BabyLoving.com

Liza Kollman
My cousin just had her third baby. In fact, all of my cousins are having babies. I'm the fourth oldest cousin on my mom's side, all three above me have kids. Four of them that are younger than me have kids as well. I'm only 26, but I feel like I'm in my forties, and my clock is defiantly ticking. I have never thought of it that way, but it's true!

When I was younger, it was always a fear. What if I got pregnant before I wanted? What If I hadn't finished school, or found a good job, what if I wasn't with the right person and I got pregnant by accident? It was scary, like it always is! But lately, now, things have been completely different.

All of us girl cousins grew up together. Our ages aren't very far apart, my oldest cousin is about 30 and the youngest one to have a child is 20. There are about 10 of us squeezed into those 10 years, and I am almost the last to have a baby. Growing up, we always talked about when we all had kids, even if they were only second cousins, we'd still all get together and have them play together, and it would be wonderful.

But my cousins all had different ideas of "when we all had kids" than I did.

The first of my cousins to have kids had her first when she was 16. Okay, yes. That was scary! I felt sorry for her! I didn't want to ever be in that situation, I thought that I would never want to have a child at that age, and I didn't envy her a little bit. I felt like she had made a mistake, and I worried for her. The rest of my cousins probably felt the same, but they kind of took this as a sign, and just started to have children. I was in high school, and I had boyfriends, but when I graduated I didn't want to get married and have kids like all of my cousins were doing. Sure, they were starting families and raising babies, but I felt way too young. I wanted to go off to college. So I did.

I graduated from high school, and went off to college. I dated a few different guys, a couple long term, and probably even thought about settling down with one or two of them. Right around that time, more of my cousins started to get married and have kids of their own. When it happened while I was in college, I still felt sorry for them. I thought that they were making a mistake. Even though it was in the back of my mind, I didn't feel ready. I wanted to finish school, have a job, and THEN have children.

After I graduated from college, I got together with the man I am now going to marry. We didn't date for very long before we knew that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. We decided that we'd wait a couple of years and then get married, and I decided that was the best idea I had ever heard.

So we've been having this debate since we met. Actually, I have been having this debate with my fiance since I first met him. When do we have kids? Did my cousins start having kids because they wanted them, or because they finally knew it was right? Should he and I bother waiting for years and years to have kids if we both want them and we know we want them with each other?

Well, we are waiting until we have gotten married in order to have kids, and that was the decision that we came to. Neither one of us really has a job, and neither one is done with school for good, so when we started this whole "talking about having a family" fiasco, we said that we wanted to be married for awhile before we started a family. It seemed very smart of us. He used to tell me to give it a few years – even AFTER we married, before I even though of having kids. We thought that we would settle down together, get some money straight, and really be prepared. We got engaged a year ago, and our wedding is next June. So I have been trying to put off wanting a baby, because I know that he wants to wait. But it's so hard!

We ended up getting dogs. This was our first step in holding off on having children. We thought that dogs would help! Puppies, actually. That did help a bit, you know. I was able to cuddle them and take care of them and love them, and they follow me around the house like, well, like good little puppy dogs. I call myself Mommy and I take good care of my dogs, and for awhile they really worked to fill that void in our hearts where children belong. At least, for the meantime.

We still talked about waiting for children. My fiance was perfectly pleased with the dogs, and he thought that they were all we needed. We even started a small dog breeding business, because we thought that we'd be waiting for quite awhile yet before we have children.

But then, something changed.

Lately, my fiance has started to say that he wants kids soon as well. All along it was me saying that I wanted to have babies, and him saying he wanted to wait. I guess that being engaged for so long is finally getting the best of him. He's been dreaming about it, as I have. Now he wants to get started right after the wedding, and I think it's going to be hard to convince him to wait! I am just hoping that both of us have the willpower in order to not get pregnant until after the wedding is over! I've got my dress already, and I really don't feel like being a pregnant bride!

But we walk past strollers with children in them and we both grin and get that giddy feeling. We want a stroller to put our children in, we want to have a crib in the other room and we want to fill our house with the sound of children laughing and playing. It suddenly doesn't seem important that our careers take off first, or that we have tons of money laying around. We want to be able to provide for our kids, sure, but we used to think we wanted to wait until we could put college funds aside for them and give them everything they ever wanted. Now we think that maybe they don't need much except for us to be their parents. We can give children good lives. We can feed them and keep them in clothing and take them on trips and buy them the things that children need. And we can raise them. We know that. We just have to wait until we are married to begin!

It is so hard to wait, though. That whole notion of the biological clock, well it's true. We've both been feeling it lately, and it is crazy to me that I am only 26 and have been feeling this way.

It isn't that I'm too old to NOT have kids, I'm not even 30 years old, and people are having babies well into their 40s. It is just that there is something missing from our lives, and babies are that something. We have names picked out, we have ideas about parenting skills and have discussed how we plan to raise our children. We have talked about what religion to raise them with, morals and values set to use, and the two of us have even spent hours playing "what if" scenarios for each other, what if the child says this, how do we react? What if our teenager does this, or our toddler asks this, or this happens? What would we do? How would we behave and how would we parent? We have run through these things over and over again on our heads, and both of us feel really ready to have kids. It's insane.

I always figured I'd just have kids. That I wouldn't really feel like it was the perfect time, but kids would just happen when they are supposed to. I guess that this feeling is nature's way of telling me that there might not BE a perfect time, it might just all happen when it is supposed to, no matter what we have to say about it. Maybe all of my cousins just had an earlier perfect time than I do.

Maybe that is how you know it is the right time. I have no idea. I used to think I'd get married, have children, and that was it. I never dreamed there would be this need, this WANT to have babies, and that it would be something I would have to WAIT for, on the edge of my seat, like Christmas morning. But that is the way it has been. We have been waiting. And we are waiting.

At least until after the wedding!

Bringing a new baby into your home requires a huge adjustment for every member of the household. Both Mom and Dad, as well as the other children in the house, will have to go through a lot of preparation time in order to be ready to welcome this new little life into their homes and routines. But in all of this adjustment and preparation, it's easy to forget that the family pets are also going through some huge changes, and may need some extra attention and training in order to deal with this lifestyle change.

Most of us consider our pets to be well-established members of our families, and it's incredibly important to make sure that cats and dogs are ready to handle the new little baby well in advance of his or her actual arrival. Preparing your cat or dog, teaching them how to behave, and being ready to deal with the situation when it actually occurs is the key to making this process a little smoother for everyone involved.

Pets and babies can get along!
A very good friend of mine recently had her first baby. She and her husband have been the proud owners of two beagles for the past several years, and they spent a great deal of time while they were still expecting in training the dogs and getting them used to the idea of the baby. One day, she called me on the phone sounding very upset, and told me that her mother-in-law had called to ask when she and her husband would be getting rid of their dogs in anticipation of the baby's arrival. The idea that when baby comes in, the pets must go out is a surprisingly common misapprehension among many people. The fact is that as long as your pet is well trained and the baby does not have any allergies to it, there's absolutely no reason why you can't have both in your household.

Pre-adjustment time is key
The number one thing you'll need to do in order to prepare your pets for the baby is to make sure that your cat or dog gets used to the idea of the baby well before he or she arrives. This will keep them from feeling as though their home has been threatened or invaded by the new little stranger, and thus will prevent any possible aggressive behavior that may result if they feel as though they are being usurped. Before the baby arrives, allow your pet to explore the nursery and the feeding and changing areas, so that they can become accustomed to the smell of the baby's clothing and blankets as well as to any changes you've made to the room. Make sure not to let the pets climb on any of the nursery furniture if they will not be allowed to do so once the baby arrives.

If your pet acts aggressively in the baby's room or carries away blankets or toys, train them that these behaviors and items are off-limits with a firm "No." Once they've accepted the baby's territory as something that is off-limits, it will be much easier to establish boundaries with them once the baby arrives.

During the weeks while you're preparing for the baby to come, try to establish a schedule with your pet that you'll be able to stick to once the child comes home. If any changes need to be made in the animal's feeding or walking schedule, now is the time to do it, so that they do not associate the arrival of the baby with any major shifts in their own day. Such things can cause resentment and worry in your pet. Keeping them on a schedule for a few weeks, and then continuing that schedule seamlessly once the baby comes home, will help ease the transition time considerably for everyone involved.

When the baby arrives
Upon your arrival home, someone else should hold the baby while you greet your pet for the first time. Your pet has not seen you in several days and will not appreciate your arms and attention being taken up by the new infant. Greet your pet properly and then introduce them to the infant while the other person is still holding it. You should control and monitor the pet while it smells the baby for the first time.

Once your baby comes home to stay, you'll need to make sure that the first few visits between the child and your pet are closely monitored. Do not leave the animal alone with the baby until you are entirely sure of their relationship, which could take several months depending on the temperament of your pet.

Continue to monitor your pet at all times with the new baby, keeping them leashed until you are entirely sure of their behavior. A pet may act aggressively when you are not expecting it, so it's best that at least two people be in the room at all times during those early months. Remember that the pet should not sleep in bed with the baby, as they may inadvertently hurt or smother them with their body weight.

As your child gets older, teach him or her to treat the pet gently and to consider the pet a friend. With a little time and training, your pet will regard your child the same way, and the bond that will develop between them will be well worth the effort you put in.
-by bjp

The toughest time for a woman to get enough sleep is during the last weeks of pregnancy and when baby first comes home. But we all know what lack of sleep can do to a person and how it messes up our whole system.

Pregnant women have definite problems getting and staying comfortable when pregnant and trying to get the optimum rest that they so badly need. This is because of the hormones and your body working overtime to produce a healthy baby.

Sleep is necessary not only for mom but for the baby as well, but unfortunately sleep can be a fleeting thing when you are in the last trimester of pregnancy. Some will argue this is to help prepare you for after the baby is born, but usually this discomfort is because of a) the size of the mother and b) the movement of the baby. Also, further complications can further interrupt sleep such as Restless Leg Syndrome or thoughts that keep you awake.

These last few weeks of pregnancy is when you need to rest the most. Your best advice is to talk to your doctor, but there are a couple of things you can do at home.

-Try and sleep on your left side. During the last couple of weeks of both my pregnancies, I slept on the couch. While fairly comfy but not a lot of support, I was able to lay on my side and used the back of the couch as support for my back.

-Put a pillow between your knees. There are a variety of pillows that you can purchase that you can use between your knees or for your back pain. Sometimes there are offered far sale at big box maternity clothing stores or other stores where you find baby items.

Take care of your child by taking care of you!

Getting sleep after the baby is born is definitely a challenge! You will need to get plenty of rest in the first few weeks after baby is born so you should enlist the help of other trusted family members. See if someone can help you do your daily tasks around the house after the baby comes home. Also do not try to be a hero, let some stuff go for awhile. If things do not get done, do not worry about them. Your health is much more important than, well, you get the picture.

Try and establish waking and sleeping times for your baby. Give the baby their bathe in the evening, this will help the baby stay up longer and sleep while you are sleeping. If you set up a bedtime routine as soon as possible, eventually the baby will understand that after the routine, it is time for sleeping.

Here are a few ideas that you can use before and after the baby is born to ensure you get the optimum sleep that you need and so richly deserve.

- Eat to sleep. This means do not eat anything heavy before bedding down for the night. If you are hungry, eat a small snack such as crackers and cheese or some fruit. And on the other hand, eat for energy. Eat foods that are high in protein, not carbs.

-Try to keep stress at a minimum. If you work outside of the office, leave your work at work. Try and learn some relaxation skills, this will also help you become more restful and will come in handy as your baby grows up!

-Create a sleep friendly atmosphere. From the bed to the room, there are many things that can interrupt our sleep. Make sure your mattress is not saggy, that your bedroom is the right temperature and that it is dark or light enough to ensure a good nights sleep.

-Relax your body and mind for sleep. Have a massage or a hot bath, write down things that you need to remember,

-If you get sleepy, go lay down. This can be the case even after the baby is born. If the baby is sleeping, go rest, do not try and get stuff done around the house. You might consider changing your bedtimes and wake times if at all possible to enable you to get some extra sleep.

-Enlist help before and after the baby, especially if you have other children. Have them take them out for a morning a week or so or have your spouse take your child to school; anything to give you some extra resting time.

-Do not forget to exercise. Talk to your doctor about what kinds of exercises you should and should not do.

Sleep seems to be a distant memory near the end of a pregnancy or when the new baby comes home, but this too shall pass, thankfully!

By Brandi M. Seals

As a child I was constantly afraid. I had nightmares nearly every night for a year or two. Therefore I tend to be very sympathetic towards kids that have nightmares. Parents can do a lot to easy a child's fears. Safe guard them from scary movies or anything that may frighten them. Listen when they tell you about the dreams, but realize often times there is little that you can do.

Nightmares are distressing dreams which tends to wake up the sleeper or at least partially wakes him or her. Those having a nightmare may feel angry, guilty, sad, or be depressed. However, dreams tent to feel fear and anxiety during a nightmare. Nightmares can be very different from person to person or may change with time. One of those most common nightmares involves being chased. Children tend to see animals of make believe figures chasing them and adults tend to see an unknown male chasing them.

Probably everyone has had a nightmare at some point. Nightmares are extremely common in children aged 3 to 4 and those aged 7 to 8. These nightmares seem to be a part of normal development. They generally do not signal a problem. Some adults still have nightmares, though they are much less common in adults. Some adults have nightmares as often as at least once a month. But these frequent nightmares affect less than 10% of adults.

Nightmares may come about for a number of reasons. Some are caused by certain medications or drugs. Nightmares can pop up when a person is rapidly withdrawing from these medications or they may be the result of some illness or fever. None medical related causes of nightmares seem to be traumatic events. It is trauma related nightmares that are usually reoccurring. The trauma does not have to be big. It may be as simple as the death of a pet or surgery. Assaults and accidents are also at the root of some nightmares.

Some people and children have nightmares due to stress in their everyday lives. Perhaps they are moving, starting school, pregnant, or have financial troubles. If there is something new going on in your child's life, do not be surprised if he starts having nightmares. However, most childhood nightmares usually result as children learn to deal with normal childhood fears or problems.

The first step in preventing nightmares is to find the source of the problem. Unless your child is taking some kind of medication, you can generally rule out medicine or drugs. You may wish to talk with a doctor to rule out illness. Have your child talk about the nightmares. It may help them to talk about what is scaring them at least in dreamland. Do not dismiss their nightmares, it will only make your child clam up and keep the fears to himself.

You can also utilize some techniques to ease the distress your child feels. They include writing down what happened in the dream, drawing or painting what happened. Even imagining a happier ending may help.

If you suspect that a traumatic event has triggered the nightmares, keep an eye on the situation. Usually they will become less frequent and less intense. If they do not, you may want to take your child to see a therapist.

