Virtual Baby Shower

Over at Gunning It, Margie is throwing a virtual baby shower! She is expecting her second child! How exciting!

For Game #4, I am going to share my birth story! Yay! More nostalgia! (I've been feeling very nostalgic about pregnancy lately!)
I wrote this shortly after Anna was born on my first blog, on Myspace of course. ;)

Anna D___ P______
November 19, 2006
8:10 p.m.
7lbs 11oz
19 inches long

(Sorry if this seems short, I'm exhausted.) I went in to be induced on Sunday morning 5am. The doctor checked me and I was already 3cm dilated and 80% efffaced, so they broke my water to see if that alone would stimulate contractions, but it didn't. They gave me pitocin at like 8 am-ish. It really wasn't bad at all at first. They checked me, I was still very comfortable and when they checked me I was 4cm and 100% effaced. I actually remember thinking how "easy" it was at this point and the nursing staff was impressed that I wasn't begging for the epidural yet. I asked for one some time later when I was like 6 cm but only because it would take 20 minutes to kick in and I wanted it to work once I was fully dilated. Well, I got the epidural and the first dose did not work at all, I wasn't concerned at this point... then I got the second dose and I was able to sleep a little because it dulled the pain enough... THEN I woke up in terrible pain not 1 hour after the second dose. They gave me a third dose of the epidural and it STILL wasn't working. I was numb from the knees down and my butt was numb (gee, if I were giving birth through my toes it would have been very nice!) The anesthesiologist said that the epidural is equal to ones' height and by then they had given me the dose of a 6 foot 2 inch person! Unfortunately, Anna was also posterior, so I had the worst back labor as well. At last I was checked and I was 9 cm, then they checked me a half an hour later and I was +2. They asked me if I wanted to start pushing and I said YES! I was in so much pain, I just wanted it to end! So I pushed for an hour and I was so exhausted from hunger (I had only had a bowl of cereal at 5am that morning and by then it was 7. I pushed so hard for so long and it hurt so bad that I kept throwing up. The contractions were coming one after another. Finally my OBGYN came in and he said that he would try to use the vacuum to pull her out and if it didn't work I'd need a C-Section. Anna was stuck in the birth canal because of her posterior position and because I was too exhausted to push very hard or very consistently. I was so tired that I couldn't keep my eyes open and I was even resting during contractions. So, finally the doctor put on the pump and I pushed as hard as I could and some time during this the doctor gave me a "generous" episiotomy--I didn't even notice! The vacuum released which made my body pop back, then the doctor put it back on and pulled her out. I didn't even know that she was born until she was put on my stomach. I kept my eyes closed for most of the labor (I was too exhausted to keep them open...) She was screaming and everything and she is so cute. The only thing that hurts is the episiotomy. It was pretty big, too. I asked the doctor how many stitches I had and he said, "We're up to six so far." and he wasn't even close to being done yet!

Anyhow, I'm in a ton of pain and the Perkoset only helps a little with the pain, but Anna makes it all worth it! She is so beautiful! She has dark black hair and a poor scabby red mark from when the vacuum popped off. She's just adorable! It was all worth it. I'll just try not to relive that delivery, though!

Anna is a great little breastfeeder, too! She caught on right away and the nurses said that babies who have traumatic deliveries usually don't feed very well, but she caught on right away. I was able to try to feed her just an hour or two after she delivered.

For Pregnancy Photos, Please See THIS POST And THIS POST. Thank you!


EDIT: Here are my answers to the baby shower games:
My answers:
Game 1: 177 jellybeans
Game 2: http://mymommyology.blogspot.com/2008/04/wordless-wednesday-pregnancy.html
Game 3: 112 diapers
Game 4 URL: http://mymommyology.blogspot.com/2008/04/virtual-baby-shower.html

Top 5 Prizes:

8, Hanes
2, Blessed Mom
4, Chesapeake Ribbons
20,Sweet Pea Cakes, etc.
6, Cushie Pillow

Money Saving Blogs

Like I said before, I love deals... well I actually said I ♥ deals... but anyhow, I want to share a few of my favorite money saving blogs.
The first one is actually what got me into blogging really. I first came across Baby Cheapskate in search of diaper deals. And boy, howdy, did I find them!!! Once I got six packs of Luvs diapers for around $2.00 per pack of 53! It was awesome. I love saving money! http://babycheapskate.com/ lists everything from coupons, to freebies, to giveaways, to awesome sales! Even diaper reviews with cents-per-diaper breakdown! Oh how do I love this site!!!

The second site I just came across today. It's called Mimi's Jewel Box of Tips and Treasures (that's quite a mouthful!!!) So far, I see lots of freebies on this site and lots of deals. I think I'll be keeping this baby bookmarked!

The third one is Absurdly Cool Freebie Finder. This website lists freebies from all kinds of sites. I've signed up for lots of things on this site and so far I've only gotten a few things.... but I think that's more due to the individual sites and their volume of interest. I have gotten a cute little swaddling blanket, some free samples... such as razors... and coupons, which are always nice. :)

The final site I want to share with everyone is A Full Cup. This site is a little hard to navigate until you get a hold of it. You just click on Forums in the upper left corner to find a list of individual stores. In each store, there is a forum and people post about deals they have found at their stores. I have found that the Target part of the forum is very well used and a lot of people like to post their finds at their local Targets. People at AFC are awesomely crazy when it comes to combining sales and coupons! Thanks to tips here I've bought things like two packs of Huggies wipes for 49 cents! They also list coupons at the Target Coupon Generator part of the site. And there is a list of other sites which offer printable coupons. I love this site. It's one of my favorite deal sites! :)

You know... I thought I had thought of them all, but I completely forgot about Craig's List! This is another great site that I'm sure you're all familiar with! I love finding things for Anna at great discounts. I have found a pair of pretty new shoes, worn once at a wedding, for 4 dollars... originally 19.99 at our local Fred Meyer. I also bought Anna's toddler bed for $10.00 from a nice older grandfatherly gentlemen who kept the bed for his grandchild who is now too big for it when he/she visits. I also found 15 cloth diapers for 30 dollars, but unfortunately I didn't get them... someone beat me to them! Wah! LOL! (I'm a wanna be CD'er) ;)

Wordless Wednesday: Pregnancy

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I wanted to share photos that my husband took of me at 38 weeks pregnant.

Win a $100 Gift Certificate to Land's End!

Hormone Colored Days is offering a fantastic giveaway from Land's End! I'm really excited about this! I won a while back ago an entire swim set from Land's End. Their products are fantastic quality! Contest ends May 4th.

