. When the clock says 6:30 that's her bedtime yesterday, today and tomorrow. Your cues and actions will tell her it's quiet, sleep time.
Now we are sitting downstairs watching Dragon Tails. Good morning all:)

Product review: Fisher Price Jungle Gym

This soft activity gym is Sophia's favorite toy so far. We have had her playing on the mat since she was about three weeks old. It is ideal for everyday use, but it is easy to pack up and take with us on day trips. We are bringing it to our niece's house today. It plays fun music, captures any baby's attention, and stimulates baby's senses. Sophia loves that she can now reach up and play with the dangling toys. We are amazed at her great coordination skills. It includes plush jungle characters, but what I love is that you can change any character out with a new character or toy from anywhere. The new dangling toys that I can add or change keep Sophia interested every day. Since Sophia's drool is constant, I love the machine washable mat.The manufacturer's recommended ages: Newborn and Up. I received this at my shower from my registry, and I must say...I highly recommend every newborn + should have one. This is where Sophia learned to eat her toes, roll over and grab moving objects.
3 C Batteries (Sold Separately)
Dimensions: 32.5" x 32.5" x 20.0" "

Happy Halloween

Yesterday was Sophia's first Halloween. I must say I don't think I could be any prouder. My mom (Mommom) bought her first costume. She was a mama Kangaroo with the baby kangaroo in her pouch. Really she was absolutely precious. We went with my sister, her daughter, her friends, an old student of mine and many parents. After about two hours of trick or treating, we were off to Sophia's first Halloween party where she stole the hearts of all. But this is the informational part of the post. Even though it was nice to be out and about, and even though Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, we still stuck to her schedule. One thing that all children need, school age or babies, is consistency. It's no fun to through them off. Everyone suffers. So Sophia was bathed and fed and in bed by 7:30. We went a half hour past the "schedule". Because of our careful timing, we even had a good night of sleeping after her very over stimulating day. Thank goodness. Pictures to come.

Happy Progress

I write this post while Sophia naps in her crib. Yes, you heard or read correctly. She is now napping quite nicely in her crib.

We are officially living at my parents' house and things are going well. Sophia really likes her crib here and it is making nap time go very well. So I call that progress. One month ago she was being held by me hours at a time for naps to occur. Now our nights are going just as well. We put her down at 6:30 and she awakes at 12:30 for a diaper change and feeding. Then it's good morning sometime between 5 and 6. We just have to work on getting her to sleep a little. She is really doing quite well. Even though her wake time is early, we do make the best of it. We bundle her up and head off to the beach in the jog stroller. We walk along the beach looking at the beautiful ocean waiting for sunrise. We do make a quick stop on a bench to watch all of God's beauty. Sophia does love watching that ball of fire rise above the sea. then it's home for breakfast. I am now making homemade baby food. I'll be posting some favorite recipes soon.

Also to come...reviews on baby products.

Moving...up? Also, Bassinet recall

Ok, I know I haven't written for a while, but I promise things will be more frequent now that we are officially moved out of our house and living with my parents. We are still actively looking, but we are definitely holding out for the right thing. Living in Sea Girt in such a beautiful house is quite nice. I really loved the house we were in, but I can't say this stinks. I love living 2 blocks from the beach! Not a bad temporary pad! Plus it's really nice watching the whole family enjoy Sophia!

I will be writing about Sophia's milestone's changes, and adorable moments. But as promised in one of my first posts, I will be reviewing baby products so we can all make smart consumer decisions as parents. Stay tuned. I should be able to post and review an item almost every day.

A Great Day!

Today Sophia went for a check up and she grew a whole inch in 3 weeks. This child is 26 inches. Those genes...

We are doing well. i hope you read my post yesterday. After my breakthrough decision, i have a new view on life. Sophia is helping. She took 4 awesome naps today, no crib, but that's ok. She also slept in the car and sat quietly in the car...two firsts.

It's amazing with all my college degrees, and I am following the lead of a three and a half month old and it works.

I explained to the doctor about her green, pasty poop, constant drool and being warm to the touch. She explained to me to get prepared for the wild ride of teething. Yikes. That made me even happier with my decision to continue with attachment parenting. When a child is in pain, love can only soothe.

A Mom's Moment of Enlightenment

Just enjoy her. That's what I heard myself saying today as I struggled with getting Sophia to take a nap in the crib instead of on me.

The first three months of having an infant can be very difficult. In my eagerness to do everything correct, I started to miss the big picture.

Today I realized that I have been so obsessed about over stimulation, exposure, feeding times and sleep schedules that I forgot one thing. I finally have the little angel I had been praying for for 3 years. Today I realized, I just can't be the tough parent everyone is telling me to be. Sophia needs love not hard lines drawn in the sand.

It became so apparent to me how easily we can get caught up in the basics of mothering. I finally took a step back and realized that she will never be 3 months again. I took a deep breath and sighed. Then we went into the nursery, sat in the rocker and we both enjoyed a hard earned nap. I love holding her in my arms.

PS Our nights have been perfect. That's probably what lead me to this clear thinking.

What Day is is?

Well, sleep has escaped us these past few nights. Sophia went to the beach on Saturday and she was an angel. Sleep was good not great that night. It was definite improvement. It must have been the fresh sea air.

We have thought about letting her cry. We even made a plan, but it was too difficult. I waited way too long to have this little peanut. I don't want to let her cry. I am trying to watch her tired signs to see when she's tired so we can avoid protest cries. She's just too precious.

Yesterday I found out that next week was September. SEPTEMBER! WHAT! I feel like I just got out of the hospital. The time goes so quickly. Maybe when the sandman comes back to live at our house I will have a better hold on reality and the date.

Sleeping Like A Baby

Who ever came up with that phrase? Well, if you are wondering why I haven't posted it's because I am reading this book and trying to implement healthy sleep habits. Sophia really got off track of her night time routine last week for about 6 nights. Since Sunday night, we seem to be doing much better. Wake up time is too early, but I'm willing to work with that. Most sleep specialists say wake up should be 7 am, so you can implement the 9 am nap without protest due to baby being over tired. We have established nap times. I must say those were established by me very early on. My problem is she doesn't like to sleep in the crib for naps. She doesn't like to sleep anywhere but with Mommy for naps. As a result, Mommy doesn't get her chores completed. My goal this month is to stretch our am wake up time and to get her napping in the crib.
A routine is established but it must exist in the crib in order to give her the deepest sleep.

We just received the birth announcements. They look great if I may say so myself. I ordered them through Sweet Baby Designs on the internet. One thing I would recommend to new or expecting moms; get these out early. I wish I would have addressed the envelopes in the hospital. It's hard to attend to this task when you are so sleep deprived.

If you are pregnant, please read the book mentioned in the previous post and plan out your birth announcements. Those are my two regrets.

We All Need This Book

One of my clients told me about this book: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Weissbluth. I really didn't think I'd want to read it because Sophia sleeps well at night, but it's great. It will tell you how much sleep a child needs depending on their age. It covers infancy to toddlers. It talks about keeping naps and bedtime sacred and cry-free.

The intro. will tell you to read this book when you are pregnant. It also tells you how to read it if your baby has already been born or if you are dealing with a toddler. I love that. Instead of reading from cover to cover, they give you an action plan of how to dissect the book in order to maximize the amount of information received in a minimal amount of time.