Your child may also be experiencing something known as night terrors. Whereas nightmares tend to occur after a child has been asleep for several hours and rarely includes thrashing movements or screaming, night terrors are very different. Night terrors occur within the first couple of hours of sleep. The child may start screaming or thrashing around yet is fully asleep. The child is usually hard to awaken and does not remember much. Those that sleep walk may be more prone to night terrors. Night terrors generally clear up by puberty but may reappear in adults under stress. Night terrors and nightmares seem to differ due to the stage of sleep the individual is in.

Try to be understanding when your child is frightened by a nightmare. A nightlight might help him to go back to sleep after a disturbing dream. Many children prefer to seek protection in their parents' bed. That may be okay from time to time, but do not let it become a habit.

From the very moment of their birth, the inherent inquisitiveness of babies to learn and develop starts working naturally. However, much of the inspiration to use this faculty comes from constantly searching for things and situations that are provided by the parent/guardian. With this need in view, experts in baby care have designed astep-by-step range of
developmental tools like toys, and fun pastimes that at once entertain and stimulate the child along each developmental stage of his or her life.

Working Principle of Step by Step Toys

Step-by-step toys are based around the child's key skills at each stage of his/her growth. This means that if, for example, a child has learnt smiling as a first skill, playing with the step-by-step toys encourage more smiles in him/her. Similarly, if the child has grown six months old of age and is showing interest in picking up and grabbing objects, playing with the step-by-step toys will help in the development of the child's hand to eye coordination. The result is added skill-building growth for the baby. Since the key learning skills of a baby vary with progress in age, the step-by-step toys too are designed differently by considering seven age periods of baby growth. These stages range from birth to over three years of the baby's age and the befitting package of toys can be easily chosen (each package being marked with the specific age category). Each package highlights how it can help develop the key skills of the child. It matters then that the caring parent/guardian be aware of the seven basic categories of skill development.

Key Skills at Each Step

Following are the seven key skills categories that a child grows through the course of his or her formative years.

Stage 1: From Birth up to Three Months

Infants in this stage are just starting to respond to sounds and make their own noise. Later in this stage, they start tracking moving objects, and also they learn smiling in response to certain stimuli.
Stage 2: From Three Months up to Six Months

The baby now starts rolling from front to back, sitting with hand support, and responding to his or her name.

Stage 3: From Six Months up to One Year

During this stage the child starts sitting up without any aide, developing hand to eye coordination, and starting with simple communication with the care giver(s).

Stage 4: From One Year up to Eighteen Months

This stage marks the initiation of real physical activity for the kid. Crawling, starting to walk, building and exploring-all skills are developing here. Also, this stage is very important in that the child starts using language. He or she develops early vocabulary.

Stage 5: From Eighteen Months up to Two Years

Now you can see a normal kid climbing easy heights (beds, chairs etc.), dancing, early pedaling, scribbling, possibly looking at books (or magazines, games etc.) alone, speaking out short sentences, and recognizing his or her reflection in a mirror.

Stage 6: From Two Years up to Three Years

Now the kid is turning into a freak. You can see him or her walking independently, running, jumping, and balancing on one leg (though many normal kids may not be able to do so this early). The mental development at this stage is marked by longer periods of concentration, increased hand to eye coordination, larger vocabulary, the ability to draw with a fair degree of
precision, and the development of longer term memory through play.

Stage 7: Over Three Years

Signs of independence arrive as the child shows self-care skills along with balancing safely on each foot, hopping, skipping, constructing sentences, drawing a circle, understanding more complex commands, developing imaginative games and activities, and becoming skilled with numbers and letters.

Play Ideas for Developing Babies

Babies love to learn and respond through play. Some common play ideas for developing babies follow for caring parents/guardians.

For babies in the first skills category, simple games like peek-a-boo and this little piggy are great fun.

Just when the child starts showing interest in looking at books, magazines etc., take time to look at books together. Point to and describe the pictures, and tell simple stories of a few sentences.

Point to your body parts and those of the child, saying what they are e.g. 'this is my hand, this is your hand.'

Demonstrate to the baby simple cause and effect things like banging a spoon on a pan to show how sound is produced.

Animals are special attraction to most babies. Imitate animal sounds and let the baby practice them. This works especially well through reading certain baby poems like the Old McDonald's Farm.

To keep the child's budding physical activity growing, roll a ball between you and him/her. Allow the child to run after it and throw it about with force.

Is good health your way of life or not? Mothers need to take good care of themselves in order for their children to learn the proper healthy way to live in regards to healthy eating and exercise. If your eating habits could use a boost then don't despair, it is never too late to make modifications in the way you live. Make a promise to yourself and your children (or future children) to take exceptional care of yourself and incorporate the following healthy habits into your lifestyle repertoire.

Start your day with the most nourishing breakfast possible.
Studies have proven that people who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat later in the day and are less inclined to pack on the pounds. As well children who eat breakfast have the tendency to perform better in school, and adults, better at work. Your brain needs fuel to start the day. It is not called "break the fast" for anything.

Drink H2O in plentiful supply.
Drink lots of water throughout the day, the more the better. A good amount to aim for is at least four to six 8-ounce glasses per day. In fact drinking a glass of water when you first get out of bed in the morning is an excellent way to get a jumpstart on your day. The body loses water constantly by way of sweating and urinating and therefore needs to be replenished. This is even more important during the hot, humid summer months and also when you have fallen ill.

Variety is the spice of life (or so they say).
It is so true, believe it. Get into a habit of eating a variety of different foods with your meals, just make sure that at least five servings are fruits and vegetables. This is not always easy to do but it is possible. And remember, your body is not picky about the kinds of fruits and veggies you eat- it will gladly accept the nutrients and vitamins from whichever ones you choose to feed it! Aim for plenty of green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli and kale. Colorful vegetables tend to be high in nutrients and minerals. Whatever you do eat your veggies at meals and enjoy fruit whenever you can. Be creative about your meals. Mix up a zany salad and add fruit to yogurt, your cereal or porridge in the morning, etc. Use your imagination mother!

Keep fit and active by getting your body in gear.
Incorporate exercise into your daily routine, however you can. What type of exercise you do is not as important as the fact that you get off your couch and get your legs and feet it. Walk, swim, bike, play a sport, dance, jog, skip, take an aerobics class, whatever it is that suits you, do it and find enjoyment in getting, and staying, fit. Aim for 20 minutes to 30 minutes a day, the more the better. No exercise is ever worthless or in vain. Vary your types of exercise in order to not get bored. You might want to find a walking buddy or jogging buddy to keep your morale up. If you walk alone bring a Discman along for company. Music makes walking more pleasant and it takes the emphasis off of the energy you are exerting.

Eat your share of fish, lean meats and whole grains.
Include plenty of lean, high protein foods in your daily diet such as lean meat, fish, chicken and beans. Stay away from salted and processed meats. Avoid fatty, fried and salted foods at all costs as they serve to clog arteries and increase the chance that you will develop heart attacks and strokes. Also eat grains, whether they be in the form of wholegrain cereal, breads etc. Grains provide the body with fiber, iron and B vitamins and are therefore a necessity for everyone.

Get your milk moustache.
Milk is more than just a delicious tasting beverage, it is nourishing to the body as well. Just remember to choose low fat (one percent) or fat free (skim) milk. A cup of skim milk contains only eighty calories but also contains a good dosage of protein and calcium. How much milk you need and what kind depends on your age as well. For example homogenized contains the most fat and young children require this kind and expectant mothers do as well. If you do not like the taste of milk, consider trying soy milk or at least try to get your share of milk products such as cheese, yogurt and sherbet. For weight conscious individuals, cottage cheese has the lowest milk to fat content of all the different types of cheese. When there is a choice between regular cottage cheese and low fat, always choose low fat.

Be aware that limitations are food boundaries you should not fall victim to.
Some foods, such as potatoes and cheese often get a bad rap as being extremely fattening. Perhaps it is a reputation they do not deserve because "everything in moderation" is a good rule of thumb to live by. Don't get into a habit of eliminating any one entire food group from your diet, as this is not a healthy route to take. You are likely to miss out on important nutrients the body needs such as calcium and magnesium when you choose to limit your food choices. Allow yourself the freedom to enjoy eating just do not overindulge on anything that is not good for you. Many people who are on diets choose to cut out a whole food group such as meat or milk and dairy products. This could lead to a food deficiency, which could then lead to a serious health problem.

Do not overload on caffeine.
Caffeine can be found in coffee, soft drinks and chocolate. Too much of any one of these things can cause dehydration. Soft drinks also contain a great deal of sugar. An average can of soda pop has 150 calories of sugar and does not contain any nutrients whatsoever. Do not overload your system with caffeine in any one way. Be aware that some kinds of tea contain a certain level of caffeine as well.

Dieting can be hazardous to your health.
There are healthy ways to drop pounds and they don't include taking diet pills. Diet pills work to suppress the appetite but can cause a tremendous amount of problems to a person's health. Avoid them, avoid them and avoid them some more. Fad or crash diets are not wise either, and studies have shown that their effectiveness rates are not high. They may provide speedy results but once you go back to your regular eating patterns, you will gain the pounds back unfortunately. Instead of dieting attempt to adopt a healthier way of living and strive to make dietary changes that you can maintain well after the weight is gone.

The vegetarian or vegan life just might be for you.
If you make the decision to embrace the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle speak to your doctor or health care provider first to learn about the specific dietary needs of this type of lifestyle. Vegetarians, and vegans even more so, need to supplement their diets with vitamins to replace what they no longer receive from specific kinds of foods. They also need to make sure they take in enough protein on a consistent basis. Your energy level can be zapped if you do not get the required amount of nutrients

Take vitamins on a regular basis.
Vitamins are no longer just for those who don't eat properly. Everyone, no matter what their day-to-day diet is can benefit from taking vitamins to supplement their daily intake of food. Consider a multivitamin that will provide you with everything you require. Centrum is an excellent choice of a multivitamin and Centrum Forte is even better as it can provide you with all of the essential minerals you need mothers to keep you in the best of health possible.

By Heather Pohlabel

Your baby is coughing and has runny nose. She may also have a low fever, a sore throat, be sneezing, or seem lethargic. You are probably looking at the start of an upper respiratory infection. Children on average suffer five to ten upper respiratory infections every year, and for children who are around other children more often, such as in day cares or schools, the rate goes up.

The first thing to do if you suspect your child has an upper respiratory infection is to see your pediatrician. While upper respiratory infections (URIs) are usually treated with over the counter medications, you want to make sure that the infection is not something else and that it is not severe. There are steroid and antibiotic treatments for more severe cases of URIs. Either way, be sure to consult a physician before you begin any round of treatment for any disease, including URIs.

It is important to keep your child hydrated. If your child is over a year old and drinking milk, cut back on the milk, as it is heavier and can contribute to congestion. Water and juices are best, especially orange juice with its healing Vitamin C! Keeping hydrated will help your child flush out the bad stuff and will keep the lining of her throat wet to help soothe coughing and itchy throat. Chicken noodle soup and broth are old school remedies that really do work. A warm bowl of chicken soup is calming and healthy at the same time.

Keep a humidifier running to keep nasal and throat passages moisturized. If you have several humidifiers, keep them running where your child is normally playing so that she can receive the benefit of the misty air. Keeping one on close to the bed is a good idea during the night as your baby is getting what she needs most for the treatment of any ailment - rest!

Stay out of dusty areas, avoid dusting or cleaning products, and kick back and relax with your baby! Rest is won't cure your baby's URI, but it will help you both to deal with it, and you will have some prime bonding time. Your baby may be very fussy throughout the course of a URI and the only way to get relief from her symptoms may be to sleep.

Each symptom of a URI is treatable:

For runny nose, use an antihistamine like Benadryl. For babies, you can use a nasal aspirator to remove drainage. Children will get sore noses with continued tissue use, so use a warm wash rag to clean under their noses and the sides of their noses instead of a tissue. You may also want to apply a little petroleum jelly so there is no "caking" of the drainage and to protect the skin. There is a brand of tissues with Aloe and lotion in them, and while these are more gentle on the nose, they can still make baby's nose sore, so take care when cleaning in that area.

For a stuffy nose, you can use a saline solution to rinse the nose out - these are sold over the counter. Use a warm air humidifier to loosen the dry drainage or a steam shower could help unclog the nasal passages as well. This will also loosen up phlegm in the throat, so your baby may have a hard time breathing for awhile after one of these treatments.


For a fever, use an acetaminophen like Tylenol. Motrin works well too. These also help to relieve any joint pain or discomfort felt from the URI. Many babies will sleep for extended periods of time if given Tylenol or Motrin, so be sure to ask your doctor how much to administer to avoid over medicating.

Keep your child away from other young children to prevent the spread of the URI. Children can pass the viruses back and forth.

To prevent URIs, practice good hygiene, especially hand washing. Drink plenty of fluids all the time, especially orange juice. Cover your mouth when you sneeze and cough, and wash your hands immediately. Always wash your hands before eating and after using the restroom. Clean your house often, making sure to disinfect bathrooms and kitchens well, and disinfect doorknobs and light switches as well. Keep Lysol or some other disinfectant spray handy to kill airborne germs.

By Brandi M. Seals


It seems that every child I know has more toys than he or she knows what to do with. They start accumulating from an early age. People give them as gifts, grandma and grandpa just cannot resist the temptation to give something new, and often parents also overload kids with toys.

The over abundance of toys inevitably slowly spills out from the child's room into the living room or family room. I have seen it time and again. But there are a few things that can be done to prevent losing your home to toys and baby supplies.

Start by keeping the toys in check. Go through them. Remove anything that your child has not shown interest in for a couple of months. Also remove anything that they have outgrown. If you plan on having more children, you do not want to throw these toys away or donate. Instead, pack them up and store them somewhere else. Store the toys in a garage, basement, attic, or even a closet. Just get them up and out of the way.

If this is your last child it is time to organize a garage sale. First go through the toys and throw out anything that is broken or damaged. Pick a Saturday morning and set up shop. Give each toy a price or group them in bins labeled 2 for $5 or whatever price point you would like. Check with your local government. Some places require a permit for a small fee in order to have a garage sale.

After the garage sale, you will want to bag up whatever did not sale and donate the toys. Everything else can be given away to friends with kids or donate them to a charity. Good Will is a great place to donate the toys. As is a children's shelter. Look in your phonebook for places to donate or ask some friends. Someone will have a few ideas.

Have your kids help out with this process as soon as they are old enough to do it. Let them know that they do not need to keep everything and that other people would love to have what they have.

If the toys you kept are still taking up too much room you will need to stop buying them. Or, for every new toy brought into the home, one of the old ones must go. Try to keep things in moderation. Next time you see something that Junior's just got to have, ask yourself if it is really necessary or will it just fall to the wayside in a couple of weeks.

Talk to grandparents if their giving is getting to be a problem. You do not want to seem ungrateful, so suggest that they start keeping some of the toys they buy at their home. That way, your son or daughter will have something different to play with while visiting the grandparents.