A Couple of Things...

First of all I found a Blog Scavenger Hunt called The Great Blog Hunt. There are great prizes to be won... it takes a while, though... and I've found broken links so... argh... but now I'm determined and a little addicted. All you have to do to join is follow the links and save the pictures to a folder... I'm not going to elaborate because that stupid page finally loaded lol! Just follow the link to learn how to join!

Also, I added a breastfeeding poll to the right of the screen to take! Thanks for your participation! :)

Breastfeeding Fact O' The Week #3

Photo Thanks To Fourfriends.com

Did you know that you can relactate (if you decided not to breastfeed your newborn, you can later still breastfeed!)? Did you know that you can breastfeed your adopted child as well?

Reasons for adoptive breastfeeding

* Standard reasons for breastfeeding
* Benefits for adoptive relationship
o Enhancement of bond between mother and child
o Breastfeeding as a reflection of femininity
o Mother and child don't lose breastfeeding experience (in addition to pregnancy and birth)
o Much more than nutrition

To read more on Relactation & Adoptive Breastfeeding,
1. Click here to read the Basics of Relactation & Adoptive Breastfeeding
2. Notes: Concerns, Tips, Why it Works
3. Adoptive Breastfeeding Resource Website
4. More Resources from Kellymom.com

Yay! New-to-Me Photos

My lovely friend Ashley sent me photos from when I was pregnant. I hadn't seen them ever so it was quite a treat. I didn't have many full body pregnancy photos... something that I regret. :( So these photos are very wonderful to me. :) I do have special ones taken at 38 weeks by my hubby which I will share on Wednesday. Let's hope I remember to, which I'm sure I will.
Anyhow, this first photo was taken on the 4th of July, my friend's birthday, I was 19 weeks and 4 days pregnant (I looked it up... thank you internet!) Don't mind the silly face... I don't know what I was thinking. Just being goofy I guess.

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And this next photo was taken at one of my baby showers with my friends from high school which was near the middle of October. Anna was due at the end of November... so around 36 weeks-ish.

L-R, Lauren, Ashley, Me, Dawn, Dawn's son Felix.

I ♥ Deals

I love deals! *sigh* We went to Target today. Monday is the day for baby clothing deals! Let me tell you! That's the day they bring out the good stuff! I found two beautiful skirts for Anna! One is white and pink striped with little pockets and it has two layers. The other is a blue/green/yellow delicate plaid with pockets. They are darling! I got them for 1.98 per skirt! Originally they were 7.99 per skirt. I grabbed up the 2T since that isn't too different from 24 months. Anna wears 18 months right now and she is wearing it now as she naps. It looks a little long but it is so adorable! Like I said, I ♥ Deals!

Audrey Caroline

I was looking at other sites and I read a Then Sings My Soul post about a family, the Smiths, who lost their little girl, Audrey Caroline. Their story will make you cry. It is so beautiful to read about their faith. Their blog is called Bring the Rain. Their story from beginning to end is posted on this blog. The family wrote a beautiful song about their daughter and created a YouTube video. It is so beautiful. Please visit their blog and listen to this beautiful song. I just cried and cried the entire time I watched this. The thing that impacted me most was how joyful they were to see their daughter. They have big smiles as they welcome her into the world although they know she won't be there for long. They celebrated her life although it wasn't very long at all. They have such huge faith. It is just unimaginable. I hope that if something like that happens to me or our family that I can have faith like that.

Connor's 1st Birthday Bash!

THIS IS A STICKY POST. NEWER POSTS ARE BELOW THIS ONE. THIS POST WILL REMAIN UNTIL 4/28/08 12AM THANK YOU. :)

Seven Dogs and a Baby is celebrating Connor's first birthday with 9 days of games and giveaways! Happy First Birthday, Connor! May God bless you on this wonderful day! It goes way too fast! :D


Welcome, bloggers! My name is Sarah! I'm a wife to my husband Paul and a mommy to my daughter Anna! Please feel free to read through my blog. I mostly blog about being a mother, breastfeeding, and my relationship with the Lord Jesus! Have a happy blog party! :)

Win a Kodak ESP 3 All-in-One Printer

Like any other mom out there, I love to take photos! To win a wonderful photo printer, head over to 5 Minutes for Mom and sign up! :)
Tell them Milk Mama sent you. ;) Nah, you don't have to.... but do!

Scripture Sunday

Children are a Heritage of the Lord
Psalm 127:3

Photos of Anna's first day at the beach, June 15, 2007.
CLICK TO ENLARGE

(I have decided to enter the first of these photos, if I must choose just one(!!!) into the Mother's Day Photo contest at 5 Minutes For Mom. Click here for more details.)

These photos all represent my motherhood. I love spending time with my daughter, seeing that look of love on her little face... the way she touches my face and loves to give me kisses. Every day is a first. Every day is a new experience. I am so blessed by the God Above to be the one who is called Mommy by this special little girl!
Happy Mother's Day to Everyone!


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Beautiful Spring Day

Yesterday, the 25th--I'm writing this after midnight, the sun came out for a few hours (ah, the joys of living in Oregon! Seriously, though... I love it here. Just not the rain!!!) Anyhow, I took that chance to take photos of Anna. It was gorgeous out (for those few hours)! I had realized that I hadn't taken new photos of her for a while. My digital camera is actually on my video cam, so it doesn't take that great of photos unless it's in great light. So, I took new photos of her and then broke out Photoshop to create a great collage. I love collages! I'll share all of the photos this Wednesday, but for now, here is the collage!

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Today, April 26th, is supposed to be 70 degrees! Yay! Another sunny day in the midst of a thousand rainy drab ones! Thank God! I'm hoping we'll do something fun... go to the park, the zoo, OMSI... Hopefully something fun for Anna and us to spend time together.

Anna Has Baby Legs!

Just about a week ago I won a pair of Baby Legs on their website! If you go to their website by clicking HERE, you can enter. They hold daily contests. The first email of the day receives a pair of Baby Legs legwarmers! Baby Legs is in Seattle, so that means you have to enter at around midnight Pacific Standard Time. That was pretty easy for me. I entered 3 times and won on the third day. I was so excited!!! I chose the Strawberry Shortcake Baby Legs! I was surprised to receive them within a few days in the mail! Here are photos of my little pumpkin pie strutting herself in her legwarmers. I was surprised that she wore them. I expected her to rip them off the first chance she got---like she does with socks and shoes, but she didn't! (If she looks annoyed in the photo... I think she is! I was practically forcing her to stay still for the photo. Man, I want a new digital camera!!!)