Some topics it covers:
Colic
Fussiness
Bottle fedding
Breast feeding
Co-sleeping
Naps
Sleeping through the night
Importance of sleep for the whole family

I think this would be a valuable read for anyone who interacts with children on a daily basis. After one night of reading, Sophia improved her sleeping at night, and I didn't even think she needed to.

How Quick They Grow: From Infant to Baby

Sophia is growing so quickly. We had her 2 month visit on Monday. She weighed 11 pounds 12 ounces, and she was 23 inches long. Since her one month visit she has gained one pound 12 ounces and grown 1 inch. She remains in the 75% for both.

As a mom those are proud moments, but as a consumer, growth is difficult. Being that this has been a particularly hot summer, I have only been putting her in onesies during the day. I now am quickly running out of outfits. I can't keep up with the laundry. Her length is adding to my work load. Having helped my sister so much with her children, I know buying a lot of clothing at this age isn't reasonable, so I have been stretching outfits and considering those onesie extenders. A 2 month old grows too quickly to buy a ton of clothes, yet I have come to a realization that I may have to bite the bullet and buy a few more summer pieces.

I think I will also help myself to some store inventory. I chose those adorable prints that we carry in our store, Little Baby Headquarters, so why not dress my little cutie in a few of those onesies.

Take a look and see if you find a onesie you wish to purchase from Little Baby Headquarters for someone you love.

Sleep, Sophia, Sleep

Sophia is doing so well, but we are crossing some new bridges. She truly is an angel, but we do have one small issue.

Sophia only wants to be held. Now I wouldn't mind, but I mean only held. For the last two weeks, she has only gone down after her 8 o'clock feeding. I must admit that I have enjoyed all the cuddle time with my precious baby, yet I did have to think of the future. Where would we be in one month or 8 months?

So this week I have dedicated all my time to getting her acquainted with her big girl crib.
Also, I have been trying to increase her nap times because I realized she was sleeping much less than all the information on infant sleep indicated was healthy. We are slowly becoming successful. She is spending at least 30 minutes at a time in the crib for naps. The night is much easier for her, and the black out shades we hung have really helped.

Sleep is so essential to infants and necessary for breast feeding mommies. To all you who think it's OK to have baby in bed one more night, don't fool yourself. Start a healthy sleep schedule now for every one's benefit.

Breast feeding tips I learned

As I mentioned earlier, Mary, my lactation consultant, has taught me so much. I wish I knew going in all this information, but I know now and it has made a world of difference. I hope these tips on breast feeding help all fellow moms out there who are dedicated to nursing.

1. Drinking too many fluids could interfere with milk production.
2. One must add 500 calories to their daily in take in order to keep up with lactation.
3. Maintaining a low fat or fat free diet will effect the quality of your milk, resulting in milk that doesn't "fill up" your little one.
4. Sleep deprivation or stress could interrupt milk production.
5. Oatmeal, yogurt, and brewers' yeast should be part of your daily menu.
6. The baby can extract more milk than a pump.
7. Your milk changes everyday based on what the peanut needs that day.

Breast feeding is going nicely for Sophia and I. The only disadvantage is the lack of dieting. I was hoping to have lost my weight by now, but the calorie requirements are hindering my goals. I will have to find time to exercise, but how do you do that with a 7 week old attached to you?

I can't believe we made it: 7 Weeks

After a very long three weeks, everything started to get easier. It took some time, but we are on a schedule and working towards normalcy. The hardest part was the three week and six week growth spurt.

I remember calling Mary to tell her that Sophia was cluster feeding, not sleeping and overall fussy. She explained to Jeff and I that this was the three week growth spurt. We would see a change in behavior and digestion. I definitely thought she was full of it. After two days of crying, I called my doctor and bought her in for an appointment the next morning. Of course, Sophia behaved like an angel, but I was happy to hear all was OK.

Needless to say, all fussiness continued for 5 more days, but shortly after she turned 4 weeks, our little angel returned again. Mary was correct. When we turned that corner, she informed us that there is also a 6 week, 3 month and 6 month growth spurt. We have just battled the 6 week bout, and knowing it was coming really helped.

I laugh at those people who give out advice like they live in your house.

Moms, all I can say is I have some good advice, but you don't have to listen.
I have learned to follow your babies lead. They will let you know what is to come and how to handle it. Also, seek professional advice whenever in doubt. Someone always knows something more than you. Don't reinvent the wheel, roll with the flow.

Little Baby Headquarters; Wipe warmers, clothes and diaper bags

Don't forget to shop for all your baby needs at Little Baby Headquarters

Getting Better? Breast Feeding Tips and more

So needless to say the details aren't necessary, but recovery for the first 7 days was difficult. Try compounding that with the pain of an infected tooth.

Day 6 I woke up with a sore jaw and aching tooth. I called the doctor because I am no stranger to dental problems. I made an appointment for 2 days from then. I still couldn't imagine sitting on a hard dentist chair. By day 8, it was too late. My mouth was so infected, it was difficult to recognize me. I was only consuming liquids and taking a lot of Motrin.

That is what lead me to call a lactation consultant. Day 7 I found Mary. She is a God send. A guardian angel. I knew when I went to the dentist that I would be getting some kind of serious procedure. I knew that invo;ved medication, so I wanted to speak with an expert about the effects on breastfeeding. Mary came to meet us that very day. She weighed Sophia and helped with latching on and feeding positions. But it was the plan she offered that was so helpful. She left a pump with me. She explained that I would have to pump and dump for 6 hours after Novacaine. She also explained how long to pump for, how long to leave in between pumps and how to get back into feeding with the pain killers. I couldn't have done it without her. I was very nervous about all of the dental work and medication effecting Sophia. Her plan and information put my mind to rest.

Here are some tips I learned about breast feeding in general and being on medication while nursing. Hope you find these tips helpful:
If you are nursing:
1. When in pain, Motrin, Tylenol, Percocet are all safe. It won't effect the baby or your milk.
2. If Novacaine is administered, wait 6 hours before resuming feeding. Pump and dump.
3. If you have to pump, pump for at least 10 minutes on each side. The more you empty your breasts, the more milk you produce.
4. Pump every two hours.
5. I found this website about medication and nursing.Hope you find it informative.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_drug-safety-during-breastfeeding_8790.bc

I have learned so much more about breast feeding from Mary. Fill you in tomorrow.

The First Week Home After Baby

Family. That is what God provides us with to get through the hard times. Then they are there to celebrate your good times. To my surprise, the pain from my episiotomy increased. I was taking more Percocet and Mortin than planned. I could not sit at all and laying down wasn't fun either. As a result, the pressure fell on Jeff and my family. I just rested and fed Sophia. She was my only job!

Because the house was still on the market, my mom cleaned every day so we could allow our realtors to schedule showings. She also cooked all our meals and did our laundry for one week. It was such a blessing to see my mom still taking care of me while I was taking care of my new daughter.

My sister visited everyday to see Sophia and tend to my bottom pain. Jeff made sure everything else ran smoothly.
Listen women, the pain doesn't last forever, but prepare that the first week home after delivering baby is NO walk in the park.

We took Sophia to the doctor the next day to get her collar bone checked. Needless to say, I was shocked and worried to find out she was Jaundice. We had to supplement every breast feeding with formula for 48 hours. We returned on Monday. The doctor said the collar bone was healing well, but she wanted us to see a specialist. She also sent us to the hospital to get blood work on Sophia to check her Bilirubin levels. Not how you envision your first 72 hours home with baby, and that's not how it looks on TLCs "Bring Home Baby".