Sometimes the problem is not having too many toys but rather a lack of organization. Everything should have a home. Children will be much more likely to pick up if they know where to put their stuff and if their parents require them to pick up after themselves. Of course this would depend on the age of your child, but most kids can start helping out around the age of two. They may not put things up as quickly as you could, but they are learning a very valuable lesson by putting everything away.

If the toys do not have somewhere to go, you need to create somewhere. Purchase crates, pins, boxes, or whatever works for you. Divide the toys up into categories. Perhaps cars go in one bin, balls and other small toys go in another, and dolls go into a third bin. It may help to label the bins if your kids are old enough to read, otherwise color coding them is a good idea.

For books, get your kids a small book shelf or another bin. Give everything they own a home. As long as it has somewhere to go, your child will know where to put it. If you have been lax with them about putting things away you will find some resistance, but do not give up. This is not a fight you want to give up on.

By Brandi M. Seals

As we grow and get older we add more responsibilities to our plates. Often times these additions, particularly the birth of a child, seriously impact our ability to keep in contact with friends. There just does not seem to be enough time in the day to do everything, let alone time to kick back and reminisce.

During the first couple weeks of the birth, your friends will probably stop by to see the new member of your family. Soon after that, they disappear. They may call a few times afterwards, but when they are constantly met with the sound of a baby crying and a distracted friend, they are apt to let you take the lead from then on.

Show your friends that they are still an important part of your life by taking a little time just for them. You probably will not be able to afford enough time away from your family to give all of your friends individual one on one time. Instead, organize a girl's night out.

Leave the baby at home with your husband, family or a babysitter. If this will be your first time out since giving birth, make the outing something short. Trust me, you probably will not think anything besides "how is my baby" but it is good to get accustomed to leaving him or her with others for a short while. By keeping the outing short you will meet your friend's needs and not be away for too long.

Invite everyone out to dinner, a movie, or to a bar. Anything you used to do will make for a great outing. Once your child gets a little older and is not as needy, you can have the girls over to your house from time to time. Just be sure to have them over in the evening after the baby has been put down for the night.

Or, if your friends have children you could always set up a play date. Each person can take turns having everyone over. It will give the kids a chance to socialize and keep you and your friends in contact with other adults. Sometimes that can be hard to do.

If you do not live near your family and friends you can still keep in touch. It just requires a little more creativity. You can call friends when the baby is sleeping, but chances are you will be too pooped, catching up on other tasks, or the baby will wake up. Phoning when the baby is crying is a bad idea. It just makes the conversation very trying for the person on the other end of the line. Perhaps you can call when someone else is around to keep an eye on the child.

Sometimes things do not work out so nicely, so you can always turn to email. Email is a little less personal, but it can get the job done until your child is a bit older. There are a few cardinal rules to email though - do not just forward on amusing little pieces that you receive. Not everyone likes forwards. They are impersonal and several times they really are not funny. Send actual emails that you write. Write about what is going on with you and your baby. Plus, you can attach photos. Just try to keep the talk about baby to less then half the email. Sometimes it can be overwhelming for those reading the piece. It can seem like all you are doing is bragging or even complaining about having a baby.

Another good idea is to use a website to stay in contact. You could create your own blog and give out the address to friends in relatives. There are also websites like Myspace (www.myspace.com) and Bebo (www.bebo.com) in which users can put up a profile. They can update the profiles to reflect what is currently going on in their life, post pictures, and post comments on their friends' profile. Members are also able to connect to the schools they attended and view anyone else who lists the school in their profile.

Find whatever works for you, your schedule and your friends. The most important part is just maintaining that effort. Chances are you will not be in touch as much as you were before the baby, but you can still have friends.

By Heather Pohlabel

Feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by housework, family, and a new baby? You can't very well do anything about the family or the baby, but you can minimize your housework by planning ahead, being organized, keeping clutter to a minimum, and multi-tasking throughout the day.

Plan ahead. You can cut down your workload by planning several things in advance. Meals can be planned on Sunday when the paper comes with advertisements and money saving coupons. This will not only help you save money on your food items, but it will help you plan your menu for the week as well, especially if you are on a budget! Always, always, always make a list before you go to the store and try not to stray from it. Remember, you're trying to save time by being prepared for the week.

When you get your groceries home and start to put them away, group items together that you will need for certain recipes. You should separate and freeze your meats at this time also. You can even cook up certain meats and refrigerate or freeze them if you will be using them soon. This will save a step during the week during meal preparation.

Pack lunches the night before if you have time. This helps cut stress in the morning!

Stay organized. Find a system of organization that works for you. What works for some people will be more confusing and time consuming for you. So find something that you can stick to. Even if you have to leave Post-it notes all over the place to remind you or to help you find things, you will be better off than leaving it all to chance.

A filing cabinet with marked folders is a wonderful way to keep papers filed away for easy retrieval later. Assigning certain drawers for specific purposes also works well - one drawer for bills, one for office supplies, one for pictures, etc.

Some people organize things alphabetically - no matter what it is - everything from bills to dishes. Others go by size or priority. Again, the choice is yours, but have some sort of organizational scheme, and if you can, cue your husband in on it in case you need to have him find something.

Keep it clean. Clutter is a killer. It is what will make your house look messy and make you feel stressed. Some Eastern philosophies preach " a cluttered home is indicative of a cluttered life". I don't know how true that is, but it certainly helps to make you feel better and makes your home appear nicer if you don't have clutter.

Throw away junk mail immediately. File all other mail. Don't let it pile up.

If you recycle, make sure you have a good clean system somewhere. Don't leave newspapers lying around. Store them as soon as they are read. Unread newspapers a week old should be in the recycle bin, not on your dining room table!

If you don't have a dishwasher and don't like to have dishes sitting around, but run low on time on certain days, use paper products. While this is not the most environmentally friendly advice, it will save your sanity if you like a clean kitchen. There won't be a huge pile of cups, plates, bowls, forks, knives, spoons to clean!

Keep spare trash liners in trash cans, especially the small ones in the bathroom that get changed frequently. You won't have to walk around the house to get another liner or forget that you need one! It will be right there.

Multi-task. Mothers are excellent multi-taskers! You know that you can drive, serve dinner, clear up an issue, and entertain all at once! We've all done it!

At home, multi-tasking will ensure that everything gets done eventually and that you have some time to get it done! For example, you need to do both dishes and laundry. Soak the dishes and then start your laundry. You can come back and finish the presoaked dishes. While the next set is presoaking, run the sweeper. Come back to the dishes. Wash that set and presoak another. Take out the trash!

I like to do food prep in the kitchen in between dish cycles. Water is already handy, and there is a lot of hand washing to be done, so it is convenient.

Mothers always tend to provide the best for their children in all aspects of their lives. The relationship between mother and child is something special and unique. It all starts from the time she conceives the child in her womb and until the time of delivery when finally the baby is placed in her loving embrace.

Babies are vulnerable as they are not immune to all the diseases that are present in the environment and that is why breast feeding is important. The world has developed rapidly and woman nowadays are just not homemakers but play a significant role in the community. They have more responsibilities to fulfill not just as a mother but also as a career woman and this has lead to a decline of breast feeding among mothers.

Although breast feeding is considered to be troublesome by some as they might have to breast feed in public, maintain a healthy diet and avoid foods that are not suitable for the baby, quit smoking, dress appropriately to ensure it is easy to breast feed but as a whole breast feeding is not just beneficial for the baby but also for the mother.

Breast fed babies are healthier than bottle fed babies as the breast milk contains the right amount of fatty acids, lactose, water and amino acids that is easy for the baby to digest for brain development and growth. There is a lower rate of hospital admission for allergies, diarrhea, ear infections, rashes and other illness in breast fed babies. This enables the new mother to be free from stress of caring for an unhealthy baby and she will be able to recuperate faster.

The breast milk is specially designed for human babies compared to infant formulas that is made of cow's milk which is suitable for calves. The mother's antibodies will be transferred into the milk thus the baby will have a stronger immune system. Almost 80 percent of the cells in breast milk is macrophages that can kill bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Breast milk contains the right amount of nutrients that the baby needs compared to infant formulas. There is no need to feed the baby with sugar water or other supplements as there is enough water in the milk itself. The baby obtains the milk straight from the mother's breast thus it is sterile and there can be no contamination avoiding diarrhea or vomiting. Breast fed babies also have Lactobacillus Bifidus in their digestive system that prevents growth of harmful organisms allowing easy digestion.

All this allows the mother to have a hassle free life as there is no need to sterile milk bottle or measure and mix the infant formula. The mother can also nurse during the night or in the wee hours of the morning in the comfort of her own bed. She can also take a dose with the baby suckling at her breast. The milk is available for the baby upon request thus there is no need for the baby to cry and this avoids wind from entering the baby's stomach preventing colic.

The mother doesn't even have to use an artificial nipple or pacifier as the baby can obtain comfort by sucking the nipple and dosing off with the mother. The pacifier can also be a source of bacteria when it is dropped down to the floor and once the baby gets used to it the mother has to ensure she brings the pacifier wherever she goes. It also has a bad effect on the growth of the baby's teeth and should be avoided at all costs.

The baby has to suck at the breast for the milk and this promotes good jaw development for the baby and enables the growth of strong healthy teeth. The baby can also control the flow of milk by sucking and stopping compared to bottle feeding where the baby has to keep on sucking on the artificial nipple that has been placed into the mouth. There is also a close bond formed between the baby and the mother as the baby will not be able to see clearly and relies on touch and obtains comfort by cuddling close to the mother.

Mothers can lose her extra pounds as nursing a baby uses up the extra calories. Lactating also stimulates the uterus to contract back to its normal size. Nursing a baby can also be considered to be a form of contraceptive method as it suppresses ovulation making it unlikely that there will be menstruation or ovulation that can lead to pregnancy but it is not a reliable or safe method.

Despite all the benefits breast feeding has to offer there will be some problems that mothers have to face such as sore and cracked nipples, infections, engorgement and so on but the joy of nursing a baby and the fact that the baby is getting the best milk surpasses all discomfort that the mother experiences. It is important that mothers view breast feeding as a two way relationship that is beneficial to both themselves and their babies to promote breast feeding in the future.

By Heather Pohlabel

You have finally gotten your baby down for a restful nap. You have anywhere from a half hour to two hours, depending on the age and temperament of your baby. What can you do that will be most useful and productive during your hands free, baby free time?

Rest/relax. No matter how long baby is going to nap, whether a half hour or two hours, take at least twenty minutes to unwind and relax. Put your feet up and shut your eyes. Put on some soothing music or read, but lie down and put your feet up. The better you feel, the better you can care for your baby.

If you are a brand new mother, for the first few weeks, you should sleep every time the baby sleeps, which isn't very often quite honestly. It may seem like all your baby does is eat and sleep, but it takes a good forty five minutes to feed, burp, change, and soothe a newborn back to sleep. So every two hours when your baby is ready to eat again, you will actually only be looking at about an hour between "feedings". At this stage, it is very hard to put baby down and rest, but do your best. Lie with your baby if can or if you would like, but get rest. Period. Everything else can wait.

As your baby gets older, she will sleep for longer intervals at some points, and you will be less tired, but still get some rest and relaxation in every day to keep yourself refreshed and happy. Most babies don't sleep all the way through the night because their stomachs are very small and they need to eat more often. You definitely are not sleeping like you used to, so form a new habit and rest before you do anything else. If you wait to rest until after chores are done, you run the risk of baby waking up, and you being tired at that point and longing for some rest, so do both of you a favor and rest first! As soon as your baby lies down, you lie down also!

Catch Up. Whatever you have been putting off all day, do now. Make that phone call, do the dishes, sterilize the bottles, mix the formula, throw dinner in the crock pot, fold the laundry, run the sweeper, etc. All of these chores still need to be done even after the baby arrives! There are actually now more dishes and laundry to do, but don't let it make you feel overwhelmed. It will all get done!

After you have rested for at least twenty minutes, you can begin to play catch up at home. Do what is MOST needed first. If you are running low on bottles, be sure to wash and sterilize them at least. If you can't get the formula made, that can wait until baby's feeding time. If you're running low on clothes, put some laundry in. I do a load every day. If you are feeling overwhelmed, call someone to help you. They can watch the baby or feed her for you while you catch up or they could even do your housework for you. People can be very helpful when it comes to new mothers.

Pamper yourself. In addition to being rested and having your chores caught up, taking care of yourself will make you feel good and will improve your attitude and outlook on just about anything. Lack of sleep and the stresses of a new baby along with the added weight from pregnancy can make anyone appear to be not at their best. Taking time while baby is resting to do your nails or apply lotion or even makeup will make you feel better. While your baby won't notice, your husband, family, and friends sure will!

Another quick pick me up is a new hair color or a touch up from a previous color. When your hair looks healthy and shiny, you just feel better about yourself overall. Maybe a friend could come over and help you with some highlights!

Your husband really does understand and see what you're going through. Don't be afraid to ask him to give you a massage or rub lotion on your feet. He can even do this when you're sleeping; "killing two birds with one stone" so to speak.

If you are so lucky as to have enough time for a quick workout or yoga session, try to take advantage of this also. In addition to making you look better, these down time activities will also boost your energy for the rest of the day and keep you in better shape for handling your growing and soon to be very active baby!

By Heather Pohlabel

With the average babysitting rate at $5.00 per hour, many parents are trying to find better ways to do what they have to do without spending all of their hard earned money on someone to watch the baby! A co-op is a wonderful idea and a great experience if done correctly. There are a few things you should be prepared to do when entering into a co-op or when looking to start one. With the right people and a little care, the co-op will be beneficial to all involved, both parents and adults.

To start a co-op or to find a workable cooperative situation, be on the lookout for the right people. The right people are essential to making anything work, and a co-op is no exception. By "right" people, I mean people that you trust, can get along well with, and who are reliable.

It is important to have a respectful relationship with the people who will be spending time with your children. Always take their needs and personality into consideration when making the decision to include them. Are they drug and alcohol free? Do they smoke? Do they have adequate housing or reliable transportation? Do they live in a clean and safe environment? What is their personality like? Do they speak well or curse a lot? Have you observed them with their own children? Would you trust them with yours?

Spend some time outside of the home with your potential co-opers and see how they handle their children in public or in a stressful situation. Make several home visits and invite them to your home as well. It is important to have some sort of friendship or level of comfort and trust before leaving your children in their care or caring for their children. You need to know what they expect and they need to know the same. Figuring out elements of both the parents and the children's personality before entering into the co=op will make the experience much easier; there will be fewer surprises.

Trust and reliability are paramount when considering a co-op situation. Don't get left stuck, and don't stick anyone else. You should fully trust someone to be with your children before you leave them there and you should also earn the trust of other parents and prove to them time and time again that you have their children's best interest at heart.