Last Day of Bloggy Giveaways

There are literally HUNDREDS of prizes to be won at Bloggy Giveaways! But today is the last day, so head on over and enter as many as you can before you pass out at the computer from exhaustion!

Be a March of Dimes Sponsor

Their daughter, Audrey.

My good friend, Lisa, is raising money for the March of Dimes walk which I believe is tomorrow. If you would like to sponsor, please go to this link: CLICK HERE! Thank you so much!!!

Favorite Foto Friday

Anna at Christmas, 2007. She got a cute glow worm toy. She loved it!

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See more Favorite Foto Friday posts here at Safe in His Arms.
Also see more Favorite Foto Friday Posts at Kiss the Frog 4 Me.

Wish I Had A Camera

Where is that camera?! Anna loves to drink from straws and I just took away a full thing of old McDonald's soda (thank you to my In-Laws for that one! But I left her with the straw. I turn around and she had stuck the straw through the spout of her Nuby Sippy Cup (They have the soft spouts) and was drinking her apple juice (she's been constipated... hoping that helps!) through the straw! She was ignoring the sippy before. Maybe that'll help the juice go down and the poo come out!!!

How Goes the Breastfeeding?

It's been a while since I've written about how my breastfeeding experience is treating me lately. Well it is going fine as usual. I'm trying to dissuade Anna from nursing during the day. She is + or - 25 pounds so breastfeeding her more than 3 or so times a day drains me to the point where I just want to sleep all day! She's getting big and so is her appetite! She wears an outfit that is 24 months and although I don't put her in her in her 24 month clothes now she could easily wear them. The 18 month stuff is looking like it fits well, but not yet tight.... you know the stage. She often comes to me during the day and lays herself across my lap and either starts crying, fussing, putting her hand down my shirt, or a mixture of those things. ;D I wouldn't mind if it weren't for the fact that if I were to let her nurse whenever she came to me, I would probably nurse her 10 or 12 times a day. I nurse her before bed and in the morning with the occasional midnight snack. I am all for the child-led weaning. I believe it is healthy, but I don't think my daughter quite knows that it's for nutrition mainly. She mostly wants comfort. When I want to cuddle with her and hold her close most of the time she'll turn herself sideways and try to get some milk... she shows her signs, makes a silly laughing sound and/or tries to put her hand down my shirt... even after she has been fed a meal, so I know it isn't simply for hunger, and more for comfort than anything. I am starting to think because of these thoughts that my daughter is one of the children that needs to be mother-led when it comes to weaning. Otherwise she might be one of those 8 year olds that still breastfeeds I'm not saying that mothers like that aren't nursing their much older children out of love... but let's just say THAT'S NOT FOR ME! I love nursing my daughter beyond age 1. That was my goal and still is! I hope to wean her around age 2. That is only 6 or so months away, which now doesn't seem very far away at all! I honestly don't know when she'll be weaned, but I can tell you... she will not be 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, etc. when she is weaned lol. 3 is a possibility... 2 is very very likely! We'll see, we'll see...

Wordless Wednesday: Back Then

Photos are of me and my siblings as children. The eldest is Melissa, followed by Jen, then Me, and my brother Sean.
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The Red Thread Stitches

I came across a wonderful blog today! It's called The Red Thread Stitches. The creator of this blog (sorry, couldn't find her name) sews to bring her adopted daughter, Mia Hope, home from China. It's a beautiful story. She's been waiting over 2 years to bring her home!
About her clothing, the workmanship is beautiful. Any little girl would be blessed to dress in these gorgeous outfits! Handmade, and inspected by her daughters themselves, the outfits are ruffled and pleated to her heart's content with the love of Mia Hope in mind. And what about the prices? They are very reasonable for such beautiful outfits!
Here are some examples of her work...

The Tiffany Twirl Skirt($18-25, depending on size purchased, sizes 2-8):


The Emilee Dress ($32-38, sizes 1-8):



And my favorite, can be worn as dress or dress w/pants. Comes with personalized purse.
The Staci Dress ($35-38, sizes 3-8):

Donating Blood Today

Today I'm going to donate blood. It's the first time in a long time. The last time I donated blood was a few months before I got pregnant with Anna... so a little over 2 years ago! Wow! I encourage you all to donate blood every so often. I went straight to the Red Cross website and followed directions on finding a blood donation near me. It was really simple! I'll actually link this post to the website. Just Click Here! You can find out your nearest blood drive and even find out if you're eligible!

Cheerios .50 a Box at Kroger

Money Saving Mom shares the scoop on her blog! Find out how to buy your cereal SUPER cheap! Just click here!!!

The Rights of Christians Under Attack

Thanks to Safe In His Arms for this article....

The rights of Christians are under attack again! Consider what has happened just in the last week:


* In New Jersey, East Brunswick High School officials told football coach Marcus Borden he cannot kneel and bow his head while members of his team have a student-led pre-game prayer. (source)



* In Wisconsin’s Tomah Area School District, a teacher refused to give a student identified only as A.T. a grade on an art project because his work included "John 3:16" as well as "A sign of love." However, Buddha, Hindu and sorcerers are considered “approved” forms of art by the school. (source)



* In Mt. Vernon, Ohio, school leaders told teacher John Freshwater he must put his Bible out of sight when students are in his room. Mr. Freshwater has refused to do so. He has had a Bible on his desk for the past 18 years. (source)





Take Action!

Join AFA in expressing appreciation to the two teachers and student mentioned above for their bold stand. Despite overwhelming pressure, Marcus, A.T. and John are standing firm in defending our rights.

Sign our “Petition of Appreciation!”. Help us gather one million signatures supporting these three individuals for standing strong for our religious freedoms. AFA will present a Plaque of Appreciation to each of them, which will include your name and state (no address).

You Wouldn't Believe...

You wouldn't believe what the lady upstairs gave us! She gave Anna this:

It is a Turtle Play Stove from 1969! It even was in the box! (This picture I stole from EBay, but it looks exactly like it!) How crazy is that? LOL! Anna likes it. She keeps trying to sit on it like a chair!
The box even has the price sticker on it. It was marked down from 9.99 to 7.99! I found this playstove... the exact same one, doesn't even have the box, for 129.99 Buy It Now Price on Ebay!

CARE Package

Have you heard about CARE Package? CARE Package is a non-profit organization who helps families who lose their newborns. CARE Package began when the family who started this organization had two beautiful twin boys. However, one of the boys, Robby, died due to complications with Twin-To-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

What do we do here at CARE Package, Inc.?

Our mission is to help CARE for all the other babies who, like Robby, don't survive. This includes neonatal loss as well as miscarriages and stillborn infants.