Good news about the blodd work. She was out of the woods. Now I could focus on healing and breast feeding.
Or so I thought...

Hospital Stay

Once we were settled into our hospital room, my mom and sister left for the night. The feeling that came upon me was remarkable. I looked to my right and there was my wonderful and loving husband. To my left was my beautiful, new baby girl. We talked a little and looked at her a lot. Dinner came and Jeff decided he better get something more suitable. After Au Bon Pan and late night cookies we hit the hay. It wasn't until 3 am that I woke up. My baby nurse came in to wake me, so I could feed Sophia. That is when all the questions started.

I realized I didn't know enough about feeding. How often? How? What position? What can and can't I eat? How long does it take? WHat should it feel like? How much does the baby get at each feeding? I kept asking these questions of my baby nurse, my nurse and my lactation nurse, but I was getting conflicting answers. That's why I hired a lactation consultant. I wished I did it sooner. After I could sit up, day 8, I called Mary. I'll tell you more later.

Thursday was a new day. We were told Sophia had a broken collar bone from the delivery. The worry, fear and anxiety of motherhood came crushing upon me. My baby had a broken clavicle. The pediatricians in the hospital said to let it heal naturally. I immediately called my pediatrician and they said the same, but wanted to see her ASAP after discharge.

We spent the day together looking at Sophia, feeding Sophia and talking about Sophia, OH how this peanut changed my world. My sister came to help with the episiotomy care because the pain was unbearable. I started the percocet and was sure to get a prescription for home.

Friday we went home, and I still had so many questions about breast feeding and her collar bone and my pain, but off we went.
We came as two and left as three. That's magical!

Onto Postpartum

Sophia and I had a nice amount of time to bond. The nurse allowed me to hold her while the cord blood procedure was complete. Once the blood was packaged, my doctor had to close up shop if you know what I mean.

No one explained how many stitches one may receive from the episiotomy. No one told me one could be in excrutiating pain after the episiotomy for weeks. No one told me that one would bleed for a month! Ladies...why haven't we all been honest. I have to say... I would do it all over again to have Sophia, but that recovery was horrible. Almost crippling.

Ok, enough about that. The positive...Jeff and my mom watched as Sophia was weighed and measured. They got to see her get dressed and receive her first vaccine. Jeff caught it all on video which makes me very happy because I was unable to see it.
Right after the nurse was done with Sophia, she made sure I started to breast feed right there! It was amazing. It seemed so natural for Sophia, and yet it was weird to think that my breasts were ready to sustain a human life. Anyhow, more bonding. It was great! Then Jeff and Mommom, and Aunt Maria demanded some bonding time too.

Shortly after they wanted me to get over to my new and beautiful room in the postpartum wing. First I had to go to the bathroom. That was frightening, but I was able to get by with the help of my sister, the nurse. It was at that point that I knew the recovery would be difficult. I had an epidural and local, and I still felt a decent amount of discomfort. Oh No!

Once those steps were successfully completed, we were off. Mom and Maria carrying bags. Jeff pushing Sophia's bassinet and Nurse Vicki pushing me. Sophia went to have her check up in the nursery. My family got me situated into my new room, and the bliss began.

I will fill you in our two day stay and breast feeding in my next post. Sophia is doing great and so are we. Keep reading:)

PUSH

Vicki grabbed my feet, told me to take a cleansing breath, then she said it. "Deep breath in and push!" Before I knew it, I was pushing. It was so empowering. In an instant I was in a place no one else could be. My breath was strong, my legs were limber and my baby was coming. There is no way pushing can be described, so all I can say is that giving birth vaginally is the most amazing experience ever.

After three pushes, my doctor was in and shocked. He couldn't believe how quickly things progressed. I looked up to ask him how long he thought it would take, and his response was, "I don't like being hot." At that moment I realized he was all suited up with his "garb". After watching nine months of a baby story I knew this was minutes away. Breathing and pushing was my only memory. It was easier yet harder than I thought it would be. The only time I entered back into reality was when I felt IT! I could feel the snipping of scissors. The cutting had began, but more about that later. I caught my mother's eye and she was jumping out of her skin and shaking her head yes. Suddenly I knew I was nearing the end. She gave me that last push to push. Like a champ, I gave two more pushes and Sophia was born!

That moment...that moment is like none other. When they put my daughter on my chest my whole world changed. From the trauma of birth, infants are wide awake. Her yes locked on mine and I became a new woman. She was gorgeous. No real cries, just blue eyes, a tiny mouth, a button nose and lots of love. I was a mom. No more pushing or cutting, just me and my daughter.

Birth is a gift!

OK comfortably numb

From noon until 2 Jeff and I passed time by talking to our nurse, visiting with my sister, getting checked by my doctor and listening to music. Around ten minutes of two, my mom and Maria called from the waiting room to say they were getting lunch. I encouraged Jeff to go with them to get a bite to eat. Everyone kept telling me it would be a long wait, so I figured one of us should be well nourished. Off Jeff went to Au Bon Pain to get lunch. I sat quietly reading my book. I wasn't nervous, scared or anxious, until...

I felt a pounding down below that no one prepared me for. I rang for my nurse, but I had to wait for her. Waiting wasn't an option. I rang again as the pressure increased. i have to admit, now my concern level was increasing. Once Vicki, my nurse, came in everything happened so quickly it's actually hard to recall.

Vicki examined me and said, "This is it. You are ten centimeters." She wanted me to start pushing, but I had to get Jeff. I called his cell and told him to come quickly and to bring my mom. I hadn't said hello to her yet that day and I didn't want to go into labor without seeing her.

While I was waiting for them, Vicki ordered the tray for delivery, and started to prepare the room. My mom and jeff came running in with their food. I have to say, it did make me hungry. We said a prayer and before I knew it, Vicki said I should start pushing. It was at that very moment, and only that one moment, that I got freaked out.

I never, through the entire pregnancy or the morning of induction, felt scared or nervous. When she said, "Push!" I got really frightened. I couldn't conceive how I was going to push a human out of my body.

Yet, before I knew it, it was happening. I went within to a place where I didn't even know where I was, and I just pushed with a force I hoped I would have. The only thing I said to Vicki was, "Let's top off my epidural."

To be continued...

Pregnancy, Child Birth, Hospitals, OH MY!

In my last post, I was 9 months pregnant and preparing to be induced. Now our beautiful baby is 14 days old! It has been very long since I posted, but I promise I will be writing a lot. Today, I'd like to tell you about the day of my delivery.

Jeff and I woke up and were perfectly on time to the hospital on that cool Wednesday morning. I wasn't nervous in the slightest. We had everything packed, and my mom and my sister were on their way for moral support. Jeff was unbelievably cool and loving. Everything seemed simple enough.

Once admitted by my wonderful nurse, Vicki, my doctor strolled in with his coffee. In a matter of minutes in the hospital, my water was broken and we were on our way.

NOW, this is where y post gets interesting. From here on in, I plan to tell you exactly what the birthing experience was like. Because no one was truly honest with me, and they should have been. When he broke my water, I thought I was going to feel my brains drain out with my amniotic fluid. It was way intense. Jeff was silent for 20 minutes after that because he just had no words to describe what he had seen.