Scheduling is a main priority with co-oping once you get your group going. Everyone's schedules need to be understood very clearly and stuck to. If something changes, everyone needs to notified immediately. If there is a slight variation in schedule, give as much advanced notice as possible. If there is a possibility of running late or being early, inform the other involved parties so that no one is inconvenienced and left wondering what happened to you! Be sure to provide enough emergency contacts so that if something actually does happen, they are able to contact someone to come and get your children.

If you can work out a cooperative situation with someone whom you have known for a long time, that is wonderful. You can pretty much skip the initiation process and be frank with each other about payment, favors, discipline, and all other issues related to co-oping with children.

I have had the fortune to work closely with someone who I have known for about ten years. We had watched each other's children on and off for years. With the birth of my third child, both of us happened to be home full time. We decided to use each other as back up babysitters for our parents that we babysat for and to help give a break to each other when needed. She watches my children when I have something to do and I do the same for her. Sometimes we pay each other; sometimes it's for babysitting time.

You can find all types of co-op situations. Maybe a hairdresser will cut your family's hair every six weeks if you watch her kids once a month so she can go out for an evening. The lady across the street could take the kids to school every morning if you could pick them up. A friend could gather information for you at the PTO meeting that you're going to miss and catch you up over coffee that you buy the next morning.

Co-oping can be very fun and a great social time and wonderful experience for all involved if done correctly.

By Heather Pohlabel

Raising your baby is a very wonderful yet time consuming endeavor. Regardless of whether you choose to stay home or go to work, you need to have a support system to help you. The old cliche "it takes a village to raise a child" is not too far from the truth. You may think you can do it all, and you are perfectly capable, but why wear yourself out when you can enroll the help of like minded moms and dads to make not only each other's lives easier, but the lives of your children as well.

There are numerous benefits of a cooperative parenting / child care situation. Not all co-ops are created equally, however. You should choose one that you are most comfortable with or start your own amongst a group of friends. If you don't have any friends in your area or know anyone with children, put an ad in the paper or on-line, or post flyers at places like churches, supermarkets, or laundromats. There are probably many mothers in your area who would love to stat a group to help each other out and just don't realize that the need is there, or, they, like you, do not know anyone either.

Co-ops are great for stay at home moms or dads. Many people think that stay at home parents do just that - stay at home. The fact of the matter is, stay at home parents still have lives! They still have appointments to keep. They still go to the doctor and the dentist; they still like to go out to lunch or have coffee with friends. They might like to go to the gym to work out, especially moms with infants and young children, as we all know that their bodies take the brunt of childbirth!

Co-ops provide that limited freedom that parents need to get things done. When I had our third child, our second child was already 9 years old and had grown accustomed to certain things that I always did for her like volunteering in her school. While I can't be there nearly as much as I did in the past, I can still attend field trips and volunteer once a week in her classroom for a few hours because I have another mom to do back up babysitting and relief babysitting for me! I get a break from my baby and the other baby that I babysit for, and I get to be around my daughter during her school day and help out her teachers and her peers. It means a lot to her that I am there, and I would really miss that time with her if I were not able to find someone to help me out! I have the advantage of frequent communication with her teachers and the ability to meet her friends and gain their trust.

Co-ops make sure the children always have a provider and that parents can always go to work. If you choose to enroll your child in daycare, chances are very slim that it will ever be closed (this does happen from time to time when diseases, lice, or flu shows up in an overwhelming population of the children or providers in the day care, or if there is something wrong with the facility, but more often than not, a day care is open and reliable). Babysitters, on the other hand, don't have substitutes if they get sick or need to go to an appointment. That is why having another parent or two on back up is a wonderful idea. This saves the parent having to find multiple sitters (some of whom will quit due to lack of work or income). Babysitters working together can watch each other's broods for short periods of time or for unexpected illnesses or emergencies. Parents can stay at work, and the children are safe, much like in a day care, but with all of the benefits that having a private babysitter affords!

Co-ops also allow the children a break from their regular surroundings and care givers. We as adults know that we sometimes need a break; it is not much different for children. A new face or a new toy from time to time will help the children adjust to change and will expand their peer group. New playmates can be fun and exciting!

Forming or joining in a co-op will provide you with a much needed support system as you raise your children. I am from a very small town, and it is reassuring to me that wherever my children go, someone will likely know them, and if anything should ever happen to them, someone will contact me. I also have many people I can call to car pool kids to school or to back up babysit or to catch a ride with to a PTO meeting. If I'm short on cash, it's very likely that one of my other parent friends will be able to spare whatever I need to get by until I'm back on track.

A great advantage to a co-op is having like minded parents to talk to. If you are having issues with your children and aren't sure what to do, advice from other parents can sometimes be helpful. Often times, if you are "out of the loop" on current events or goings on in your community, your co-op can catch you up so you don't miss anything. Sometimes, too, it's just nice to have someone to vent to when you need it.

A co-op doesn't have to be fancy or extensive. A few reliable, friendly parents will do. There is so much benefit to joining or forming a co-op to help you with your responsibilities as a parent!

By Brandi M. Seals

Being pregnant is a rare for most of us. Women typically have one or two pregnancies. With all the attention given to the upcoming birth, it can be easy to not even capture the pregnancy in photos, scrapbooks or other ways of documenting the experience. But more and more, women are taking the opportunity to photograph them to add to the timeline of their child.

A pregnant belly was something to hide or keep covered in the past. Maternity clothes were not as easy to find or as attractive. Maybe that is why pregnant women have long seemed to avoid the camera. I have seen hundreds of photos of my mom but none are of her pregnant with me or my sister. I know there are several people out there like me who have never seen a photo of their mom pregnant. We know the moms had to be pregnant at some point, but it is like it was kept hidden for some reason. It almost seems as if the pregnancy never occurred, the babies were merely dropped off.

Now it seems that pregnancy is being embraced. There is more maternity wear available then ever before. Women are not hiding; they are showing off the baby bump. In conjunction with that movement, more women are opting to get the belly photographed. Some go to professional photographers, others are merely looking to document the changes their bodies are going through each month.

For years women have been documenting the development of their children. They fill out baby books that detail when teeth were lost, when the child first learned to smile. Anything and everything you would want to know about a child’s development is logged into these books. Those that do not use baby books still typically keep track of their child through photographs. I know women that have their baby photographed every month during the 1st year of life. I know others that do not do any of this, but they do have a stockpile of photos of their child. Many plan to create photo albums or scrapbooks.

As a twist to this plan, why not start documenting the first month you know you are pregnant. Track the pregnancy. Did you have lots of morning sickness? Did you crave crazy foods? Your child will get a kick out of it when you are able to remember that you loved super spicy hot wings while pregnant with him, especially if you cannot stand them now.

Keep a journal. Detail anything you notice that changes during the pregnancy. Are you suddenly hot at night but cold during the day? Do you have a new affinity for peanut butter and celery? Whatever it is, note it.

When your child is older, you could pass along the journal or do something a bit more creative. Use it to make a scrapbook of the pregnancy and the early months after the birth. In it, include photos and notes. Try to line up the notes with the correct pregnancy photo. For example, if you were always feeling tired in the 6th month of pregnancy; note that on the same page as the photo of you being 6 months along. It is a great visual that your child will always appreciate.

The length of the scrapbook will depend largely on how many photos and memories you have. When making it, be sure to include a few pages on the arrival of the baby. I am sure you will have photos of that along with several memories.

Be sure to continue documenting your child's life. After a certain age, it seems as if kids fall of the documenting radar. Sure they still get their photo taken for school, but all other photos seem to stop or become far less frequent. Several of my friends and I have no pictures during a few years of our childhood. Sometime around age 10 the photos pretty much stop. There is one here and their but they do not become regular again until I turned 16.

Try not to cut out large chunks like this. Everyone enjoys looking back on themselves to see how they have changed or what they used to look like. So keep the camera out and do not be afraid to snap too many shots. In fact, there are often not enough.

By Brandi M. Seals

It is nice to throw a birthday party for your child and his friends every couple of years. At a young age it gives children a reason to get together outside of school or preschool. It also gives him an opportunity to cut loose and have a little fun.

The key to throwing a birthday party, especially for little ones, is to be very prepared. You do not want to leave anything to the last minute unless you will have someone else also watching over the kids. They can go from quaint angels to super hyper in a matter of seconds, so it is good to always have someone watching over the group.

Start the planning by picking a day (you may want to have the party on a weekend if your child's birthday falls during the week). Next, the easiest thing to do is to pick a theme. The theme will give you guidance and will also seem ultra exciting to kids. For example, I had a Pound Puppy party as a child. You could do anything though. Go to your local party store and see what they have on hand. You might be able to work out a Dora the Explorer party or a Power Ranger get-together. Try to keep the theme simple and make sure your kid loves it first.

Once the theme has been selected, shop for your needed supplies. You will need invitations, plates, napkins, cups, and plastic silverware. Try to get as much of that within the theme as you can. If you see Power Ranger plates and napkins, grab them. They will not only be helpful for cake service, but also decorate your table without having to splurge on anything else. Also, it is nice to give away some sort of goody bag or prize at the party. Try to also find something that goes with the party to give away.

Next you will want to order a cake. Again, if you can, get something within your theme. Most bakeries (even those within a grocery store) often have several designs that they can do. Look through them to find something within your theme or a coordinating piece. When ordering, be sure to have the bakery write Happy Birthday (your kids name here). It is amazing how easy it is to forget about the writing once you are concentrating on cake and frosting flavors.

The next big decision is what to serve. There are so many routes you can take with this, it is best to ask what your child would like. You could do hamburgers and hotdogs or a pizza party. You could also avoid a large meal and just do finger foods. Put out little sample sized foods like cheese cubes, pigs-in-a-blanket, or grapes.

Now that the majority of the planning for the food is taken care of, you need to concentrate on activities. Depending on the age of your child you will either need to be very hands on in this decision making process or let your child come up with a few of her own ideas. I like to pick something that keeps the kids active. It will not only keep them healthy, but help wear them out. Activates can range from swimming if your child has a summer birthday, ice skating for winter birthday, or even providing some sort of entertainment. You could hire a clown, magician, or other entertainer to keep the tots amused.

If you will be having the party at your home, try to avoid activities that take the kids elsewhere. For example, you could have a party at home after shuttling them over to the roller arena for skating. But, all of that can be very trying. First you have to round up all the kids, shuttle them to the activity, keep an eye on them, then shuttle them back. In that time you have probably experienced more stress then you needed (especially if it is a large party). Avoid all that by coming up with something for the kids to do at home. Or, alternatively have the party at the destination. Many places have party areas that you can rent out.

Finally, once everything has been picked up, it is time to decorate. You do not have to be Martha Stewart to impress children. Some streamers and balloons go over nicely. For the table, simply set out your theme plates and other utensils. In the center, sit the birthday cake. No fuse, no muse table decorating.

By Christina VanGinkel

While creating a lasting video memory of your pregnancy, especially during the early months when hugging a toilet seat might be the highlight of your day, might not seem like a great idea, as your pregnancy progresses, it can have several positives to it, both current and far-reaching. If you have considered creating such a memory, but was not sure why you would, or if you could, then read on for some basic information that just might help you decide if such a project is right for you at this most special time of your life.

First of all, being able to look back at each stage, and both see and hear how you felt, how your attitude might have changed as your body expanded, and how others felt, especially daddy to be, you would be building a legacy that not all do. A video diary might end up tucked away and not looked at after its making for a long time, but then again, if you experience another pregnancy, you might find yourself pulling it out and referring to it just to compare. While no two pregnancies are ever alike, reminding yourself that yes, it was hard to see your toes, can actually be a big boost to your self-confidence the next time around.

If your baby to be has siblings already, including them in the video footage can make the video diary fun to create, and view, as they both or all grow older. I know my youngest son loves to hear that his older sister only allowed us to keep him, as he was not a girl. She had insisted early on, that at eight years old, having a baby brother would be ok, but there was no room for another girl in the family! What attitude that video shows is often the highlight of many family gatherings. That if he might have turned out a she, the reaction might not have so loved years later, but that it still would have been a very interesting perspective overall is often discussed after listening to the story yet one more time!

If being in front of a video camera is not something, you think you would be comfortable at, or you are fearful that you might be at a loss of what to say once the video is running, but you would still like to create one, simplify it. Have a planned sequence each time you videotape. Give the date, or hold up a calendar with the current date circled. Provide a side view so you can look back later to see how baby expanded your waistline from week to week.

Include a bit about how your week went, if there were any doctor appointments or tests, and what their outcome was. If your doctor or midwife is willing, bring along the camera to a visit or two and catch them on film. When baby is grown, they will enjoy seeing who it was that first cared for them as they were preparing entry into this thing we call life!

Be sure to capture the house or apartment you live in, and ff you work outside of the home, include a bit of video on where you work, if you take a subway, etc. Perspectives such as these are all interesting parts of your pregnancy that are often forgotten, especially if you switch doctors, change jobs, or move.

If there are any details specific to the pregnancy that you feel you would like to remember, provide some quick detail. For example, if you can no longer drink coffee because all of a sudden you have a strong aversion to the smell, tell the audience this. On the other hand, if you cannot believe you have eaten, as much watermelon as you have, that it has never tasted so good, even if it does send you running to the bathroom constantly, then be sure to capture these facts too by relaying the information.

If there are important people, who might not live close by but who come to visit you during the pregnancy, be sure to capture them on camera too. With families often spread out across the country, grandma, or grandpa to be might live too far away to be with you physically each day, so capture them during their visit.

Finish off the video diary with baby's birth and homecoming. Once the video is complete what you do with it will be totally up to you. Tuck it away to give baby when they are older, share it during family affairs, make a copy on DVD and store it in your regular scrapbook.

A new hair color is a fantastic way to breath new life into a look that has, well, gone south. This is especially the case for new mothers who are not feeling their most confident in the hair department. If you want to get back to looking your most delectable and you want to be a yummy mommy then consider trying a new and decidedly exciting hair color change. It can give your locks a lift not to mention your spirits. A good color can add pizzazz, drama and flair to your hair. It may be a start but a new hair color can also make you feel sexy again. And what new mother doesn’t want that?! But are there things you should know before you get started? Absolutely! Choosing the proper hair color can be a confusing and tricky process so let’s look at some important pointers before you begin:

Natural Looking Hair

Hair color should look as natural as possible, not brassy or artificial but just right. The most important thing to do before coloring is to ensure that your hair is in the best condition possible. If not, the coloring process could damage it further. For the best results, it is wise to stay within two shades of your natural hair color.

The Key to Finding an Appropriate Color

The key to finding a color that’s appropriate for you means choosing between warm and cool shades. Differentiating between colors can be confusing especially with the variety that is out there to choose from. The best way to make the right choices is to decide on what your natural coloring is in regard to hair, eye and skin tones. Do you fall into the warm or cool category? Get a friend or relative to help you answer these questions before going any further.