We hand-crochet and hand-knit items to deliver to hospitals, to be given to the parents as they prepare to say goodbye to their little one. Parents will be given several different sets of our items, including booties, sweaters, hats, and/or blankets, to choose from in order to find that unique outfit in which to dress their baby. (They may also choose not to put the items on the baby and can simply bring them home, if they like.)

Along with these sets, parents will also receive a small laminated card to glance over before they receive their child and while they are holding him or her. This will include suggestions for things they might want to do with their baby, such as take pictures, dress him/her, bathe him/her, bring in other siblings, etc. It is our firm belief that knowing we could have done these things, and doing them, would have made a drastic difference in this painful experience for us. We would like to spare other parents from realizing too late what they could have done, had they only known.

Finally, once CARE Package, Inc. becomes large enough, we would like to develop a fund to help parents with their memorial and funeral services. We were lucky enough to have insurance to cover our needs, but we know that not every family will be able to do everything they choose to do to remember their baby.

Soon: New Blog Design

I won a Fun and Funky Blog Design from a recent contest held at her board! I'm so excited! There is another one going on right now, so go check that out! And keep an eye out for the new design! :D

Have you been to the Carnival?

Bloggy Giveaways is hosting a giveaway carnival! How fun! There is a linky list of hundreds of bloggers who have giveaways going on right now! Just click HERE to go to that list!

Photos of the Boys

The proud family at their babyshower!


Babies A. & A. less than 1 day old.

Babies A. and A. were born yesterday morning to my good friend V. Mom and dad are doing fine, just tired! I watermarked the cr*p out of the photos because they aren't my sons and I want the photos to be especially safe! Aren't they adorable!? Click Photo to Enlarge.

Breastfeeding Poll

I'd like to help out Olivia, a lady who posted on my blog, who has a breastfeeding survey. If you would like to take the survey, please click here.

Photo thanks to Baby Centre. Read Helen's breastfeeding story.

Scripture Sunday

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”- 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Twins Born!

I'm happy to announce that she had the boys, A. and A., at 2:48 and 3:05. They were 5 pounds 2 ounces and 5 pounds 10 ounces. They are doing well! I'll share photos later when I have her permission.

Friend in Labor!

I just got a message that my friend, V. is in labor right now! As we speak!!! She is 4CM and 80% effaced! She is in the hospital right now! Baby boys A. and A. are going to be here soon and join big sister C. who is just 16 months old! Mom and Dad are going to be BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSY! LOL! Say a prayer for a safe vaginal (Baby A. is head down so the other twin should be able to be born vaginally despite being butt-down!) delivery, which is what she wants (hey, who wants a major abdominal surgery? Not me! Not her!) Yay! I'm on cloud nine right now!
glitter-graphics.com

5 Things That Were Easier Than They Said...

5 Things That Were Easier Than They Said It Would Be:

1. Breastfeeding. I should've never gotten psyched out by everyone that told me that it would be a nightmare. Sure it hurt. I mean, I'd never had a baby suck on them before like there was no tomorrow. Of course it hurt. My nipples were sore. I think I remember blisters or skin peeling... I don't know. It really only lasted like two weeks. After that it began to become WONDERFUL. Of course it was wonderful before that, too. I remember nursing my little newborn and just CRYING because of the wonderful bond that we were sharing, the fact that she depended on me solely for nutrition and comfort. What a blessing these last 17 months of nursing and cuddling have been!

2. Having a newborn. She was like any other newborn. She cried at night and slept during the day, but she was SO EASY. It's the toddler that is difficult! If she could just sit still for one second! If I could tell her "No" and she would understand the first time! LOL! Having a toddler is an adventure every day. But I think I'm more tired now than when she was a newborn. When she was in the pre-crawling, pre-walking, pre-CLIMBING stage of life I could put her where ever I wanted! It was wonderful lol!

3. Labor. Labor was fine. I expected the pain. It was so painful. I'm not kidding. I didn't get an epidural (Argh to you, anesthesiologist!!!) and my daughter was posterior. That part was not the hard part. It was the stinking RECOVERY. I won't go into gory details... but let's just say I had an episiotomy and a at 6 days postpartum I got to go to the ER due to complications with that particular recovery. I'm not nervous about childbirth with baby #2, it's the recover. I'm praying that I don't get an episiotomy so I don't have to take pain killers postpartum!

4. Expenses. I know that babies are supposed to be expensive, but I can say that in the first 6 months of my daughter's life, the only thing I bought was diapers and wipes. And I admit I went to the nearby Walmart for inexpensive diapers! In the next 6 months I bought a few outfits and a few things of baby food and diapers and wipes. After that we moved and I started deal shopping for diapers and wipes. I found that with purchasing Luvs and with a coupon, I could get them pretty cheap. Even other brands, if I found coupons or deals (online is where I searched!) that I didn't have to pay much. Since I nursed my daughter, I didn't have to ever buy one bottle, one nipple, or even formula or other accessories. My LC gave me a hand pump after delivery so I used that. I think I pumped two sippies of milk for my daughter in her first year. She refused baby food, so I let her self feed from 7 months on and never bought baby food again. I got all of my daughter's clothing from gifts before she was born with the exception of a few outfits that I really didn't NEED to purchase. The carseat and crib (not that she slept in it!) were gifts, too. God provided everything. I didn't need to stress at all!

5. College. I didn't have a hard time at all after my daughter was born in college. I graduated with an AA when she was around 6 months old. I got mostly As that semester and the semester my daughter was born. However, I do admit that I gave up some things to graduate that May. I had been accepted into the teaching program at N.U. I was pretty excited, but once they told me that I should get a baby sitter and going to school and entering the program were like 2 full time jobs, I immediately imagined going to school in the morning then off to my internship and then coming home in the late hours... Anna already asleep. My breastmilk drying up. A bottle of formula in her mouth. A babysitter seeing her firsts. Her first roll. Her first crawl. Her first step. I cried. I couldn't bear to imagine it. I couldn't let that happen. I'm her mom. That means that I raise her. That means that I nourish her. That means that I see her firsts. That kind of lifestyle might be more than acceptable for other moms, but for me, that was some sort of suicide. The suicide of motherhood in a way. It was awful. I withdrew the very next day. There was no argument. I didn't even have to think hard on it for a while. I know it was the right decision every time I see my daughter do a new first. Every time she comes to me when she is upset. I'm not a stranger to her. I'm her mother! And it never felt more wonderful!
As my professor said when she and I spoke the day I withdrew, "College will always be here, but your daughter will grow up. You don't want to miss that!"