Things quieted down and the waiting began. I spoke to my sister and she recommended that I get the epidural ASAP. I waited longer than I should have, but I did order it around noon sometime. Thank goodness I didn't wait longer because I would have been delivering au natural. Jeff was allowed to stay in the room for the shot, but he was banned to a corner of the room. I must say, I was most worried about that needle in my back, but that proved to be the easiest part of everything. I did flinch once but not from pain. The sensation was just odd and eery. Once all was done, the numbing was wonderful.

I will have to leave you hanging for now. Sophia is rousing and it is time to nurse.

TO BE CONTINUED...

OH! The Ride of Pregnancy!

Ok sorry for the delay in posting. Friday we had a doctor's appointment, and things went well but happened quite quickly. The doctor explained that I am dilating, but the baby's head has not descended as it should. On top of that fact, she is a large baby. Therefore, he felt if we induce now we could possibly labor and deliver normally. If we waited for our due date, June 3, we would most likely be looking at a C-Section. So we left the office with an appointment for induction at 9am on Wednesday, May 28.

Being the holiday weekend, we went down to the shore to be with my family. Saturday morning I was a different woman. My feet are larger than my husband's and my faithful flip flops that have gotten me by these past two weeks are no longer an option for me. By that evening my back was completely giving out. Sunday I woke up to limited circulation in my legs. They had retained so much water over night it was scary. We went for pedicures and my nail person couldn't even get the foam separators between my toes. Walking was a shear discomfort. Monday morning I woke up in tears. I knew the party was over. You see, I lOVE being pregnant, but my body didn't seem to get my message. I wish I could be pregnant for a few more weeks, but my little frame can't take much more.

We left the beach earlier than expected. I had to get home and do laundry and clean the house. It finally hit me that Wednesday was the day and it was closer than I realized! My mom and sister came to help clean and iron while Jeff assembled the Sweet Peace Swing by Graco. After they left, we cleaned the garage and had dinner. I actually slept for 10 or 11 hours last night.

My feet, hands and legs continue to grow, but now I have no worries. We are all set. The house is done. The dogs have reservations at my parents house for the rest of the week, and now we are at count down. We will be leaving for our doctors appointment at 2. I probably won't post again until this weekend. The next time you hear from me, I will be typing with baby Sophia in my arms.

What a journey. I can't believe I have been blessed with such a healthy pregnancy and baby girl. Our family grows along with our love for God. Keep us in your prayers.

Updates

I will be posting over Memorial Day weekend, but right now I have to get myself and the dogs out of the house because someone is coming to see it.
This weekend's posts will be on Braxton-Hicks Contractions, changing table pads, inducing labor at 39 weeks, and excitement over motherhood.
Please stay tuned!

Daddy's Hospital Bag

Two night's ago, Jeff packed his hospital bag. It was endearing. He has all the technology and reading materials that we are going to need. He has actually thought things out well, and I get excited when I see him thinking like a dad. The next decision he'll have to make is if he wants a daddy diaper bag. I have a great black, white and red bag, so it's not too girly. He can use that one, but there are some cool ones out there for dad's. So we'll see.

In the meantime, you may be packing a diaper bag of your own. There are so many to chose from. On Little Baby Headquarters, we have colorful bags, black and white bags that are easy to wipe clean, and fancy silk bags with matching clutch purses. Best of all these bags are Made in the USA. Right now with outsourcing and the shakey economy, I think it's important to keep our hard earned money at "home".

Enjoy your shopping on Little Baby Headquarters. You'll find the perfect diaper bag.

Wipe Warmer vs Wipe Warmer Update

We only have one wipe warmer left at Little Baby Headquarters.
Those people ordering the DEX Space Saver Wipe Warmer seem to be aware that these vertical standing warmers are almost impossible to find. If you are in need for more space and a better designed wipe warmer be sure to get the last one in stock. We should be getting in a new shipment soon. Thanks for reading and shopping!

38 weeks and counting!

Yesterday I hit the 38 week point in my pregnancy. It was very exciting! Jeff and I continue to complete many items on the TO DO list, and with every CHECK OFF, I hope she is closer to coming. Last night we were talking about the long journey, and we are so excited to start a new type of journey very shortly.

If you have read my first post, you all may know that this pregnancy truly is a miracle. Through our three years of trying we knew we would get pregnant by God's blessing, but we always wanted to have two children, so we filed to adopt a daughter from China. We feel so blessed to have two daughters on the way.

Right now this is where the long journey has taken us. In 2010, somewhere between April and June, we will be matched with an infant girl to become our daughter. Everything is completed and waiting is our only job. God's deliver of her will be wonderful!

In the meantime, we are here in 2008. In two weeks time, or hopefully sooner, our first daughter will be born to us. No paperwork was filed for her, but the years of devout prayer and faith have brought us to this point. We soon shall meet Sophia in all her grace.

In these next two weeks, I'll keep you all updated on our progress. Pregnancy has been so beautiful. Feeling Sophia's slight fetal movements are the highlight of my days. Nurturing her and caring for her has been a priviledge. Listening to her heartbeat every week with Jeff is magical. But, now...now we are ready to do all that and so much more for her out of the womb. Say your prayers that her last 2 weeks are healthy and that her delivery is safe and smooth. In the meantime, I continue to swaddle her in the womb and continue to fold the blankets that will swaddle her in her crib.

Last night we added one step to our pre-baby cleaning process that I didn't mention in my post yesterday. Cleaning household pets and products. Allergens that are held in fabric that your pets rest on should be attacked before baby arrives home.

Research has stated that a baby inherits the possibility to have allergies, and 50% of babies have a chance of developing allergies if one biological parent also has allergies. That number jumps to 75% if both parents have allergies. Hay fever and pet dander allergies are commonly passed on from parent to child.

Keeping a clean house, a clean pet, and clean pet toys and beds will help prevent respiratory and skin problems early on for your child. After washing fabric beds and toys, be sure they are completely dry to prevent mold growth.

Just another tip from a type A mom who loves keeping a clean house:)

Cleaning for Baby's Arrival

As you may be able to tell, I have quite the type A personality. Cleaning is very important to me at all times, but now it is even more important. Jeff and I have been working hard to clean the house but we have been very careful to do every thing thoroughly.

For those of you getting ready to do spring cleaning or pre-baby cleaning, here are some very helpful hints.

1. START WITH CLOTHES CLOSETS: Anything you haven't worn in a year or so, donate. Ask your accountant for a list from Salvation Army. You can get great 2008 tax deductions by bringing your clothes there.

2. DO THE HOUSE CLOSETS: Get your winter coats dry cleaned now, so they are ready on that first winter day. With baby, trips to the dry cleaner will be difficult. Take everything off the floor and mop the closets to clear all dust bunnies.

3. Get all carpets and couches cleaned. Be sure to air out the dampness after shampooing to be sure no mites arrive.

4. Bring all window treatments to the cleaners. You would be so surprised how much dust is held in your beautiful curtains. Dust leads to allergies.

5. HOME OFFICE REDO: Cleaning the home office won't only make you feel more organized, but I bet you'll find money:) You will find coupons to Staples, free offers from credit card companies, receipts for your tax folder and so on. Take time to reorganize your filing cabinets and to create new folders. Create a folder for the new pediatrician, maternity bills, and trust funds or college funds.

6. Get the cars detailed. It is worth the money. Taking the car to the car wash is one thing, but getting it detailed is very necessary. The detailer with not miss one nook or cranny. The odors, spills, stains and dirt will be just a memory. I know the car will be a disaster once baby starts throwing her Cheerios, but it is best to start with a clean pallet. You don't want to put a brand new, clean car seat in a dirty car.