What color are your eyes?
Green, green blue or turquoise (Warm)
Golden brown (Warm)
Hazel with white, gray or blue flecks (Cool)
Hazel with gold or brown flecks (Warm)
Deep brown or black-brown (Cool)
Gray blue or dark blue (Cool)

What color is your skin tone?
Medium with no color in cheeks (Cool)
Medium with faint pink cheeks (Cool)
Medium with golden undertones (Cool)
Pale with pink undertones (Cool)
Pale with no color in cheeks (Cool)
Brown with pink undertone (Warm)
Very dark brown (Cool)
True olive (most Asians and Latinos) (Cool)
Pale with peach or gold undertones (Warm)
Freckled (Warm)
Ruddy (Warm)
Brown or bronze (during tanning season) (Cool)
Golden brown (during tanning season) (Warm)

What color is your hair?
Golden blond (Cool)
Strawberry blond (Warm)
Dishwater blond (Cool)
Red (Warm)
Medium golden brown (Cool)
Deep brown with gold or red highlights (Warm)
Medium ash brown (Cool)
Deepest coffee brown (Cool)
Blue black (Cool)
White (Cool)
Gray with a yellow cast (Warm)
Salt and pepper (Cool)

The verdict

So what did you discover? Were most of your answers “cools”? If so then your natural tones fall into the cool spectrum. The opposite is true if most of your “yes” answers were warm.

Cool
The best shades for people in the cool spectrum are shiny raven-wing blacks, cool ash browns, cool blondes in shades ranging from mink to platinum and icy white. Naturally cool women should avoid yellow, red, gold and bronze tones, which have a tendency to make an individual look sallow and drawn.

Warm
Shades of deep chocolate, rich golden browns and auburn, warm gold and red highlights and golden blond shades enhance those who fall into the warm category. Weaving and highlighting are a terrific way to add warm tones to your hair. Naturally warm people should avoid violet, blue, white and jet black hair, which will appear to “wash out” your natural hair color.

A few things to keep in mind to achieve the color you want:

If you can’t decide between two shades, go for the lighter one. It’s easier to darken hair than to lighten it.

If you’re new to dark hair color, opt for a rich brown and work your way up to a black tone. Also black hair looks best on women with lighter skin tones.

If you have darker hair, choose a color that is two shades lighter than your desired result.

Red has the highest amount of pigment, which is why it is the most difficult color to maintain. Warmer reds are more natural looking than blue-based reds.

For gray coverage, choose a shade that has neutral or natural in its name.

Use a clarifying shampoo before coloring to help keep hair in excellent condition.

When in doubt, ask. coloring companies that have toll-free telephone numbers and websites to offer comprehensive coloring advice. Don’t be shy when it comes to finding out the facts. Your hair is your crowning glory after all so you want to get the coloring process right the first time around! Cosmeticians at your local drugstores and department stores are also a wealth of information so seeking one out to help you choose the right shade might be the best first step for you to take.

So now you are ready to mix and color and revel in the exciting results. Best of luck mommies!

By Heather Pohlabel

I am by far the most paranoid of all of my friends with children. Not only am I paranoid that something will happen to them, I worry that something will happen to me. I often come up with little ways to make sure that is something were to happen to me that I would no longer be around to raise my children, that they would know how much I loved them and that I would be able to pass on some sage advise and wishes for them. Here are a few of the things I've come up with:

Jotting notes. You would be surprised at what kids keep. Sometimes slipping them a little note or card will not only make their day when they receive it, they will probably hold on to it and will have it even long after you are gone. They will always remember where or why they got the surprise and how it made them feel. My daughter still keeps a napkin I put in her lunchbox the first day of first grade. She still reminds me that I used to do that and how nice it was to open up her lunch box and see a note from me! This is something she will remember forever and will probably do with her own children.

I also write down cute things that my children have said. All kids say amazingly humorous things, but we don't really remember verbatim what they say and how old they were when they said it! Included in my "list of things you've said" are:

"These Little Mermaid underwear are the bomb"
"Running around in your underwear just isn't natural"
"Mommy, you left the windmills on the car" (windshield wipers)
"Jesus killed himself on the cross"
"Mom, Uncle Brett is sleeping; he's passed out with the diseases!"

They will not believe the things that they have said, and in time, will laugh at them as much as you did when you first heard them! They, too may record their children's funny sayings for future remembrances.

I also write full length letters to my children. I have done it since before they were born. I keep them in a folder that they will find one day when they are looking through all of my things. They will inevitably cry, but they will also see how much I loved them from the time before they were even born!

Scrapbooking. Everyone seems to be scrapbooking these days, and you can scrapbook for any reason. A lot of us do it just to put our pictures somewhere, but others do it for special occasions, gifts, to help remember, and as a legacy. Your children will treasure and hold on to these scrapbooks for years to come and will see how much love you had for them that you would take the time to put together such a miriad of memories for them to enjoy.

Videos. Some people, and I have yet to do this, I admit (because it seems so final to me), make videos for their children of themselves. They talk to them and show them things such as how to put on makeup or do their hair. They pass on sage advice and show their true emotions on film. This is something that people who find out that they have a terminal disease sometimes do for their children. I'm not sure how the children handle it, but it seems like a good idea. As I said, I haven't done this because it just seems so final, but it is a lovely idea.

Books. There are several books on the market that you can fill with pictures, memories, and advice. These are like more mature versions of baby books, really, and are an excellent idea. I have several that I have started and complete slowly over time. I haven't learned it all yet, so not everything I can advise on, and I hope that my daughters don't think that they know it all at my age either and that they pause before giving ill advice. So if I go, and those pages aren't filled out, they'll have to find out on their own or hear it from someone else, but it's better than getting bad advice from mommy dearest!

There are many ways to let your children know how much you love them and to pass advice on to them in case something should happen to you. Being a good parent in the first place is all you really need to do, but it is nice to have memorabilia of loved ones, so be sure that you have something you can leave for your children if you have to go!

By Brandi M. Seals

We have all heard pregnancy myths before. They seem to get past down one generation after another. Many deal with determining the sex of the baby, though in light of ultrasounds they have died out and given way to myths that women should not move too much, eat too much of this or that and various other things.

Myth: Standing on your head after sex can increase your chances of becoming pregnant.

Truth: Standing on your head has not been proven to help conception in any way. Some experts do however recommend lying down for 20 to 30 minutes after sex because it helps keep the sperm inside.

Myth: How the baby is carried or the rate of its heart can indicate the baby's sex.

Truth: The belief that boys are carried low and they have lower heartbeats and that girls are carried high and have higher heart rates simply are not true. The shape of the belly is determined by muscle and uterine tone along with the baby's position. The closer you are to delivery, the lower you will carry. If you want to know the sex of your child, have an ultrasound.

Myth: If you have heartburn during pregnancy, your baby will be born with lots of hair.

Truth: Heartburn is common during pregnancy. It is in no way connected to how much hair your child has.

Myth: Spicy food brings on labor.

Truth: Spicy food has not been proven to bring on labor. If you want to give it a try because you are overdue, go for it. It has not been linked to miscarriage or pre-term labor.

Myth: If a pregnant woman raises her hands above her head, she will choke her baby.

Truth: Raising your hands over your head does not cause the umbilical cord to choke the baby. About 25 percent of all babies are born with the cord around the neck, and several have the cord wrapped around other body parts. There is nothing a mother can do to cause this. Tangles are caused by the movement of the fetus early on.

The only benefit to this myth is that a pregnant woman may not have to do unwanted lifting, cleaning or working.

Myth: If you have bad morning sickness, it is a girl; mild or none means it is a boy.

Truth: Again, there is no way to tell whether you are having a boy or a girl without an ultrasound.

Myth: Do not wear your seat belt if it is uncomfortable.

Truth: Nothing could be more unsafe than riding in a car without the seat belt. Seat belts protect you and your baby during an accident. However, air bags may be bad news for expectant mothers. Avoid them by sitting in the back seat.

Myth: If your mom or sister had --------, you will too. Or, if ------ happened during your first pregnancy, it will happen again.

Truth: Some things in life are hereditary; however labor and delivery are not one of them. If your mom had you after only 2 hours of labor, do not assume you will have a short labor. You could be there for over 24 hours. Something goes if your first delivery was quick and easy, the second one might be more painful. Do not rely on your past experiences (or those of relatives) to tell you what your experience will be like.

Myth: Pregnant women cannot exercise.

Truth: This myth is totally untrue unless you have been otherwise directed by a doctor. The exercises you used to do may need to be altered to accommodate the pregnancy, but exercise is always beneficial.

Myth: Sleeping on your back can hurt the baby.

Truth: Many women believe that blood flow will be reduced through the placenta if they lie on their backs. Truth is that it is generally untrue. One's blood flow can be compromised by sleeping on one's back. The mother in this situation would most likely have a high risk pregnancy and feel dizzy or uncomfortable in this position. This would naturally make her shift positions.

The origin of this myth dates to the 1960s and 1970s when research showed that blood flow can be compromised if women are made to labor on their backs. In this position, the vena cave may become compressed. That is why women are encouraged to be on their sides, sit up or walk while they are in labor.

By Heather Pohlabel

Diaper bags are more fashionable than ever. Many mothers are not even buying a traditional diaper bag, but instead, buying larger purses to carry baby's needs with them. No matter what diaper bag or extra large purse you choose, here a few essential items that you must remember to pack so as to not be caught unprepared.

Extra clothing. Depending on the season or where you live, this will vary as to what you need. A typical Ohio mother knows that the weather changes hour by hour, so a variety of layer able clothes is necessary for everyone, including baby. She might pack a onesie (every mom should have one or two of these in her diaper bag), a long sleeved outfit, a short sleeved outfit, a sleeper, a pair of socks, and a jacket. It sounds like a lot, but babies have accidents that ruin their clothing, and even in the most warm climate, they need clothing on their bodies to protect them from the sun.

Diapering needs. They don't call it a diaper bag for nothing! Don't you dare forget the diapers! When your baby starts stinking up the room, people will be relieved that you have remembered to bring something to change her into! You will need wipes to clean her bottom (these come in travel sizes as well, which is very convenient for not only diaper bags, but different rooms of the house and your vehicle - baby wipes have far more uses than cleaning baby bottoms; they are one of the best all purpose cleaners around!). A nice bonus to the diaper bag is a box of disposable diaper bags. These are small plastic bags that you can place your baby's dirty diaper in to help contain odor. They are usually powder scented to help mask the odor. You will probably also want to have a small tube of diaper rash cream in case your baby has a rash and you forget to grab it at home. Diaper rashes are very painful for babies, so making sure that you have some relief on hand is best. Keep one tube at home and one in your bag. Some mothers like to carry a changing pad or cloth; others don't feel it's necessary.

Food. Depending on your baby's age, what you should keep in your diaper bag in case your baby gets hungry while you are out will vary. Babies who are not eating solids still have needs. Formula quickly goes bad, so taking prepared formula is not a great idea unless you know that your baby will be drinking it right away or you have a freezer bottle cooler with you. If you take prepared, chilled formula, you will also want to keep a bottle warmer with you.

Powdered formula or ready to drink is best for diaper bag. Keeping an empty bottle and a serving or two of these formulas in your bag will keep you prepared. Also keep a bottle of water to mix the powder with, or for you. You need to keep hydrated as well! For older babies, you should keep two jars of food, a spoon, a bottle of juice (unopened baby bottle sized - single serving), and a baggie of puffs, cereal, or crackers. For all babies, remember a bib and a burp rag!

The extra essentials. You're far from done! In addition to clothing, diapering needs, and food for your baby, you will want to bring a long a few more items to keep yourself prepared. With babies, anything can happen, and is much better to be prepared. If your baby takes a pacifier, keep an extra one in your diaper bag. These get lost frequently or dropped in very dirty areas (usually when your baby wants one the most), so having a spare will be a comfort to both of you! A receiving blanket or larger thin blanket will help protect baby if it's windy out or comfort her if she needs a nap while you are out. Always carry an extra blanket. Keeping a toy in your diaper bag is also a good idea. Sometimes your baby would like to be entertained, and whether it is you playing with the toy for her to entertain her, or she is playing with it by herself, you will be happy that you had a distraction packed!

There really isn't any "traveling light" when you want to be prepared to best help meet the needs of your baby when you are out of the house, so be sure to pack your oversized purse or diaper bag with all of the essentials to ensure a better trip, no matter where you go.

One of the biggest ways in which society is trying to influence us is by telling us how to raise our children. Be it in magazines, on the news, or some kind of internet spam from sites we never even consider viewing, people, "experts" if you will, are invading our private abodes to tell us what is best for our kids. The last thing I need is just one more voice in my head that I have to ignore.

Now, the scientific community is raising controversy, though unintentionally, about what kind of morals our children need to get by in these dark ages.

My wife, while she was with child, began frequenting a message board with mothers expecting at the same time that she was due. After the birth of our boy, she went away from that board, and somewhat recently returned to this site again. Now, my wife never posts much. She has her views, yes, but chooses to withhold them, most of the time. Real recently, the same unintentional controversy, as mentioned before, has finally appeared on her board.

The topic at hand was the passing of a new vaccine. This vaccine is the first of its kind, promising to actually prevent a form of cancer from even forming. The mothers are on board with me, I am sure, but let me bring the dads up to speed. I am talking of the vaccine Gardisil. On June 8th, 2006, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the vaccine as a preventative measure against two strains of the human papilloma virus, or HPV, which is responsible for, at least, 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. For those who have not seen the stats, cervical cancer infects six-point-two million women, and kills 240-thousand more, each year.

Needless to say, this is a significant discovery, and it is even awe-inspiring to those of us praying for cure to cancer. Sounds great, right? Well, yeah, sure it does! As a new dad, hopefully one day of a girl, this is a huge find. But, where is the controversy?

Oh, it is not in the vaccine itself. That is simply great. When we began, I noted the way some areas of society want to sway our parenthood techniques. Therein lays the controversy.

Now that this vaccine is popularizing, some states are looking into making it mandatory for young girls to have the shots. Since the strands of HPV are passed during sexual activity, a.k.a. intercourse, some are worried that Gardisil is promoting promiscuity. One side says the vaccine okays the sexually active lifestyle for a person not of age (18 years old) and/or with multiple partners. The other side says kids are unpredictable, so to give them the chance to prevent something bad with a shot is a smart idea.