Win! Flip Video Camera!

This Full House is offering an awesome giveaway: This chic, beautiful, erm, might I say sexy(???) Flip Video Camera! Oh I want one so bad... I bet you want one, too!?

The FLIP Video Ultra Series Camcorder offers:

Ultra slim, premium camcorder
No Glare display screen (1.4")
Instant playback, review, and delete features
On-board memory: 30 Minute (1 GB) or 60 Minute (2 GB)
TV quality video
Connects to PC or TV for instant viewing
Built-in high-speed software enables sharing of video instantly from any PC or Mac.
Capture moments anywhere and share them with ease!

Breastfeeding Fact O' The Week #02

...although I don't always do them weekly. :D

From Kellymom.com

Myth #1 – Breastfeeding cannot be relied upon to prevent pregnancy.

Myth #2 – Any amount of breastfeeding will prevent pregnancy, regardless of the frequency of breastfeeding or whether mom’s period has returned.

Exclusive breastfeeding has in fact been shown to be an excellent form of birth control, but there are certain criteria that must be met for breastfeeding to be used effectively.

Exclusive breastfeeding (by itself) is 98-99.5% effective in preventing pregnancy as long as all of the following conditions are met:

1. Your baby is less than six months old
2. Your menstrual periods have not yet returned
3. Baby is breastfeeding on cue (both day & night), and gets nothing but breastmilk or only token amounts of other foods.


...I personally have been nursing for now 17 months today. I've yet to see a period (Yessssss!!!!!) but my daughter is no longer nursing exclusively, so I'm on birth control. ;)

Read the whole article at Kellymom.com for more information. It's a very fascinating article!

*See my other Breastfeeding Fact O' The Week post on the Benefits of Breastfeeding a Toddler, which even lists the vitamins and nutrients in breastmilk after age 1. Very informative!

17 Months Old Today

Today my daughter is one month older! She is 17 months old! Wow how time flies!!!

Win a FuzzyMe Tutu

Envyla is offering an adorable FuzzyMe Tutu! It's so adorable that I want to cry! So head on over to Envyla if you'd like a chance to win the cherubic tutu of your own design!

Review: Huggies Clean Team Products

I was contacted recently by M80 Parents Meta Blog to do a review of Huggies Clean Team Products. I received a box in the mail a few days ago and it contained http://www.huggiescleanteam.com/ moist flushable wipes, conditioning shampoo, and hand soap.

Anna was immediately enthralled with the hand soap. The hand soap has a cute purple hippo head on it that flashes with a red light for 20 seconds (the time needed for proper hand cleansing) when you push down on the pump. Anna loved this. Aside from the handy flasher (which I admit to using myself after going potty--hey, where else do you find a timer in the bathroom?), and the lovable purple Hippo named Henry, the scent is wonderful. It doesn't smell strong, but it is a light and sweet scent. As for the hand soap, did it deliver? Yes, it did. Did it do its job? Yes, it cleans hands for sure, and it goes beyond the regular soap expectations by adding a timer and a friendly character named Henry. Anything to add? You can also purchase a refill once you run out and hang onto the timer top! Of all of the products tested, this was my favorite and definitely one that I will purchase time and again!

The Huggies Clean Team Shampoo with its slithery mascot, Sammy, was next to be analyzed (ah, I sound so scientific!)... I used it first on my dear little darling Anna (later on the toddler I watch once a week). Bathtime is slippery business with a 16 month old who refuses to listen to the word, "Sit!" So on went the shampoo. Not that she has much hair, but I swear it's pretty long in the back! The bottle is not too large and its shape fit perfectly, even in my small hands! But trouble came when I couldn't get the darn cap to open--and SNAP--I actually broke the thing off! Eeek! Now, as for the shampoo, did it do its job? Yes, it did. Squeaky clean toddler hair all around. Was it easy to use? Easy to hold, not so easy to dispense. Maybe the cap was a little too hard to open and I don't know my own strength?(???) Anything to add? The yummy blueberry scent tempted me to use the shampoo, too!

Finally came the Flushable Moist Wipes with the cute pink flamingo named Freddy! Anna sits on the potty about once a week... sometimes she pees a little, sometimes she doesn't... nothing regular yet. The good news: with the flushable wipes I can just dump everything in the potty afterwards, which means no yucky wipes in the bin to smell! Yay! I also used the flushable wipes on my potty trained toddler friend whom I watch. With the #2 It took a few swipes more than I usually do, but with the convenience of a much cleaner bottom than with toilet paper and the added bonus of not needing to take poopy wipes out, I was very pleased. Did the wipes do their job? Yes, they did. Were they easy to use? Yes. I was very happy to see that when I reach for ONE wipe, I get just ONE wipe! There are rubber gripper thingies (erm, do they have a name?) that keep you from dispensing more than one! Why aren't these on other wipe containers? They're fantastic! Anything else to add? The Blue Melon Splash scent is such a nice change from other strange wipe smells!

Overall, I was very pleased with all of the products I tested. They all performed very well. They had nice scents (very important for me as it turns out), and extras which made use so much easier!

Huggies Clean Team Products also include the Disposable Washcloths, Bath Wash, Cleansing Cloths, and Detangler.

Quick! Baby Legs Giveaway!!!

JP & the Boys is giving away baby legs! Oh I love baby legs! They're so cute! But the deadline is tonight! So hop to it!

Moms to Multiples?

Are you a mom to multiples (twins on up?) Go to this blog. Here, Rachael, who is a mom to triplets, has listed freebies and discounts that are given to moms to multiples. First she lists the specific deal and then at the bottom are the addresses to write to. I was glad to find this! A friend of mine is expecting identical twin boys any day now! She is dilated to 2 1/2 CM and is 70% effaced. She is almost 35 weeks. She is ready to go! :D
Multiples Freebies & Discounts Blog


Photo thanks to http://www.babyminestore.com

Ali Vincent, First Female Biggest Loser!

Ali Vincent made history as the first female biggest loser! She lost 112 pounds and most of that by herself. She was sent home soon after coming into the contest but she managed to work hard with the goal of being the Biggest Loser in mind! I was so psyched to see her win! Even with Roger and Kelly as her competitors she still managed to win! Yeah Ali! You are awesome! And congratulations to the other contestants who lost amazing amounts of weight! Kelly won 109 pounds! Wow!