Remember to click on the ad to the right for GET ORGANIZED. You will receive a 15% discount on everything until the end of May.
Have fun spring cleaning!

Simplicity Bassinet

Last night Jeff put together the baby's bassinet. I must admit, I love the one I chose. It's beautiful and extremely functional. It does have a co-sleeper option, but according to my research it's not encouraged.

Before registering, I read up a lot on infant sleeping options before baby was ready for the crib. Here is some interesting information I found.

Be sure to buy a new crib or bassinet. If not buying new, be sure that the crib meets federal standards recently put out. These standards and approved features can be found on www. jpma.org. Many products you buy will also come with a stamp from JPMA and that is important to look for when buying.

Never sleep with baby in bed with you for many reasons. First, adult bedding and mattresses are way too soft. Firm mattresses in bassinets and cribs help fight the possibility of SIDS. Also, over tired parents have been known to roll over on baby. With "baby exhaustion", some people have trouble awakening. Just recently, we heard of this scenerio on Tv and both children died. Lastly, baby can get caught in between the mattress and headboard of an adult bed.

Keep babies warm but not too warm. A light blanket or sleeper zip up outfit is plenty. Toys and comforters can heat up the bassinet or crib. This also leads to dangerous sleeping situations for infants.

The best case scenerio is to have baby sleep in your room until about 6 months of age in a new or regulated crib or bassinet.

Safe sleep is nothing to fool around with, so do your SIDS reasearch and buy carefully.

Happy Mother's Day

To all the aunts, godmothers, mothers, mothers-to-be, foster mothers, step mothers and grandmothers, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

I just want to say that you all deserve to have a perfect day. Our jobs aren't easy and often we are more than one kind of mother, but we always tend to do our jobs very well!

Take this day to appreciate the child or children who came into this world who made you a "mother". Be careful, the day is about connections not just about you. It is because of family friends and relationships that created our job as mom. And it is because of that job that we accepted, that we have this very special day. Spend it in gratitude and gratitude will be yours.

My gift to you. Click on the title of the post or the text link ad to the right. You will receive a 15% DISCOUNT on any order from Get Organized. Click. Shop. Save.

God Bless you Day!

Wipe Warmer vs Wipe Warmer

As you all know, my baby shower was last weekend. I received so many awesome gifts and I couldn't wait to get many of them set up in the nursery. I had registered for the Prince Lionheart Wipe Warmer, but now wish I had shopped online at my own store Little Baby Headquarters. We sell the DEX Space Saver Wipe Warmer. It stands vertically compared to the Prince Lionheart one which stands horizontally.

At first when I ordered the DEX warmers to sell in our store, I thought how it stood wasn't a huge deal, but it really is. We have a beautiful crib and changing table in the nursery, but we are trying to keep the furniture minimal. The mattress on the changing table is the contour three-sided mattress. Therefore, there isn't left over space for diapers, wipe warmers and so forth. When we went to set ours up next to the mattress, there was no room to be had. Jeff immediately asked me why we even registered for that wipe warmer when the one we sell on Little Baby Headquarters is ten times better. For that, I had no answer.

We went back downstairs and started to compare the two products, and I really am amazed how much better the DEX Space Saver Wipe Warmer is designed. The DEX has a low light for changing baby in the middle of the night and it turns off by itself. It has a window up top, so you can see when you are running low on wipes, and it has an easy to open front hatch for adding new wipes, but a pull seal so wipes don't dry out or brown. Many wipe warmers on the market do not have these features. The piece de residence... the DEX stands vertically.

Once again, I am quite proud of the products on Little Baby Headquarters. Please check out our YouTube video on the right for more insight on the Dex Warmer. Then go shopping on Little Baby Headquarters.

What was that?

Sunday was a rough day of contractions. Even my nephew was amazed at how many I was having in an hour, but no pain.
Since I have been like this for so long, I thought nothing of it. That evening, late, Jeff and I were doing the bills. (I have a philosophy that all couples should budget and do monthly bills TOGETHER.) As we were working, contractions were contracting...until. Mama, I got one that hurt so bad. That was it, I fell into crazy mode. Jeff wanted to stop and call the doctor. My type A personality took control of the room. There was no way I was going to the hospital without the bills done. He couldn't believe how insistent I was, but he followed along. Once the bills were complete, we went upstairs to pack "the bag".

Low and behold, as we were choosing Sophia's coming home outfit when all contractions ceased. We both agreed to stay in bed quietly to see what would happen. The next thing we knew, it was 6 in the morning. We had made it. False labor? Gas? Baby Movements? What ever it was, it wasn't labor. The episode did kick us into high mode. We are more focused on getting little business aspects cleaned up, and last minute baby products put together for the big day.

Doctors appointment tomorrow. Hopefully we'll know more.

New Ideas. Go Green!

Again I am on this kick for products that could be unsafe for children. Friday before the open house, I was making Sophia's bed. Her crib set is so beautiful. I couldn't wait to see the bumper set on the gorgeous crib. I unpacked fitted sheets that I received at my shower. The packaging was made in Thailand and the sheets made in China. When I pulled the sheets out, I smelled a faint reminder of the Pottery Barn baskets. It was overwhelming toxic, but it was enough to make me wash and dry them twice.

With all these instances of smells and non-made in the USA products, I have made a business decision. Our wonderful store Little Baby Headquarters already sells great made in the USA products and all the clothing is organic cotton. As new merchandise are listed, I will make it my goal to find the best home grown products for moms, dads, and children.

With this economy, we should be keeping our money "at home" any how. But with the added benefit of the products being made safely for our children, I will dedicate my search to find top-quality, American made items.

Here are a sample of the products on our store Little Baby Headquarters that are
MADE IN USA. Happy shopping.

Open House Weekend!

This weekend we had three open houses; Fri., Sat., Sun. The feedback from our realtors is positive, so we are hoping for good results.

On the other hand, today we went to some open houses and it was discouraging. The houses are three times the price of what we have now, and the quality is horrible. Now this is something we knew would happen , but I thought more would be on the market that was workable. We are not in a rush at all, so that will help us to see a lot and wait for the right house for us. Last year, when we were helping people in real estate foreclosures, we learned that one must be smart and persistent to get what they want. We will have to be smart, patient and persistent to bring the home of our dreams to us.

Getting Ready! Getting Close!

Last night Jeff took me out for a fabulous dinner at David Burke's Fromagerie. Our luck, live music was playing and it was super. Jeff and I always plan date nights, but this one was more special. Upscale restaurant, dressed fancy and terrific food. The only damper were the contractions. For four hours I contracted. Now trust me, it didn't slow down my eating, but it was uncomfortable. We headed straight to bed when we arrived home, but nothing stopped. I was awoken at 3 in the morning with Pain, but after an hour, we were back to sleep. This morning doctor's appointment went really well, but definitely confirmed that I should continue baby prepping. While the LPN was listening to the heartbeat, I had a pretty heavy contraction, and that calmed my nerves because we were able to hear how she reacts during crunch time in the womb. After my exam, I was 1 cm dialated, and she felt everything was going according to schedule. Therefore, I am hoping I won't be in a 30 hour labor. My body seems to be doing all the right things.