Want to know what I think? Obviously, you do, otherwise, you would have stopped reading by now. They are both right.
I have a series belief system that is based on faith. Faith in God, His Word, and His Son, and this faith is crucial to all parts of my life: public, private, personal, spiritual, marital, and, parental. Now, I understand that some reading here now do not have the same beliefs that I do. I understand that in this day and age this does not seem possible, but it IS possible to teach a child to abstain. A child can amaze you when you tell them that they do not have to fall into "the crowd" by doing the smoking, or booze, or drugs, or sex. Everyone who I talk to who saved themselves for marriage has never regretted it one iota, and some love to hear stories of others doing the same, because in our world, it is so rare.
Still, with this out in the blue sky, I firmly believe that people should take their daughters to have the shots. We are living in a very dark age. The government is stripping us of hard-earned money for taxes, while studies conflict us about what is okay to eat, and not okay. Then public schools do not give a balanced lesson anymore, abstinence is not allowed to be spoken of in schools, and then they weep over young adults getting sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and start having babies.

Folks, society is against us. No matter what kind of example I can be, my son may, in fact, infect someone, and my future daughter may be infected. No matter what my wife says to her in "the talk" it may not be enough to stop her from doing whatever she desires. My daughter will get that shot because I want her to be safe from something in a world that is out to get her, to drag her in.

Dads, teach your sons the proper way to behave. In a like manner, show your daughters the type of man she should want for a husband, when the time comes. Please, above all else, tell them it is okay to wait to give something so precious, so special, that only their God-given spouse will ever receive it: yourself, clean as a whistle, inside and out.

By Heather Pohlabel

Babies are expensive. That is an understatement! Babies are also very simple. Although we love to spoil them and shower them with toys and gifts, they don't really demand much and really enjoy normal, plain things that we have at home!

Measuring cups. Measuring cups and spoons or various sizes of plastic cups will keep baby entertained for quite awhile. They are also very educational in their own way. Babies use the cups to practice stacking. Filling and dumping is another favorite activity for baby, so if you can find something large that will not fit in their mouths but will fit in the cup, give it to them and watch them put it in the cup and pour it out. If your baby is old enough and enjoys a snack, you can put the snack in the cups and let them measure, play, cook, and eat at the same time! Cups are GREAT fun in the bath; just watch that baby doesn't drink too much bath water! When you are in the kitchen, give baby a bowl and the measuring cups and spoons so she can begin to see the relationship between the two and can have fun while she watches mom cook!

Pots and pans. Despite the loud clanging that theses already have toys provide, babies also enjoy stacking and cooking. Babies can put smaller pans in larger pans. Some babies even like to crawl in and sit in a big pot- you can take a wonderful picture of this cute moment. The clanging may get loud, but baby is exploring her world and noises, and she will probably find that noise pleasing, so try to bear with it and let her make beautiful noises. Add a spoon to the mix, and baby can practice cooking and playing the drums! She can also learn to use a spoon this way, as she will inevitably put that spoon in her mouth, so be sure to tell her" good job!" She will be feeding herself in no time!

Boxes. Any size, any shape, babies love boxes! They love to get in them and hide. They love to throw them. They love to open and close them, and if you put things in them, it is a treasure chest and they will LOVE to take everything out, explore it, toss it to the side, get back in the box, explore the next thing, toss that to the side, and continue until the box is empty. They will then explore the box - the textures, the size, the edges. Keep larger moving boxes for when baby can play hide and seek on her own or to let her play house. Young children even love to do this, often making furniture out of various sized boxes.

Paper. If you can keep it out of baby's mouth, paper is especially fun to tear! Baby can work on her fine motor skills and rid herself of some pent up anger by ripping some paper to shreds. Wrapping boxes up like presents is fun for baby too. There doesn't even have to be a present inside! Baby will enjoy uncovering that wonderful box, ripping the paper, and then playing with the box!

Empty bottles. Your empty soda or shampoo bottles are very fun toys for babies. While full bottles are heavier and could possibly hurt your baby if she dropped it on her, empty bottles do not hurt at all. They also roll! Babies can chase bottles all over the floor. They can also pick them up and shake them. Placing items that make sounds inside of the bottle will make a homemade rattle. You can use bells, sand, anything that makes noise! Just be sure to glue the lid shut so that baby cannot get it loose and eat what is inside!

Remote controls. If you have old remote controls that you no longer use, take out the batteries and tape the battery compartment shut with duct tape. Babies will touch on the numbers and throw it and bang it around. Remote controls seem to be a favorite toy since they are usually a no no. If you can let your baby have her own remote control, she may leave yours alone.

It really doesn't take much to entertain babies. While babies cost a lot of money to rise, you can get away on the cheap with toys to entertain them. They often prefer things that you already have at home to expensive toys.

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life we forget that everyone needs a dose of inspiration from time to time. Mothers in particular need that little pick-me-up and that is not something that can be saved for Mother's Day. Instead we need to feel inspired all of the time, in order to move forward in a productive and joyful manner in our lives. Over the years I've managed to compile my own unique list of tips to help inspire and propel myself onto greater heights. Mothers I hope you too will find them to be beneficial to your everyday life.

Here are five of my top tips for inspirational living for mothers; however anyone, both male and female, can benefit from these proactive suggestions. Let's get started with...

1. Don't live your life looking in the rearview mirror.

I abandoned this way of thinking a long time ago because it is a defeatist's way of viewing life. As I was nearing the age of thirty I remained unmarried and my career was temporarily on stall mode. I was incredibly discouraged and I began to spend my time thinking about how much better my life was when I was younger and thinner, etc. etc. It was a friend of mine that finally shook me out of my reverie by telling me," Life is forward motion. You can't fight it no matter what you do, so please please stop lamenting about what you can't change and just live your life!" Look back only when you can find something back there to help move you forward. Use your past as a tool for your future but don't remain stuck in it. Learn to enjoy, appreciate and accept every stage of your life for what it is and you will be a much happier and more well adjusted human being. Guaranteed.

2. Success consists of getting up one time more than you've fallen down.

Every time you fall down, you must get back up on your feet again no matter how difficult it is or how much you would rather remain fallen and beaten down by life circumstances. As a writer I submit my work to many markets all the time and very often my manuscripts are rejected. The reasons for the rejections vary. Regardless of the reasons it hurts all the same. Every time this happens I have to give myself a pep talk and remind myself that my work has value. It is an uphill battle most of the time but success cannot occur unless a person is on his/her feet and pressing forward to the finish line. As well the lessons you learn while you are down prove invaluable when you are up.

3. Start with peanuts.

Whenever I am feeling discouraged or have the sense that I am not accomplishing anything these three simple words are a reminder to me that everything in life first starts from something small and from there grows into something larger. Humble beginnings are what I call them. I have come to accept this as a part of the growing development that is my life.

4. Patience is a virtue that carries a lot of "wait."

It is so hard to be patient for anything in our fast paced world but it is all together necessary at the same time. Everything is not instantaneous, especially when we are waiting on answers or wanting things to change for the better. I have had to learn to slow down in my own sometimes harried lifestyle and languish in the quiet and calmness of the waiting period. Learning to un-clutter one's life and keep it simple goes a long way towards doing that.

5. Build wells of joy with the spade of sorrow.

Simply put, sometimes good things in our life come from painful and trying times. It takes months and sometimes years of toiling away at a task before one is able to reap any benefit at all. I believe that wisdom develops from the ability to humble oneself. With maturity I came to be able to humble myself, especially by watching the most significant woman in my life- my mother. My mother raised all three of her daughters as a single parent for many years. She had to make many sacrifices in her life for us girls. As well she sacrificed pursuing the goals in her own personal life in order to be the best mother she could be. Her sacrifices humble me greatly. Heartbreak, pain, tragedy and problems of every kind are part of what we all must face in our lifetime. Positive changes and hoped for results are very slow to come and this can cause even the most optimistic person to become downcast. Don't give up! There is sunshine up ahead. In the meantime, keep using that spade because the joy is within reach (it's just not visible yet- that's where faith comes in).

By Heather Pohlabel

Do you think that your newborn baby is not ready to play games with you yet? Think again! Babies as young as a few weeks old are ready to interact with their parents by playing games! Here is a list of games that you can play with your newborn and can continue playing for years to come.

"Peek A Boo" is a classic, timeless game that both young babies and older children enjoy. It is not advisable to play peek a boo with a newborn baby by hiding your face or theirs, but since their vision is still developing, moving closer to their faces as you say "peek a boo" will help them to focus, and you will also be introducing them to near and far. They will hear your voice get louder as you get closer, and as you place more emphasis on the last two syllables. Younger babies will be drawn to the closeness and your voice. As your baby ages, she will enjoy seeing you pop out from behind a blanket or enjoy seeing her favorite stuffed animal become animated as it disappears and reappears with an emphatic "peek a boo". Take time to further your conversation and say "I see you" and add your baby's name at the end. The constant repetition of her name will help her learn it and respond to it over time.

"Got 'ya!" is a game with many variations. This game usually begins when your baby is a newborn and you are trying to keep her awake for longer periods of time. You may touch her nose and say "I got your nose", or grab a toe and say "I got your toe". Often parents do this with tummies as well. This just stimulates your newborn, draws her closer to your face and expressions, and lets her feel you as you touch her. As your baby ages, she will begin to recognize that the part you are getting is her nose or her toes or her tummy. This game even works well with toddlers, as they tend to run away a lot. "I got 'ya" can be a fun and stress-relieving way for you to retrieve your run away toddler. At this stage, this game is often accompanied by tickles.

Tickles make almost every child smile or giggle, as long as the tickles are not done roughly. My father used to try to tickle me, but it always hurt. It took years for me to allow my husband to tickle me because I immediately thought it was going to hurt me. If you gently tickle your newborn, she will respond with smiles and soft coos and eventually some giggling. Older babies will really get to smiling and laughing when you tickle their feet, underarms, bellies, and necks. Just remember to be gentle, and your child will grow to be an adult who still likes to be tickled occasionally. It's a sure fire smiler!

Piggies is a variation of "got 'ya". We begin this game by "getting" the toes. Then we start "getting" each toe individually and wiggling it. This helps baby realize she has feet and they have senses! We eventually work our way up to the little story that goes with the toes: "This little piggy went to market; this little piggy stayed home; this little piggy had roast beef and mashed potatoes; this little piggy had none, and this little piggy went wee - wee - wee - wee all the way home!" Home is the nose and you walk your fingers from the toes to the nose during the "wee - wee - wee - wee - all the way home" portion of the rhyme. Not everyone says roast beef and mashed potatoes - you can say whatever you want here. We used to change this up all the time for our daughter, who wanted to do piggies all the way until she was five!

There are many many games that you can play with your children these are a few classic examples that can be started with your newborn and played together for years. The most important thing to remember is that your baby needs contact with you. It is from you that she will learn virtually everything she needs to know, so start off right and stimulate her little mind and body with fun games!

As parents we are given much needed and sometimes unwanted advice not just from doctors, grandparents, friends, but also other moms. Who is right? When thing is for sure, with so much knowledge out there it is hard to know what is fact or what is fiction.

Here will discuss some basic truths about solid foods for those moms on the verge of starting the baby on them and those who have been working at this for a while.

It has been said that the sooner you start feeding your baby solid foods the sooner he'll start sleeping through the night. However, that is not true. Experts have found that there is no link to eating solid foods and sleeping through the night. Babies tend to start solids at the same time they are developmentally ready to sleep for longer stretches. This is just a coincidence; it has nothing to do with the solids you just started them on. In fact the American Dietetic Association (ADA) suggests for moms to hold off on the first meal unit around age 6 months or so to reduce the risk of allergies, obesity, and diabetes. Babies do get all the vitamins and nutrients they need form breast milk or formula and waiting will not harm the baby in any shape or form.

Furthermore it has been said that rice cereal should be the only choice for baby's first food, this too is in fact incorrect. Nearly 84% of moms do start their babies on rice cereal but only because it is great source of iron, is the blandest, least allergenic, and generally speaking the most unobjective food. If your baby is a formula feed baby, skipping over the rice cereal it is perfectly fine; the formula provides plenty of iron in it. Babies can go directly to pureed food likes bananas or avocado. To that end, people will tell you that once you do start the baby on solids, he/she won't need as much breast milk or formula. This too is an incorrect statement. Breast milk and formula alike will continue to be the baby's most important food until around the first birthday. Do not let the amount they drink dip until then! I repeat do not let the amount they drink dip until then! This is a very important statement to remember! You will always have those that suggest you to start weaning them off before their first birthday, my suggestion, and wait till the first year pediatrician visit and then seek their advice on what you should do for your particular child. Each child is different.

Should you give your child a bottle of water to help digest their food? No! Cups of water is great practice for drinking without a nipple, but remember that before 6 months old your baby's stomach is no bigger than his fist and too much water could start to take the place of formula or breast milk. In addition should you start fruits or veggies first? Many moms will suggest veggies to warn them away from only sweets. It's not the sweetness of the fruit that attracts the child, if you provide them with ample oppouruinty for veggies; they will learn to like veggies. Practice, practice, practice! Your child could love veggies when given the opportunity to!

Another controversial subject is when to introduce cow's milk products. Because cow's milk can curdle in the little ones stomach and cause stomachers hold off until the first year birthday, but cheese and yogurt are heated and treated so they do not curdle so feel free to introduce them into your baby's diet.

Providing a variety of foods can be somewhat scary, not knowing how the baby will react to the food. Listen to what your pediatrician suggests and follow their meal plans. After a while you baby will let you know exactly what he/she likes to eat. Rotate new tastes in with old favorites, mix and match and your little bundle of joy will love the new flavors. And you will feel good as well knowing that you are building a great foundation of a lifetime of good eating habits for him.

It is important to also try different textures, let your child "play" with their food. This teaches them what different textures food has and aids them in feeding themselves. Yes, I know it is very messy, but soon those messes will be past you and your child will be a pro at feeding himself. It just takes time and patience. And furthermore, encourage other caregivers to not be so pushy with the baby learning not to make a mess. That will come with age and experience.

Every milestone you embark on with your baby will be full of fun, adventure, messes, happiness, and yes, some much needed patience on your part. Learn to embrace each adventure and take it for just that an adventure. Introducing solids the correct way to your baby will ensure that you lay the foundation for a healthy eating lifestyle that lasts his entire life. What you do today does affect how he eats tomorrow!

By Brandi M. Seals

All kids go through a stage where they ask tons of questions. They are trying to understand the world around them, but that can often leave parents without any answers. Instead of lying to your kids, try to prepare in advance. If you do not know why some lemurs have ringed tails, simply say so. It will help your child understand that all though you are a fountain of knowledge, you cannot possibly know everything. Trust me, that is not a bad thing. Your children will respect the fact that you were honest with them rather then just making up some lame story.

To help out parents of quizzical children, I have the answers to some of those common childhood questions.

What is thunder and why is it so loud?
Thunder is a loud noise created when it lightenings. It is caused by the heating and expansion of air surround a bolt of lightening. The lightening changes the air into plasma and it explodes causing the noise.

The thunder is heard after the lightening is seen because light travels faster than sound. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second and sound travels around 700 miles per hour. The speed of sound varies due to a number of reasons, including air temperature, humidity and air pressure.