Ignited C|hurch Great Florida Healing Revival

7 AM Pacific and 4 PM Pacific time

Ignited Church in Lakeland Florida is having a Great Florida Healing Revival as we speak! My parents in law have been watching the live stream for days now. Hundreds of people have been healed and given their hearts to Jesus! My mom in law tells me last night they were praying for birth defects. It is so amazing! I know that just about everyone knows someone who needs healing. I wish I could take my nephew there. How amazing would it be to take my nephew to a revival and then return him to his parents speaking and with full mental capacities? So cool! :D Now if you can't make it down to Lakeland (although people have been driving there from all over the USA!) you can also send in your prayer requests via email at prayer@ignited.com
To watch the live stream you can go to http://freshfire.ca/ffmstream/index.php or you can go to http://www.ustream.tv/channel/great-florida-healing-revival (if this last one just leads you to the main page at UStream, then just search "Ignited." For more info, you can go to the Ignited Church's Website at http://www.ignitedchurch.com/Home/tabid/1132/Default.aspx

10 Fun Anna Facts

photo deleted by author




1. Anna loves Spongebob. She even sings along with the song! She says Bah-Bob, which is Spongebob.
2. Anna bites her nails! Already!
3. When we lay in bed, Anna wraps her arms around my neck! Not so comfortable sometimes, but completely adorable! I love it!
4. Everywhere we go, Anna points out babies (Baby!), Dogs (Dahg!), Cats ( Cah-Cat!), and horses (ee-eee-eee *neighs*).
5. Anna is 100% girl. She totes around dollies, feeds them, gives them drinks, puts them in strollers. She loves dresses and hates to get dirty! If you put a new outfit on her and ask her to show daddy, she will turn to him and acts shy. hehehe! So girly and she's only 16 months. LOL! I love it!
6. Anna loves to sing and dance. It's adorable watching her!
7. Anna knows around 20 words and at least 3 signs that I've taught her. She's pretty good at communicating nonverbally, too. LOL
8. Anna loves rocking on her rocking zebra. It's her fave toy right now. She gets on and rocks and says, Weee!
9. Anna loves to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and signs the word Twinkle (which is putting the hands in the air and opening and closing the hands).
10. If you say, Praise the Lord! Anna puts her hands in the air!

11... She put that hat on backwards herself! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Mini Chocoholic

She got into my dark chocolate stash! Oh, they do start young, don't they? LOL!
*edited to remove photos*

Klean Kanteen

A while back ago I won a Klean Kanteen--pre-blog. So unfortunately now I can't remember who I won it from! I think it may have been from Ecoist...? Hmm..

Anyhow, I won a Klean Kanteen sippy cup. It's a sippy cup made from stainless steel. When mine came in the mail it came with two spouts. I put one aside. How many times have you lost sippy cup spouts? I was so glad to see that this one came with a spare! Another great feature is that once Anna outgrows the sippy spout, I can replace it with a water-bottle type of spout, called a flat or loop cap. The spout is large which is so great for warm days--I can load it up with ice cubes and water with no problem.
So, why stainless steel instead of plastic? It is durable. It lasts forever. I can't count how many times Anna has dropped, thrown, and generally TRIED to mutilate this poor sippy cup. It has gone with us so far to the park, zoo, and to Disneyland. It made it through airport security with no problems... which was a worry of mine. I thought it might be confused with a pipe bomb or something lol. Thankfully that wasn't even remotely a concern. I just kept it in the diaper bag as a carry-on. The second and most important reason why some parents prefer stainless steel for their children's cups is the concern of leaching of chemicals into the child's drink. Even the Advent spouts are made of #5 polypropylene which is a non-leaching material. The Klean Kanteen is lab tested and found to be 100% free of heavy metals and toxins which might leach into your child's every day milk or water.
I've found so far that I really like this cup. I'm confident that my daughter is drinking from a safe cup. I'm also glad to know that it will last practically forever. Which is always great for a mama on a budget and for a mama who is concerned with adding to landfills unnecessarily.
On the negative side (there aren't many negative things to speak of) I've found that it gets very cold when filled with cold liquids. There aren't any handles, so it could be hard for a younger infant to hold onto. My 1 year old has had no problems with that. Otherwise it is a great sippy cup and I'd recommend it to anybody!
Right now Reuseable Bags has the Klean Kanteen sippy cup on sale for just under 17 dollars which is quite a deal!

I'm Back!

I had a great time at my sister's house! I love my sister! Please keep her in prayer. She's so lonely out there. She's far from family and also she misses my brother Sean so much. So do I. I know we all do. I think it's easy for me, though. It's easy to be distracted from thinking about Sean's death with Anna, Paul, Paul's family keeping my mind busy. She lives in Southern Oregon a few hours from me and has no family nearby. She's single and she has lots of time to think. I feel for her. I really wish I could simply fix it all, but I know it's not the way it works. I can't bring Sean back and I can't keep her from being depressed. Aside from that, we had a great time together. We watched movies, visited the elderly people that she works with, went to the park--Anna loved the swings and said "Wee!" LOL!--Anna played in the bathtub every night and loved chasing Cally Cat, Jen's white minx cat. We rented August Rush while I was there. Have you all watched it? You should! It was a great movie! I really had no interest in it beforehand, but now I just love it so much! Well, I'll blog some more later. Today I got my Clean Team products so I'm excited to get working on those. The review will come soon! :D

Favorite Foto Friday

Over at Safe in His Arms, Tonya has a Favorite Foto Friday. This week she shared photos of her beautiful new niece Allie Grace. She is gorgeous! Go and comment on her post! :D
I'm off for this week. I'm going to go visit my sister Jennifer! I'm so excited! It's supposed to be in the 70s this week, so it'll be warm enough for a trip to the park! Yay! That just reminded me that we should pack the cameras!
Now, I'm going to look through my computer and search for some of my favorite photos to share..... let's see......

These are Anna's 4 month photos, taken by my husband Paul at home. We bought black sheets that were on sale at Walmart and bought 800 film for excellent photos. I also used Photoshop to make the photos a little more sharp. I loved how they turned out. There are more of course, but these are a few of my faves. Aren't they adorable? It shows you how chubby Anna was and also how much she loves to smile!!! :D
Edit: Forgot to share what the watermarks mean. I watermarked these a while back ago... well, over a year ago now that she's almost 17 months old, with my nickname Gussie for a forum. :) And Anna Daisy, that's her first and middle name. I'll share the story of her name another time. ;)

*edited to remove photos*

April is Autism Awareness Month

Autism is the third most common developmental disorder. 1 in 150 children born have autism. 1 to 1.5 million Americans have Autism. Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability at 10-17% annual growth.
I'm sure that you know someone who has Autism or someone that has been effected by Autism in some way. My own nephew, Tell has a severe form of Autism. At age twelve, he is not potty trained and has never told his mother that he loves her. In fact he cannot speak at all. When he was about six months old he could say two words: ball and mama. Soon after that he began regressing and could no longer speak. It is so sad to know that I will never know my nephew emotionally... never have a conversation with him. But I can honestly say that he is a very joyful little boy. He laughs every day. He loves to be tickled. He loves to watch movies. He is very good at figuring out electronics and how to turn up the volume or change the channel. He can also match written words to pictures. He is a wonderful child and nobody has regretted having him in our lives.