Now, time to go upstairs and put the baby's bumper set on the crib. Once that is on, there won't be much more to do in the nursery. We are going to pack the hospital suitcase and enjoy the rest of the ride.

Tonight we are sleeping at my parents' house because we are having an Open House WEEKEND. UGG! I hate the idea, but this is the last time I am having an open house until late summer, early fall. By then, the house will be sold:) Right now, I like the direction of life. God continues to bless our businesses and we continue to try and grow as employers, people and a couple.

Be well today and enjoy the Friday we all waited for.

UPDATE! Pottery Barn Kids

Yesterday I returned the stinky baskets to my local Pottery Barn. They were very helpful and happy to take back online returns. While the sales woman was taking care of the paperwork, I browsed the other baskets in the store. It wasn't the kids store, and interestingly enough the baskets they carried were just as nice. Now, when I returned everything, I did notice that they weren't made in China. I want to correct that thought, but they were made in Indonesia. After about an hour of looking and measuring, I successfully purchased six perfect baskets, but they don't sell liners because they aren't made for clothes. That shouldn't present to be a problem. Overall I am happy with my purchase for Sophia's room, but I did learn an important lesson.

With outsourcing being such a huge movement, parents really need to be aware of where all the products they buy for their children are manufactured. Certain products being made abroad aren't an issue, but educating yourself is very important. More to come about smart buying!

ALERT! Pottery Barn Kids

Last week I ordered beautiful baskets for Sophia's changing table. Along with the baskets, I also ordered the scalloped lining to go inside. I had decided to buy from Pottery Barn after going to many retail stores such as Pier 1, Marshall's, Bed Bath and Beyond and Michael's. Online, the baskets looked great and I was very excited to receive them in the mail. Delivery was speedy and I felt the price was reasonable. Unfortunately, I didn't even have to open the box to realize they all needed to be returned.

The smell emanating from the box was horrible. Once opened, the chemical odor was even worse. We aired the baskets out for over 7 days in our garage, and now everything in our garage reaks. My dad travels to China about every two weeks for manufacturing business. He never talks negatively about China because he loves the opportunity it presents to his business. Last night when he was here setting up the crib with Jeff, he admitted that he thought they were made in China. The oil-based smell was typical of many items made over seas.

I am returning them to my local Pottery Barn and I am now on the search for real wood baskets. I'll keep you updated.

The Baby Shower was Awesome!

Hi. Yesterday was my baby shower. Honestly, I was an emotional wreck, but it was truly magical for me. I really am not the type to enjoy the spotlight, but it was fantastic to see all these people gathered in one place to celebrate the miracle of Sophia. After 3 long years, I really enjoyed being the one talking about their child. She deserves all the love that filled the room yesterday.

I was completely taken back by the generosity of my family and friends. This week or next week, I'll be sure to post pictures of items. The posts will focus on quality and assembly. I will try to cover the consumer reports feedback and any other pertinent safety issues that moms and dad need to be held abreast of.

It's been a crazy weekend. Twenty people came over for dinner last night after the shower. My mother in law just left to fly back to NC at 4. It was great having her for the shower. We've been out of the house since 11 because 2 people came to see the house, and I just finished tutoring my sweet nephew. He's the greatest. Now I must go rest. Thanks for reading more to come...

Mattress Update

If one more person tells me how much my belly has dropped, I'll just scream. My due date is June 3rd, but everyone seems to think I'm going sooner. Therefore, my anxiety about getting ready has increased greatly.

After my shower on Saturday, my mother in law will be sleeping over. That Sunday, Jeff and I plan to take apart the bedroom and turn it into the nursery. Yesterday my family bought over the crib and changing table. Last night I ordered the sleep positioner and the new crib mattress.

I found buying the mattress a daunting task because of the regulations and the chances of SIDS. I did research in the March of Dimes, Consumer Reports, About.com, and Baby Catalog. I was happy to find that all the information was similar. The most difficult piece of information was deciding which to buy; foam or coil. The information claimed out of the top 5 mattresses rated safest, the number one mattress was foam.
Knowing that nugget of information along with the other factors listed in my sources, I finally came to my decision.

I purchased the Classica I by Colgate. It is the firmest foam mattress and has the necessary triple protection top. You can purchase the Colgate mattresses from buybuybaby, buy I bought mine at www.kidsurplus.com.
This is an important purchase, take your time like I did

April Showers, mine is next week!!!

My sister and my mom are throwing me a shower next week. My whole life, especially when I was told I couldn't have kids, I always said I wouldn't have a shower. My thinking was influenced by the Jewish thinking that it could jinx things since the baby hadn't safely arrived.

That all changed. When we were told that doctors thought we couldn't have kids, we knew God would be the person to decide our future, not the doctors. With a lot of prayer and unending faith, we were blessed with this pregnancy. Now, I feel chosen by God to provide a life to one of His angels. Knowing that He is all perfect, I now know he can only create perfection, therefore no need to worry about Sophia having not arrived yet before having a shower. You see God has no time for jinx or punishment. I know He will deliver Sophia safely and perfectly when the time is right, therefore there is no need to be nervous about celebrating, GOD will be right there celebrating with us.

Today and tomorrow, my sister, mother and myself will be putting the finishing touches on all plans. I feel so lucky to have those women in my life to spend this memory with me.

If you have a shower to attend in the near future, be sure to shop on Little Baby Headquarters. Many items would make perfect gifts. Check some out:

An Addition to the Jog Stroller Post

As I was at the grocery store this morning, I saw a women struggling with her jog stroller. I wanted to tell you how we chose our new jog stroller.
12 years ago, my sister bought her first jog stroller. Back then these products were not made with rotating front wheels and few had a one-pull collapse option. When it came time for me to choose my first stroller, these options rang loudly in the forefront of my mind. I can remember taking Ryan and Olivia for long walks and feeling like my arms got more of a work out than my heart or legs. When you purchase a jog stroller without the front wheel rotation option, you must push down on the bar and lift the front wheel in order to turn. I was exhausted after a short time at the park, but I still had to get the kids and the stroller in the car. My sister's stroller had a two-step closing process, and it wasn't easy. UGGg!
There are many strollers on the market today that still do not have these wonderful options. I wanted to share with you again, the stroller we chose, so none of you would be spotted pushing down to turn. It's not pretty:)

We chose the Baby Jogger City Elite. Happy shopping and be aware of those options I mentioned. Check out http://www.consumerreports.org/ and shop on
http://www.strollers.com/.

The best baby item; The Glider

Last night, Jeff assembled our glider. My parents were generous enough to buy us our glider, our bumper set and help my sister pay for the shower. By far the best is the glider. It looks great which is a miracle because they could resemble a piece of hospital
furniture. The color of the wood really looks nice against our light walls, and the cushions bring out the girly colors in our unisex bumper set.

I have to admit, that little piece of furniture truly got me excited. The thought that soon, Sophia will be rocking with me in the chair is amazing. We never planned to have a foo foo nursery, but it's the little items that make it all special.

We ordered the Dutailier Glider and ottoman. It was definitely the best one on the floor at Babies R Us. While he was assembling the chair, he remarked on the quality. The best feature was how easy it was to put both pieces together. It took him under 25 minutes, and that's including eating his fudge pop.

I have some new adds along the side, some of which will help you find the best priced glider. Good Luck.

Remember for those other organic and made in the USA products for mommy and baby, go to Little Baby Headquarters.