Why is the sky blue?
They sky is seen as blue for two main reasons. First is due to the atmosphere. As light enters our atmosphere it scatters in the air. Short-wavelength light scatters more than those with long wave lengths. When you look at the sky we see blue light waves being scattered down at us from the sunlight passing through the air. However, blue does not have the shortest wavelength. Violet does, so the sky should appear violet.

We do not see the sky as violet because of our eyes. People are able to see color because of something called cones that are in the eye. They are sensitive to different wavelengths within the visible spectrum. But, the sky is full of several scattered wavelengths (different colors) and our eyes just are not good enough to pick out violet light when other wavelengths are present. We are, however, good at picking out blue. Therefore, in our eyes the sky is blue.

Why is snow white and grass green?
You can explain why anything is any color by explaining how color works. When light falls on most objects they tend to reflect some of the light falling on them and absorb the rest. The color of the light reflected is the color that we see. Some objects absorb all the light and appear black, while others reflect all light and appear white. This process is known as subtractive color mixing because some colors are taken out of the light.

Snow is white because it reflects all colors equally.

Grass looks green because it absorbs all the colors of the rainbow except green.

How big is the Ocean?
Since 2000, there are five recognized oceans. From largest to smallest they are the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. Together they cover a total of 139 million sq mi and have a volume of 319 million cu mi.

Individually they vary greatly in size. The Pacific Ocean covers 69.4 million square miles. The Atlantic Ocean occupies 41.1 million square miles. The Indian Ocean takes up 28.4 million square miles. The newly recognized Southern Ocean (also known as the South Polar Ocean or formerly as the Antarctic Ocean) surrounds Antarctica. Its size changes due to seasonal influences. It ranges from 1 million square miles to 7.2 million square miles. And, the Arctic Ocean covers 5.44 million square miles. To give you an idea how big that is, the Arctic Ocean occupies an area close to 1.5 times the size of the U.S.

This is only a small sampling of some of the difficult questions that kids tend to ask. Try researching some on your own in advance or wait for your child to ask you. Then you can look up the answers together. Learning is a great experience. If everyone was as excited to learn as children are, there would be no stopping what we could achieve.

By Brandi M. Seals

It seems that the fight against cavities is a never ending battle, but if you start off on the right foot with your child, you will go along way towards preventing cavities.

Start with a few simple rules. They include:
Brushing teeth should be done twice a day
Floss daily
Try to avoid sugary products
Never drink from someone else's cup or share utensils

The first two rules are universal. Kids and adults alike really should be brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once. If your child has braces, jump up brushing to once after every meal. Kids with braces are more prone to build up.

Brushing and flossing helps remove build up of plaque from the teeth and gums. You can use a manual or electric toothbrush. Whatever you prefer is fine as long as you do a good job of keeping the teeth clean. Be sure to get along the gum lines. Plaque bugs like to hang out there and can lead to gingivitis.

School-aged children should be able to brush their own teeth. Just be sure they do it for at least a minute and that they get everywhere they need to. Brushing should be done in the morning and in the evening. Flossing can be done anytime. It helps remove gunk from between the teeth that can form cavities. Trust me, get cavities between teeth filled is no fun at all.

If your child is too young to brush his own teeth, do it for him. Be sure to use a pea sized amount of toothpaste. This is when your child will learn how to brush his own teeth in the future so be sure to do a good job. If his teeth are close enough to be nearly touching, it is time to introduce flossing as well.

If your baby does not have teeth yet, it does not mean you are off the hook. Wipe his or her gums with a damp cloth after each feeding. Believe it or not, cavities can begin to develop this early on.

Sugary drinks and foods are partially responsible for cavities. The germs in our mouths feed off these thing and they weaken the tooth enamel. Try to set your kid up with healthy eating habits to avoid some of this extra sugar. Instead of giving treats and snacks loaded with sugar, try hooking your kids on vegetables and fruits. Fruit is great if your child craves sweets. It is sweet and healthier than the alternative.

Good eating habits start early and continue through out your child's life. If you teach them right now, they will be less likely to turn to junk food as adults. To help, never use food as a reward. For example, do not say "if you do your homework you can have some cookies." This too sets up poor eating habits that can last a lifetime.

It may seem odd to request that parents and children not share utensils, but it is exactly that sharing that leads to problems. Some people believe certain families are just born with bad teeth. The teeth are somehow weaker and more susceptible to cavities. That's not true.

What happens is that as adults, we have germs in our mouths. They are what are attacking our teeth. They did not get there naturally. No one is born with these germs. We pick them up over time by sharing saliva with other people. Families that have bad teeth are swapping around strong germs that are attacking their teeth.

Try not to expose your child to these germs. If you share utensils or cups with your child, he or she will pick up your mouth germs. Once they are there, there is little anyone can do to get rid of them. Only keeping the teeth clear of debris by brushing will make a small difference. Make it a rule that nobody shares or eats off each other's plates. It spreads not only mouth germs, but also those that can cause colds.

You probably will not be able to prevent cavities from forming at some point in your child's life, but if you follow these four simple rules, you have done a lot to keep your child's smile beautiful and clean.

By Brandi M. Seals

Many soon to be parents set out to create a soothing and cheerful room for their baby. The nursery is generally done in pastel shades of green, blue, pink and yellow. Those that know the sex of the child will often paint the room a corresponding color; blue for boys and pink for girls. The yellows and greens are generally used that want to remain gender neutral or who do not know the gender of their impending child.

I guess it is because pastels are soothing that everyone chooses them. But there are other options out there. Colors outside the realm have been shown to have soothing effects, while others give off a jolt of energy.

You may not realize it, but color does effect how we feel mentally and physically. It can affect our appetite, sense of serenity and much more. For example, it is said that many Italian restaurants use the color red because it evokes a feeling of hunger. When dining in a red room people tend to eat more than they would have otherwise. With that in mind, if your dinning room is red, perhaps it is time to choose another color.

If you are trying to decide what to paint your nursery, perhaps it is time to find out what emotions colors evoke.

Blue
Blue represents peace and tranquility. It is calm and stable and it promotes trust, truth, security and order.

The color blue when used prominently has the ability to slow one's pulse, reduce appetite and lower body temperature.

The color is associated with different thing depending on culture. For example, in China, blue is associated with immortality and for Hindus, blue is the color of Krishna.

Whether or not you readily believe that a color is associated with feelings or emotions, it is something worth considering.

Keep in mind that tonal values can alter the emotion derived by a color. For example, smoke blue gives off a more adult feeling and seems more cleanly and streamlined then say teal does.

Yellow
Yellow is the color of joy, sunlight, optimism and imagination. It gives off several emotions, most of them positive. However, the color has also been associated with cowardice, jealousy, and illness through out history.

Since yellow is the color of the sun, it seems only natural that it been seen as a burst of energy.

White
The way people interpret white is very different from place to place. White, like black, is not a true color. It is what the eye sees when all color wavelengths are present.

In the West, white has come to be associated most notably with purity, simplicity and cleanliness. It is the color of snow, wedding dresses, and innocence.

White gives off this impression because the culture of the area dictates that women wear white on their wedding. Never-before-wed women (and increasingly those that have been married already) wear white on their wedding day to note their purity and innocence. It is extremely rare that brides wear any other color because it has a negative connotation.

In the East, white has a very different connotation. It has come to symbolize coldness or sterility and in Japan, white carnations signify death.

Red
Red is a warm and energetic color. It is associated with love, desire, and anger. Red has been shown to raise blood pressure and increase one's heart rate.

In some cultures, like in China, red symbolizes a celebration and luck. In India red is like the white in the west. It represents purity and is used in wedding outfits. However, in some cultures red has a very different meaning. It has come to be associated with crime, notable prostitution. It represents the antithesis of purity.

Purple
Purple has long been associated with royalty to nobility. It is also an exotic color that adds flair to any room.

Green
Green represents nature, health, luck and prosperity.

It is the color of grass and many other items found in nature. It has a fresh and invigorating feel. Items that are green may seem youthful and full of vigor. And yet the color itself is a peaceful and calming color noted for being very soothing.

Black
While few people would ever choose to paint a whole room black, the moods it evokes should be discussed since it is a popular accent color. Black actually is not a color. It is seen when there is an absence of all color.

Black represents sophistication, formality, elegance and power. It is also associated with fear, evil, sadness, and mourning.

By Heather Pohlabel

Losing a child is by far the worst thing that could ever happen to a parent, but there are other devastating events that can take place in a child's life that leave his parents experiencing emotions that they never thought they'd feel while raising their children. Parents with children born with life threatening illnesses or who develop cancer or other deadly diseases later in their lives live their lives every day in some state of either mourning or hope, both of them desperate feelings. Very few are so lucky to be misdiagnosed and have their children live normal, happy, full, and long lives, but they do exist, and I am one of them. This is our story.

I was twenty when my first child was born – a son. He weighted 6 lbs. 9 oz., and was 19 ½ inches long at birth. At that time, I did not have insurance, so the hospital released me after 24 hours. My son was tongue tied, so could not latch on very well to the breast, and I was a very inexperienced first time mother with no support whatsoever. By the time my home nurse came to visit, my son was very jaundiced and dehydrated.

At his three month visit to his pediatrician, the doctor thought he was not developing as he should, so he sent us to Toledo for an MRI. Everything looked good for a three month old, so we didn’t think much of it.

As he started to grow, he wasn’t doing things developmentally on time as most children did. He wasn’t holding his head up or crawling or noticing his hands and feet and he was unusually cranky. He cried all the time. It was a rough first year.

I enrolled him in early intervention and we began physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy to help his developmental delays. There was no real reason as to why he was not developing on schedule, and we were curious.

We began visiting the Cleveland Clinic upon recommendation from our doctor. There we met with neurologists – the best in the world – to make sure that there was nothing serious wrong with our boy. While there, we were amazed and saddened by all the lovely little children who were suffering with one disease or another. Our child seemed so healthy compared to them. He couldn’t possibly be headed down that road – that is what we hoped and prayed for.
It took some time, but after seeing several different specialists and going through a gammet of testing – MRIs, cat scans, blood work, EEGs, you name it, we did it, we finally had a diagnosis. Leukodystrophy.

In case you have never heard of it, it is a disease of the white matter of the brain. Leuko means white and dystrophy means destruction. It is where the myelin sheath in the brain does not form correctly and over time even diminishes. The movie Lorenzo’s Oil was made about a family’s struggle with the rare disease.

There are several forms of leukodystrophy, and we were handed the case of the most rare form. PMD. Pelazius – Merzbacher’s Disease, named after German doctors who discovered the abnormalities in their patients.

What did all of this mean?

According to our neurologist at the time, this specific disease would take our child’s life at the age of five, and if it did not, he would be deteriorating rapidly, and not live to be a teenager. He would have no quality of life and would be in a vegetative state until death. He would never walk, and if he did, it would not be long after that that he would begin to lose his functioning. He would be confined to a wheel chair and would have to eat through a feeding tube, as he would not be able to swallow.

I was 21 years old when my doctor shocked me with this news. I have never cried so much in my life.

When my son turned five years old, I bought a ruby ring (his birth stone) to celebrate his life. It is more cherished to me than my wedding set.
My son is now thirteen years old and lives a happy and full life. He was misdiagnosed, and for years, every time he was sick, I rushed him to the hospital, thinking it was the beginning of the end.

I am just starting to get over the paranoia that I will lose him. I count my blessings every day that I did not have to go through the loss that so many parents endure.
We survived misdiagnosis.

By Brandi M. Seals

Kids love cartoons. At least all the ones I know do. They will rattle on and on about what happened today on Dora the Explorer or one of their favorite shows. While cartoons may not be on par with your interest, show your kids you are interested in their lives by knowing about those cartoon characters they hold dear.

There are several cartoon characters out there that children love. Many of the most popular are found on the cable channel, Nickelodeon. Among them are the following:

Dora the Explorer
Dora the Explorer is an animated series for preschooler. It airs on Nickelodeon, Noggin and CBS. Its first episode came in 1999. And in 2000, Dora the Explorer became a regular series.

The show was created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh and Eric Weiner.

Dora is an adventurous 7 year old Latina named Dora Marquez. She lives in an unidentified country and speaks both Spanish and English. She is constantly going on quests but often runs into obstacles. When Dora completes a quest, she celebrates and asks what the viewer liked best.

Popular characters on Dora the Explorer include:
Boots - Dora's best friend. Boots is a monkey that wears red boots. He always goes on adventures with Dora and helps solve clues.

Diego - Diego is Dora's cousin. He is an animal rescue worker that sometimes goes on adventures with her. Diego's character was so popular that he got his own show, Go Diego Go! in 2005.

Swiper - Swiper is a fox who is constantly trying to steal from Dora. He is the villain in the series. To prevent Swiper from stealing items, Dora needs to say "Swiper, no swiping!" three times. Usually she wins, but sometimes she is unable to say it three times before Swiper steals the object.

When Swiper is in trouble, Dora will help him. In a few episodes the fox is captured or in some kind of trouble. However, Dora is always there to help.

Blue's Clues
Blue's Clues is a kids' show that airs on Nickelodeon and on video on demand. It is not a traditional cartoon. It features live action superimposed on animation. The show follows a blue dog named Blue through her life.

Blue's Clues always begins with a game when the host asks Blue a question. The host and audience then search the house for three clues that answers the question asked of Blue.

Blue's Clues was created by Todd Kessler and Angela Santomero.

The show features several characters. There is the host, Blue (a blue dog) and several inanimate objects. An example would be Slippery Soap. Slippery Soap is a male bar of soap.

SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is arguably the most popular cartoon on T.V. It was created by biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg and is produced through his production company, United Plankton Pictures Inc. The pilot aired in the US on Nickelodeon for the first time on May 1, 1999.

The show is set in the city of Bikini Bottom, it lies on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. The main character is of course, SpongBob. He lives in a pineapple under the sea. His neighbor and friend is Squidward. He lives in an Easter Island Head. His other friend, Patrick, lives under a rock. SpongeBob is a fast-food worker. He works at the Krusty Krab.

SpongeBob has a pet, a snail named Gary. Gary meows like a cat but the other characters seem to understand him. Other animals do not act like themselves in this underwater show. Worms bark like dogs and jellyfish buzz and sting like bees.

SpongeBob SquarePants is the only cartoon to consistently make the Top 10 list in the Nielsen ratings. Part of what helps the ratings is that the show appeals to kids and adults. The show makes fun of its own absurdity. For example, in one episode Patrick asks how they could have a fire on the ocean floor. Suddenly the fire sizzles out.

SpongeBob reached its popularity peak in 2002. In November of 2004 a full length feature movie of SpongeBob SquarePants was released. The show was on hiatus for three years surrounding the movie. From 2003 to 2005 few episodes aired, probably due to production working being done on the movie. Many speculated that the show would be cancelled, but it made a comeback.