Photo: Auntie Sarah and Telly on the slide. We love going down the slide together. As you can see from this earlier photo. The funny thing is, we never planned to take these two photos for comparison or anything like that. It was just random that it turned out that way! :)


For more information on Autism, you can go to the Autism Society of America website.
If you would like to follow a step-by-step symptom screening, please go to the Autism Screening site. Some of the symptoms to look for include not responding to his/her name, lack of eye contact, and delayed language skills.
If you would like to donate, you can go to the Autism Speaks website for more information.

She Drank By Herself!!!

We were sitting at the couch just a moment ago and Anna grabbed my glass of water from the side table and took a drink from it by herself. She did it three more times after that, too! I'm so proud of my little girl!

New Layout

I created a new header so I had to redo my layout. Man, I wish I knew how to create custom layouts. :( Wah! Anybody want to teach me? Anyone? No? Yes? You? OK! :D

First Review on Behalf of a Company

Today I was excited to get an email M80 Parents Blog who contacted me on behalf of Kimberly Clark. They asked me to do a review of Huggies products. This is pretty perfect, really. I've been wanting to do a review and on top of that I'm NOT a Huggies customer.... Perhaps I will be converted? We shall see!!!

Biggest Loser: USA Decides!!!

My Mother in Law is a little addicted to watching The Biggest Loser. And so am I. For the finale, the viewers get to decide who wins! For this season we have a HUGE chance at getting our FIRST female Biggest Loser winner! So, please go to this website: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser_5/vote/register.shtml and vote for MARK. By voting for MARK, you are voting in a guy who already weighs 169 pounds. He hardly has anything to lose now. WHICH MEANS the other two women who are in the finale, Ali and Kelly, HAVE A HUGE CHANCE AT WINNING AND BEING THE FIRST FEMALE BIGGEST LOSER!!! So please go to that web address simply by clicking HERE and voting for MARK (yes, I'm being repetitive because I want Mark voted on so Kelly or Ali can win!!! :D

2 Weeks of Toys

5 Minutes for Mom is giving away a new toy (or toys) every day for the next two weeks! Go ahead and go over there and check it out. I hope I win the Rose Petal Cottage. It's so adorable! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Growing Belly Weeks 5-39

This is a collage of my pregnancy pictures, weeks 5-39, with my daughter Anna, born November 06.
Photo Watermarked at http://www.bump-and-beyond.com

Good Morning

Anna woke up just fine this morning with the exception of waking up at 6AM crying uncontrollably. She did that the day before and then threw up all over, so I thought that was going to be a repeat of that day, but thankfully it wasn't. Hopefully if it was a bug then it is gone. She is a bit of a picky eater so maybe her tummy was upset from only wanting to nurse and refusing to eat on the 6th? But on the 7th she had spaghetti and that was pretty yucky vomit. I don't know what to think of it. I stayed up pretty late (er, early) this morning praying for her. I'm sure that helped a lot!

Hmmm Still Sick?

Unfortunately, after we thought Anna was well the other day she woke up yesterday morning and this morning vomiting again. Still no fever. She only vomits in the morning.... either she is awoken by vomiting or she wakes up then vomits. I'm a little confused about all of this. It's unusual for her to be sick without a fever, first of all, but it's also odd that she is only sick in the morning. So if she is still sick when she wakes up in the morning, I'm going to call for an appointment for her.

So memory's sake, she woke up on the 2nd vomiting and again on the 6th and 7th. Hopefully not this morning (it's 3AM on the 8th). All three times without fever and always in the morning.

Free Rolll of Film Printing

Walgreens is offering on Wednesday, April 9th only, the printing of one roll of film, free. That means the cost of printing is free, not the film itself. You'll have to buy your film. ;)
Click here to see the ad.

Experiencing the Resurrection

I'd like to thank Sarah at Sassyfrazz for my latest and greatest win, Experiencing the Resurrection by Henry and Melvin Blackaby. I'm really looking forward to reading this book! I showed my mother in law the book and she said, "Oooh! I've heard good things about Henry Blackaby!" My mother in law is a huge book fanatic, so if she said something good immediately, then it must be good!

The Shape of a Mother

One woman wrote, "Motherhood is not for the faint of heart or the vain." How many times have you stood in front of the mirror and mourned the loss of your pre-pregnancy body? It's so sad that in today's society we think that when we have a child we must "bounce back" immediately just like celebrities do. Of course celebrities bounce back like that. For one they have plastic surgeons, trainers, dieticians, the safety of a mansion to hide behind until they look good, and last but certainly not least, airbrush technicians to hide all of those "flaws" that a mother's body might acquire after childbirth. I, for one, do not want my daughter to grow up thinking that she must look a certain way to be accepted by everyone. I want to tell her when I look in the mirror, "I am so beautiful" and not "I'm so fat! I need to lose weight!" I admit I've said or thought these things since having my daughter, but I assure you that I am training myself very hard to say the things she needs to hear. I am the woman that she will look up to as she grows older. I know, not only from personal experience, that if a girl hears her mother say negative things about her body, that girl will wonder why her beautiful, flawless mother would say such things--and if she says those things about herself, then when she says I am beautiful then she must mean the opposite! Mothers, you are not alone in your sagging breasts, your stretchmarks and cellulite. Guess what? It is absolutely normal and common! I've found this wonderful website called The Shape of a Mother. On this blog, women post photos of their bodies post baby. They have stretchmarks, sagging breasts, but each and every one is so incredibly beautiful. I've posted my own photos on this website. I won't direct you straight to them, but the photo on this post is an edited version of the photos I submitted. Be forewarned that there is NUDITY on this website, so please make sure that your children do not see it. It's not sexual nudity, however. It's the nudity of real, flawed, perfectly beautiful mothers. Go ahead and check out TSOAM and encourage your fellow mother. Tell her she is beautiful, because she is. I love this website. I think it's changing the confidence and self image of mothers all over the world. One photo at a time.

Scripture Sunday

Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Don't Let Her Chubbiness Fool You...