Feeling Well and Planning Ahead

Today I took it easy, and it felt great. The more I relax, the more Sophia moves, and that is the best reward.

Business is starting to develop for Jeff and I. Jeff is finally confident enough to start hiring people for his advertising business. I am quite proud of him because I see he is secure in his ability to bring business and creativity together for himself. Hopefully this will help buy our next home.

As for myself, my educational consulting business is my main stream of income. It entails going out to school districts to train their teachers and staff in various teaching techniques. That is time I won't have next year. In response to questions about next year, I have decided to work one day a month. I will book districts on a first come first serve basis. At first, I felt guilty that I wasn't taking on more work, but Jeff made it clear that he didn't want me to work. That really comforted me because I want so much to be a stay at home mom. That brings me to my next stream of income.

In February, I created Little Baby Headquarters. It was so important to me that I contribute financially to our family without compromising my time with baby. The online store seemed like the best choice. It allows me to provide top-quality items to other pregnant moms, baby products to new families, and downloadable seminars for teachers, tutors and parents.

With the three hard years of trying behind us, I want to enjoy this miracle we waited so long to meet. Hopefully, Little Baby Headquarters will become my main stream of income, so time out at work won't be an issue once Sophia arrives.

I pride myself in being an educational expert, and feel the same about the store. I look high and low for organic/eco-friendly products, so parents can be proud of items they use on or with their children. I also look for products made in the USA. With the economy the way it is, we should focus on keeping our money at home in America.

I would love to hear from other work at home moms, and urge all readers to checkout the great products at Little Baby Headquarters.

Be Well

Patient Pregnancy Patient

Not an easy day today. My "braxton hicks" had me quite uptight. During church this morning, I had 5 contractions in one hour. I called the doctor on call because my OB says 4 in an hour is the limit before alarm sets in. The doctor on call was very helpful and kind, but said 6 in an hour was the limit. After 2 check in phone calls, she ordered me to bed for the day. I have decided to skip a morning meeting because it's 9:30 and nothing has improved. Based on uterine behavior tomorrow, I may have to call my OB and get some definitive answers.

Of course I'm feeling uneasy about many items on my "Baby to do" list, but I realize care for baby is really all that matters. Jeff and my family have been taking great care of me, and for that I am so grateful. The ultimate to do item is assuring Sophia's safe deliver, and that no one can help me with except myself. I will go relax and keep you posted tomorrow.

Yesterday, I posted new bibs on littlebabyheadquarters.com and realized I had better keep some for ourselves. Check out te bibs as well as the other beautiful items available to you and baby

Pregnant and Selling a House

As you may all know, I am 8 months pregnant, we are in the midst of an international adoption for a daughter, and we have listed our house with a realtor. I know it sounds crazy, but it is actually well thought out. Tomorrow, I plan to talk more about out pregnancy and adoption timing, but today I'll tell you about the real estate craziness NOW!

This morning we made a nice TO DO list that would help us prepare for Sunday's Open House. As Jeff was Vacuuming, I was emailing our realtors about tomorrow's details. Low and behold the phone rings. It was from a realtor who wanted to show our house to a couple from Brooklyn for the second time. THE SECOND TIME. I can't say no, but I did panic slightly. Instead of finishing the TO DO list, we assessed and readjusted.

Jeff and I are a great team, so we started going into instant house showing mode. With 4 minutes to spare, we left a beautifully, staged house. Jeff went off to the gym and I hid out with the two Beagles at my next store neighbors house. Now we live in a townhouse. We have Beagles. That equals some noise, so in order to keep Penny and Snoopy quiet, I had to raid my neighbors "treat" closet.

The couple stayed for 20 minutes. I am thinking very positive.
The beagles and I shot back home, and now I am waiting to see if they throw up.
You don't know how many treats you have to give a Beagle to keep him quiet!
Right now, I am resting on the couch. Rushing, cleaning and 2 dogs don't mix well with pregnancy, but I think all will be well.

Wish us luck. Open House tomorrow.

Mattresses

Choosing a mattress can be a daunting job. It seems like it should be quite easy, but with the scare of SIDS, it is a very important purchase. I really liked the selection at BUYBUYBABY. It's important to feel the mattress for the firmness. After choosing a few, we did follow up research on Consumer Reports. Some of the helpful suggestions were:

1. Be sure you can't fit more then two fingers between the crib and the mattress
2. If it feels too firm for you, it's best for baby
3. A water-proof cover is a good idea

I was going to order off the internet, but I have decided to go back to the store and check our top picks. Once we compare them to our research, we'll be ready to purchase. I strongly suggest that you also should do extensive research when buying expensive and important items such as cribs, bassinets, mattresses and car seats. After the we buy the mattress, I'll be sure to update you with the final decision.

Soon on our store, we'll be selling bed rails for your toddler if you are pst cribs and unto beds:)
Little Baby Headquarters

Preparing for Baby

For all of you where I am in their pregnancy, it is time to really begin getting ready for baby. This weekend, we began with closets. We bought organization products so we could begin making extra space for all the adorable clothes and new products still sitting in bags and boxes. We also filled six Hefty bags of clothes that are in excellent condition, but we just don't want or they just don't fit. Those clothes are going to Salvation Army. I could have sold them for a lot on my eBay store Little Baby Headquarters. We chose to donate them for two reasons, it's a great tax right off and I have supplied needy people with absolutely beautiful clothing. It all worked out.

As for organization...Take 10% off any order at GetOrganized, no coupon necessary. Your discount will be reflected at Check Out.
We have minimized our clothes to what we like and wear. We are consolidating so clothes are easily accessible and more room is made for all of the baby clothes and items. The hard part is waiting a little longer to totally get the room set up. After all closets are finished, we need to start arranging the nursery. So what products are necessary if timing is an issue?

This is what's top on my list:
Make room in closets
Set up bassinet
Pick up glider/rocker (my parents bought our, it's beautiful)
Clean and hang clothing
Find a place changing table

When baby is born, I would be happy that these items were ready to go.
So I must go, it's time to get cleaning, get organizing, and get ready.

Keep reading. Check out Take Your Leap
Check out Little Baby Headquarters

Don't Forget to read Take Your Leap

Take Your Leap

To all my loyal readers, please don't forget about the new change. All of you wanting information on pregnancy, adoption and baby products, read this blog.

For those who are ready to straddle their W2 job with their own business or who just want new information on investing in real estate and businesses, please go to Take Your Leap.
Take Your Leap will give you more information than you ever wanted to know. It will help you improve your life, earn more money and work for yourself!

Choosing Jog Strollers

Today, Jeff and I went to choose our jog stroller, which my overly generous sister has asked to buy for us. This type of stroller was important to us because we love being outdoors with our Beagles, and soon with baby. I know we will be going to the park a lot, and we will be at mom's at the beach a lot. Because of this, we needed something durable that folded quickly and easily. We are mountain bikers, but aren't fans of jogging, so we didn't need the absolute best suspension. Down the road we will need a top of the line bike trailer, but for now, we need a jog stroller that allows for light hiking, speed walking and days at the beach.

We did our research on consumer reports and have tried out many jog strollers in the past. Today we went with the intention of buying the BOB.

With consumer reports, I have to be cautious because items that are high priced don't get reviewed or don't perform well. Believe it or not, we chose the Baby Jogger but not the performance series which is reviewed on Consumer Reports. We chose the newest line, City Elite.
It was a tough choice, but I feel secure in our decision. Here is what we liked most about the City Elite. It had an adjustable handle bar, three-compartment console, adjustable and storable foot rest, swivel front wheel that can be locked into place, and one step folding feature.

Our second choice was the BOB revolution and it was slightly cheaper. It had top-notch suspension which we didn't need right now. On the side bar of this blog, there is a discount text link for the BOB. Help yourself.

I think either jog stroller is a great purchase. Good luck with your jog stroller purchase.

Organic vs. Conventional Cotton

Today, we have so many decisions to make on our children's behalf. We are constantly looking for healthier foods to feed our toddlers, and now we must decide if the clothes we buy could be healthier.

Conventional cotton is chemically treated with insecticides and pesticides. It is known to be said that cotton is one of the most chemically dependent crops grown in the US. Besides the cotton being contaminated with these chemicals, we should also be concerned that while treated the crops, the atmosphere is being "treated" with the same chemicals. Bad for our bodies, bad for our environment. Quite a dilemma.

The alternative? Organic, unbleached, home-grown cotton. Since the 1990's there has been an increase in the treatment of cotton crops with chemicals. On a positive note, there has also been an increase in the number of organically grown cotton crops.
Also, organic cotton is grown in such a way to help sustain the land it grows on, the people who grow and harvest it, and the planet in general.

The advantage of buying these products for your child are many. First, we know for sure that an organically produced piece of clothing does not contain insecticides and pesticides, or other chemicals, so we don't run the risk of absorbing these through our skin into our bodies. Secondly, through anecdotal notation, we have come to learn that organically grown clothing products tend to be much more comfortable. Lastly, by supporting the growth of this cotton, we are sending a message as a nation that we want to be responsible about the condition of the planet.

Now on Little Baby Headquarters, we are selling some of the most adorable baby onesies and toddler tees Made in the USA from organically grown, unbleached cotton. The logos couldn't be cuter, but I am blown away by the quality. I placed a big order for the store. After the order arrived, I decided to immediately place another order because these were of the highest quality. I know these will go quickly. Below, see some of eco-friendly onesies. Let's be responsible and buy organic from Little Baby Headquarters.

Checking in

Hi,
I am off to work this morning, but I will be posting a new blog tonight. Stay tuned. In the meantime, check out the new organic onesies at Little Baby Headquarters

Change is Good!!!!

ATTENTION READERS!
I have been reading my blog and I had a realization. I know what I do best is teach. My passion is to teach you all the information you need to get out of the rat race. I have begun a new blog solely dedicated to adult education.

At Take Your Leap, I will post information that will enable you to become an entrepreneur. On this site we will continue to discuss real estate, business start ups, passive income, money partners, investing and much, much more. I wanted a venue where you could focus all your learning on how to become financially free. I think you will love the new format. We want to live the dream by taking the leap out of our daily, W2 routine.
Take Your Leap
will walk the path towards financial freedom!


Now, Little Baby Headquarters will become the ultimate baby blog. My focus will be parenting, pregnancy, adoption, child education and top-notch baby products. I hope to review many new products available to parents today. Consumer reports ratings will be discussed, safety, price and functionality will be incorporated. Also, many posts will pertain to my long 3 year journey to get pregnant, our current 2-3 year process of adopting a daughter internationally, and opening a baby-based business.
Lastly, I will apply my education expertise to my blog, so parents with school age children can get information about learning, disabilities, teachers, tutors and development.
Little Baby Headquarters

Stay tuned this information will be incredible!

Learning: Day 5: Team

Who will be on your team? That is the next question you need to ask yourself once you have decided on a market. Everyone's team is different, but I would like to suggest a basic checklist. Some individuals on your team, may be able to do more than one job.

You will need to remember, also, that not all team members are equal. There are certain people who are essential during the buying process, but will not be too involved afterwards. An example of these people would be realtors and lawyers. Then there are those who need to be identified before you buy, but their role takes precedence once you own the property. An example of those team members are property managers or contrators. I can not emphasize enough, how important it is to take your time when choosing these team members. I interviewed team members for months...I suggest you do the same.

Now who do you need?
Here is a suggested list of Team Members:
Realtor
Insurance Agent
Coach
Lawyer (one who can close and set up entities)
CPA
Inspector
Property Manager
Sub/General Contractors
Money Partner (if necessary or desired)

It's never too early to start seeking out your team and one of the best places to refer to for good referrals is the local investment real estate group. Do not take any suggestions from someone who is not an investor. Also, many of your team members will serve you best and help you accomplish your goals if they too are investors.

Good luck, be cautious, buy slow.

Bringing Learning to Life:Day 4: Where to buy real estate?

Finding a market to buy and work in can be the most difficult part of real estate investing. When we were trying to make that decision, I spent a lot of time reading, researching and comparing essential components.

When choosing an investment location there are many questions you must ask:
1. What is the employment rate in the area?
2. What major industry/companies have headquarters based in the area?
3. Are there new businesses projected to be in the area?
4. Are there new development projects such as sports arenas or malls?
5. What is the cost of living?
6. What is the status of any military bases in the area?
7. Is the market satiated with local and out of town real estate investors?
8. What is the average investment property selling for?
9. What are average rents?
10. What are typical vacancy rates in the area?

Some places you can find answers to these questions:
1. Home page of the town/city
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics: www.bls.gov
3. Global Property Guide: www.globalpropertyguide.com
4. Realty Trac
5. Foreclosure.com
6. ALL investor clubs in the town or state...this is a must
7. Yahoo groups about investment real estate in the area
8. Money Magazine
9. Fortune Magazine
10. Entrepreneur Magazine Real Estate Radio

Once you decide you strategy, deciding where to invest is your most important decision. this decision took us almost seven months. Remember, you don't have to invest locally. You have to invest in an area that you can reasonably afford, will support your investment strategy, and has viable property management. Good luck with your research. Hopefully you're buying some of those Rich Dad books that I highly recommend. Just click on the link below for great prices. Happy Reading

Post Coming Today!

Hang in there. I was on a little break over the weekend, but more Bringing Learning to Life Posts will be up today. Don't forget to click on any book I mention. It directs you directly to the Rich Dad sight and you can get some great bargains there.
I'll update tonight.

Learning: Day 3: Play to win

Yesterday we discussed strategy for investing in real estate. How did we decide? Reluctantly, we bought the board game by Robert Kiyosaki, Cashflow.




Through playing the game you will experience all investing strategies; gold, real estate, stocks, businesses. It was by playing together as a couple that we realized it doesn't matter how much money you start with, but it does matter how you spend the money. Winning comes more quickly if you keep bills and leisure shopping at a minimum and investing at a maximum. You can't win if you don't take the opportunities presented in the "DEAL" cards.

After playing, we realized the bigger the deal the faster you become financially free. We continue to play. It's very important that we equate the game circumstances to opportunites we experience in life. Without playing, I think we would scatter our strategy and pass up some big opportunities. We choose to focus on real estate and businesses. That is how we began our first business together Little Baby Headquarters

Investing as a couple is important to us, so we can make decisions together. It really lowers the stress level when you have two heads analyzing and completing deals.

Take my advice, try the game. If you have an open mind, you'll see you have to get in the game now. Don't let another year go by working for someone else. Plan your game. Take action. Make work, work for you!

Little Baby Headquarters:Look at these items

Here are some great pregnancy and baby items you must check out. Go to Little Baby Headquarters











HAPPY SHOPPING!