Anna is such a picky little eater! Argh! I wish I could get her to eat better. This has only started in the past few months. She will sit in her high chair and eat for maybe a couple of minutes (pick is more like it) and then she wants down! She self feeds. She has always self fed herself. We started with baby food at six months and she gagged and cried and gagged and cried so we started with things she could feed herself with and that has always worked with her. Until lately. Now she just prefers to nurse or drink milk (rarely) or water (rarely) but even more rare... she feeds herself. She seems to take a bite or two and then she wants down!

And so begins the era of picky toddler eating habits!!!

Watch TV & Movies Free Online

Have you ever wanted to watch your favorite episodes of... whatever, really... but either your husband is glued to the TV watching Star Trek, or you can't find your favorite show because it airs randomly, or maybe you don't have cable? Maybe you just haven't had the money or energy to go and rent a movie? I've found the AWESOMEST (yes, that's a word...in my dictionary, anyway!) website ever! It's called Hulu! You can watch just about any show or movie you want any time. And when you make the show full screen it doesn't degrade the quality of the picture, either. It's pretty great. I like watching Bones. It's one of my favorite shows. I don't get to watch it very often because of a few certain reasons, so I was glad when I was directed to this site. Go ahead and look around at Hulu. I bet you'll find what you want! :)

Rice Pudding

If you ask my husband, rice pudding is my favorite dessert in the whole wide world. I love making it. Unfortunately my cookbook is the garage *grr*! So, I found the closest recipe I could find. My favorite recipe only calls for milk, rice (cooked... great way to use leftovers!), sugar, cinnamon, eggs, and raisins! It is so simple and so delicious. It is truly a comfort food recipe!
Oh I have one tip for making rice pudding... if you are making the rice for this recipe (as opposed to using leftovers) then stir while making the rice (this is generally against the rules in rice preparation) HOWEVER, stirring does just the most perfect thing for rice pudding that wouldn't work for general rice eating times.... it breaks down the outside of the rice hulls making the rice creamy... oh so delicious!!! Yum!

BAKED RICE PUDDING

4 eggs, beaten 3 c. milk 1/3 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 c. cooked rice 1/2 c. seedless raisins (more, if you wish) Combine all ingredients and pour into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Set dish in a pan of hot water. Bake in 300 degree oven for about 1 hour. After first 30 minutes, insert spoon at edge of pudding and stir from bottom. Continue baking until knife inserted near center of pudding comes out clean. Serve hot, warm or cold. Serves about 6 to 8.

Want a Jesus Encounter?

My hubby's cousin, Jeremy, has a great blog called Jesus Encounter. He is a very talented and inspired writer who is on fire for God! Go ahead and check him out!

RosePetal Cottage

Wouldn't you love to be a little girl again? I know I sure would. I remember when I was little I loved having my own little place. Nobody else's. Not my brother's. Not my sister's. I had quite a few, actually. I had a tree fort, a place across the creek called "The Golden Valley"--named so by myself and my best friend for its dry yellow golden grass, a giant refrigerator box. But when I was watching a commercial a few months back about the RosePetal Cottage I just fell in love!!! But honestly I don't have the money for it *yet*. Thankfully, my friend Sarah at Sassyfrazz directed me to probably the greatest contest ever. It is for a RosePetal Cottage! God bless you, MomsViews!!! Woot! So, head over there and sign up for a chance to win a beautiful Cottage for your little girl!

Pottytraining?

Anna is so cute... she loves to do what we do. When we go potty, so goes in there and tries to take off her diaper so she can give it a whirl, too. I think she'll be easy to pottytrain. I was, according to my parents, easy to train and was trained by age 2. Every morning Anna wakes up with a dry diaper and thirty minutes later, her diaper is full. I haven't actually timed it, but I bet that if I do, I could get her to go potty on her own little training toilet. That's exciting, but scary. Scary because my little girl will soon be growing up!
Hey, I just found out about a contest for Huggie's Clean Team Products. I also watch a toddler every other week so I'm excited that I'll be able to test this product on a couple of different age groups... plus this would be my first review. Just click over to MetaBlog: Parents for more information.

Goodnight Moon

My daughter received "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise-Brown in her Easter basket from my mom for Easter. I asked her to when she asked me which book to get her. It came in a box with a cute little bunny in blue and white striped pajamas, just like in the book. Goodnight Moon is one of the first books I remember my mom reading to me. She was always great at making the "voices" for her tales and I loved it. It wasn't until much later in life, when I was in college, that I learned that Goodnight Moon, the story that held so much meaning to my childhood, that the book is a true classic. I am so glad I get to share this wonderful story with my daughter. About the book itself: I learned in college that when you write a children's story that one of the important things you can do with you write is have lots of repetition. There is plenty in this book. The story begins with describing the room, then piece by piece, you say "Goodnight" to each of the parts of the room: the mush, the comb, the old lady who whispers "Hush" and so on. But I when I think back of when I read this book with my own mother, I remembered the pages. The colors on the pages are so vibrant: green, yellow, red. Each set of colored pages alternates with a black and white page. And have you ever noticed that in the beginning of the story the moon in the window is very low and as you turn the pages the moon rises into the sky? I am convinced this is quite possibly one of the best bedtime stories ever. I love it. I wish I had one to give away, but I don't. So you'll have to go buy it or borrow it from your library for free! ;)
Marget Wise-Brown also wrote two other books in the Goodnight Series and many, many other books. To read more about Margaret Wise-Brown, visit Mararet Wise-Brown.com

Happy Birthday!

Doing Better

Anna is doing fine now. I don't know what it was. Within a couple of hours she was up and playing like nothing happened! Then she took a long nap and she's acting normally! Praise God! :)

Win a GC from JuJuBeane

Want to win a Teddy Blue/Brown Polka Dot Print Newborn Swaddle by Baby Bonkie and a 50 dollar gift certificate to JuJuBeane Boutique?
Just visit Amanda to enter. Look at what you like best at JuJuBeane... there's a huge selection. And be sure to link this contest and JuJu Beane on your blog as well.
I've got my eye on the Adeline Poncho by Skipping Hippos.

Prayers...

Prayers for my little one today, please. She woke up and immediately started dry heaving and threw up a little stomach bile. Then I nursed her and she threw that all up. Then we came into the living room and she was fine for a while, but refused to eat or drink and she later threw up a third time. She's been sleeping for about two hours now... very unusual for her. Usually she's an early riser and doesn't nap until about four (if she naps!) and goes to sleep later (she's not much of a sleeper)... So I know she's not feeling well. :( She has no fever, just vomiting.

Win a Zosephine Bag

Just go to Home-Ec 101 to win this cute bag. :)