It a topic that very few people talk about, but in fact, is a very common occurrence. Talk to just about anyone and either they themselves have had one or know someone that has. Miscarriages are difficult at best and affect both the physical well being and also the emotional well being of everyone involved.

I had one several years ago, when my older daughter was about two (before my younger daughter was born. In fact, if the miscarriage had not happened, she would probably not be around and she is such a sweetie!) I will be honest with you, that for me, it nearly wiped me out physically. I was not as upset about losing the baby (my daughter was such a busy child and such a handful and I was not and still am not in the best of health), but it took me quite awhile (at least three months) before I felt remotely human again.

A miscarriage is tough, no matter how you slice it. It is one of the hardest things in life to bear. You have to allow yourself some time to grieve. Like any death, this is a loss. After the miscarriage, you may feel a rollercoaster of emotions from denial to shock to guilt to disbelief to depression to sadness. These are all very normal feelings and will take some time to heal. Some women have miscarriages before they even know they are pregnant and others have already bonded with the baby but it does not matter how pregnant you are or were, it still is a difficult time to endure.

There are a few emotions that you will need to deal with such as shock and denial; anger and depression and then finally acceptance. Shock because a miscarriage is unexpected; anger in the sense of why did this happen to me? I have taken good care of myself and I have always wanted a baby and finally acceptance in the sense of the knowledge that it was NOT your fault, things happen and there are many other women that have gone through the same thing and maybe I can get some help for myself from them.

Here are a few ideas that will help you cope with the loss:

Grieve. Do not let anyone tell you that you can get pregnant again or tell you to cheer up or tell you it was the will of God at least you were not very far along (yes, I did hear that one and how thoughtless is the person for saying that? A baby is a baby!) Crying is part of the healing process, so do not be ashamed of these feelings and your tears. Also, remember that men grieve differently than women do.

Accept offers of help. If you have another child and someone offers to take them for an afternoon, let them. Take offers of food and any other help that is offered!

Keep a journal. This is a good idea because a) it documents your feelings and b) it helps in the healing process.

Try counselling. Or you could try a support group and talking to other women who have had a similar experience can be very helpful. If you cannot find one in your area, try the Internet.

You could have a memorial service for the baby; you could plant a tree or a special plant for the baby. Any act that will help you remember the baby.

Physically, it will take your body a few months to get back to normal. Pregnancy hormones will remain in your body up to three months after wards and your period should resume again in about three weeks. My advice is to get as much rest as you can right after your miscarriage. Eat plenty of healthy foods and vegetables and take care of yourself. Cut yourself some slack and enlist the help of your family members.

Getting pregnant again can be full of worry and fear and until the baby arrives, well the worrying again is quite normal. You will be best to make sure your doctor or midwife understands and is extra supportive. If you feel better, squeeze in an extra ultra sound and extra doctors visits. It will help reassure you.

Doctors usually cannot pinpoint the actual cause of the miscarriage. Sometimes it is a trauma such as a fall, but usually the cause is unknown. In saying this, most people do not really care about the cause, they just wonder why it happened to them. If you have had a miscarriage, take care of yourself and if you know someone that has, be caring but do not be in their face, let them grieve and heal, but assist them when they need help.

As for me, I had a miscarriage in late January and got pregnant again in June. I was lucky in the sense that we would have stopped after two babies, and well I would have missed out on my sweet Hannah if the miscarriage had not happened (it helps to look at the bright side also). It took me a while to get back to normal both physically and emotionally, but believe me it is possible, so hang in there!

By Brandi M. Seals

When you first find out your pregnant, most women want to run out and start preparing for the new baby. You make lists of what you must have - a crib, a height chair, etc. But when you get to the store, you see the endless possibilities. There are changing tables, playpens and even cribs that can be taken apart and maneuvered into a full sized bed.

What you really need to be prepared for your first baby is often really not that much. It may be nice to have all of those extras, but if money or space is tight it is time to look at just the essentials.

Cribs
Cribs are vital. Clearly your baby needs somewhere to sleep, and it should not be in your bed. Sleeping in the same bed as your baby puts him or her at risk. You could roll over and inadvertently smother the child. To protect your baby, make sure he sleeps in his own crib. If you just can't live without him next to you, spring for one of those sleepers that attach to your bed. Now your baby can be next to you and in his own bed.

When looking for a crib you will notice there are lots of color and size choices. You can even opt to pay a little bit more and get a crib that can be turned into a regular bed later on. This is a great idea if you will want to save money later on by not having to buy a bed. The draw back is that if you have another baby, you will need to invest in another crib. So if you are planning on have more than one, it is probably best just to invest in a regular crib that suits your needs.

As much as you may love the idea of a brand new crib, you may want to hold off if money is a concern. Since kids grow so fast, there are always amble opportunities to find use children's accessories at garage sales or as hand me downs from relatives.

Playpens
Face it; you cannot watch your kids all the time. You have to use the restroom or vacuum the floor. Give yourself a break by getting a playpen. Kids will be confined to an area (preferably within view of you) where they can play and you can keep your hands free.

Dressers
You will need somewhere to store all those baby clothes you receive. I really caution against spending money on baby furniture. It is used for such a short time and can get costly. Why not just use an adult dresser that your child can use until he or she moves out. If you want to add a little more fun to the room, perhaps buy one that is designed for young children. At least that way you get a few more years of use out of it.

Baby Proofing Items
You may not need the 25 baby blankets you received at the baby shower, but you will need items to keep your baby safe. Think gates to block off stairs, plug covers for outlets, and guards that keep little ones out of cabinets that contain harmful chemicals or drugs.

Some people find it helpful to go through their home like a child would. Get down on hands and knees and see the place from a child's perspective. Are there sharp corners that could bump heads? Is there anything that might pose a danger to your child?

It is always better to baby proof before the baby comes. It can get put on the to do list and never get done otherwise. Keep your baby safe; make sure he or she cannot hurt themselves at home.

Clothing and Other Essentials
You will need lots of clothes. You will be amazed at how things get dirty. Food spills or the baby has an accident. You will need lots of clothes in lots of different sizes. Most babies quickly outgrow the 0-3 month sized outfits. Some never fit into them. Invest more in pieces sized 3-6 months than the smaller sizes.

Keep a never ending supply of diapers, baby wipes, and anything else you will be using on a daily basis. You may not be able to get to the store as often as you want once you have the baby, so always replace items when they are running low, not when they run out.

There are many things to learn for a new mom (no matter if this is your first child or your fifth). Each child is different and it is so sad when your little one is fussy and there seems to be no way to calm him down. What's worse is they have no means of communicating to you, but through crying! This can be overwhelming for both baby and mother. So what is a Mom to do? Lucky for us Moms, and the babies, there are ways to soothe the fussy little guy! Keep in mind that every baby is different and that every situation is different as well, find what works for your little guy and try that first when the fussiness begins.

Babies are easily overwhelmed and are programmed to cry. However, if the baby is fussy all the time, take him to the doctor right away. If there are no medical issues then relax. Everyday will get easier as times goes by. Check to see if the baby is hungry, tired, or wet. Some babies hate to have any wetness in their diaper and this tends to make them a bit fussy. Also take notice if the mood or atmosphere has changed, it is loud, stinky, harshly lit? Some of these factors a baby might not like for one reason or another.

Another way to soothe that fussy little guy is to have pacifiers on hand. Although some parents (and doctors) are against them, sucking is proven to be an infant's most powerful soother. Recent studies have shown that pacifiers have been credited with diminishing the risk of SIDS. Rhythm provides a great de-stresser. Using side to side movement or front to back rocking can ease that fussiness right out of the baby. Furthermore, if the only place the baby will sleep is in the car, bring the car seat indoors and let them sleep in it, seat belt buckled. This will be a lifesaver for you and the baby! Some babies are just fussy babies, if you find that your sweet little guy is one of those fussy babies, find ways to ease the pain for both of you. Change the scenery, if after 5 minutes of trying to get him to stop fussing there is no luck, walk around outside, move inside, change rooms, or change holding positions, even changing persons holding the baby might ease the fussiness back a few notches.

One thing some parents forget to do try is the clothes the baby has on. They are very uncomfortable in that cute outfit. Change the outfit, put either less or more on, he may be hot or cold, this may be all that was needed. Now that the basic, sometimes obvious ways, to soothe the baby has been reviewed; there are a few other suggestions that may help as well. Distract the baby with a favorite toy or stuffed animal. My son loves his bear blanket, I put it on my head and cuddle with him and soon he is smiling and has forgotten what was wrong with him. Sing a song or play his favorite song on the CD player. If a child loves music, this is a great way to help them forget about what is making them fussy. And of course this can be done for a 2 week old or a 2 year old.

A change of scenery or atmosphere, although can cause the fussiness, can also help the fusses go away! But by all means, no matter what, try not to loose your cool. Staying grounded and centered will help you focus on finding out what is wrong with the baby. The baby can sense all your moods, if you start to get upset he will know and it will only make matters worse. These little suggestions will provide any mother a starter balance to begin easing their fussy baby. And no matter what go with your gut. You carried him/her for 9 plus months and you do know you child (even at a day old). Follow the parental instincts you have and soon your will know exactly how to ease your fussy baby and make him/her an extremely happy baby!

Teething is one of the major sources of pain for both parent and infant. For the baby the pain is physical of course but for the parent it can be an emotionally taxing experience especially if the first tooth is slow to emerge. Parents who have gone through this know what occurs; constant drooling, the baby gets irritable and the parents are left scrounging around the house looking for whatever remedy helps to alleviate the itching pain felt in the swollen gums.

Usually the first tooth comes in at around the seventh month for the infant, though it's not unheard of for it to grow out as early as the third month. This first tooth is located in the bottom jaw in the front, later the other front teeth debut with the molars coming out last.

Aside from the steady drooling that makes the infant's mouth seem like a waterfall, there are other symptoms of teething. The other two big ones are pain and irritability. The pain comes from the inflamed gums that are reacting to the forming teeth and the discomfort felt by infants makes them rather cranky. This is why they will refuse to eat or nurse and wake up during the night. But can they be blamed? Of course not, try dealing with constant pain and it's easy to see why babies become so fussy during this period. Sometimes rashes appear near the mouth due to the excess saliva; this can be alleviated by wiping away the drool and trying to keep the face dry. It also helps to change clothing as well since they easily get drenched from the drooling. Diarrhea and mild fever are other symptoms to look out for but don't be quick to brush these occurrences as teething. It's best to check with a pediatrician. On a related note, babies may also pull at their ears or rub their cheeks during teething. But this could also be a symptom of an ear infection, so again check with a pediatrician first.

Also some babies feel little discomfort from the teething process while others have a prolonged, painful experience that can keep the baby and the parents up at night. According to our child's pediatrician and other sources, for some babies, the teeth will first emerge as late as eighteen months. As for the reason for the earliness or lateness of teeth emerging, many feel that heredity is the culprit. In any case, that reason is of small comfort for the family whose infant is late and in constant pain.

It may be hard for these anguished parents to hear this but the best thing to do in case the teeth haven't shown up yet is to hang in there, they'll eventually emerge. Believe me this was and is still difficult to hear since our infant is nearly ten months old, has been drooling everyday since the fourth month and that first tooth is nowhere in sight. However, there are many temporary remedies that provide some degree of comfort and alleviate the irritated gums.

One of the easiest is massaging the gums and parents will see their children doing just that by themselves when they stick their tiny fingers in their mouths and gnaw on them. Parents can help out by gently massaging their infants' gums with clean fingers. The counter pressure soothes the itching sensation they feel which can also be dealt with by teething rings or toys.
There are all kinds to choose from in the market. The best ones are the soft rubber ones with raised bumps. Some have water inside of them that allow parents to freeze them but be careful, the freezing make the rings or toys very hard and can make for a painful chewing experience. But the cold sensation does help so what I've done with this ring is to run water over it after taking it out of the freezer to help thaw it out and making it softer. Then I hold the ring over my infant's mouth and gently put it in and out of the mouth to gradually acclimate my child to the cold. There is one other drawback to the water-filled teethers; I've seen recalls in stores for some models due to bacteria found in them, so make sure the ones bought are safe.

Parents can also use frozen foods but should monitor their children to prevent choking and to clean up messes. This mess happens when babies are given teething biscuits. They like the taste and revel in gumming the biscuit but wet crumbs are then dispersed all over the place; face, hair, hands, clothes, etc. So be ready with the wet wipe. Cold drinks like water or juices are good alternatives since they help replenish liquids lost from the non-stop drooling.

Also consider using over-the-counter topical aids, they're safe and provide temporary respite from the pain. Orajel for babies is fine but it takes a while for the baby to get used to it. I use that and homeopathic teething pellets called Humphreys. They're really tiny pills that contain chamomile and are fruit flavored, but they may be hard to find in the local pharmacy, so check around. The pellets calm down my child but often I wonder if it's due to the flavoring, but they seem to do the trick, which is why I use them. Baby acetaminophen a.k.a Tylenol works as well but check with a pediatrician about the right dosage.

Until that first tooth finally comes in, take heart in the knowledge that this teething phase will pass as does everything else and enjoy those beautiful toothless grins for they'll be gone soon enough. - - J.L. Soto

By Brandi M. Seals

Children with allergies or asthma often go undiagnosed unless there is a strong reaction. Parents do not know what to look for. If your child exhibits the following symptoms, contact his or her pediatrician for an accurate diagnosis.

Asthma
Asthma is a chronic condition in which breathing is difficult when a person's lungs overreact to irritants. The lungs may become inflamed and obstructed. This is known as an asthma attack.

During an attack, the lungs cannot bring in enough fresh air to meet the body's need oxygen needs. Irritants are widely available and can be cigarette smoke, perfume, or pollen. When they are breathed in, the linings of the airways become swollen causing the airways to become narrow and full of mucus.

Asthma attacks are unpredictable and can last a short while or continue for days.

Common asthma symptoms include:
Shortness of breath when exercising or exerting yourself
A whistling sound when breathing
A cough that continues for more than ten days
Tightness in the chest
Frequent respiratory infections that last for more than two weeks

See a doctor if you think your child may have asthma. There is no way to cure asthma but it can be controlled with medications.

If your child is diagnosed with asthma, it is very important that the adults around him know about it. Notify your child's school or daycare. Make sure they are aware of things that can trigger an asthma attack, symptoms of an attack, and what they should do if the attack gets worse.

Common asthma triggers:
Upper respiratory infections
Allergens such as animal dander, dust, pollen, and foods
Stressful situations
Vigorous exercise
Airborne pollutants like cigarette smoke, strong perfumes, and car exhaust

It is estimated that 4.8 million infants and children suffer from asthma. Overall, around 15 million Americans have asthma.

Allergies
Up to two million kids have some sort of allergy. Overall, 50 million Americans are affected by food, airborne, or animal allergies. For most, allergies are little more than a nuisance, but for some they cause major problems.

An allergy is immune system reaction to a typically harmless substance. But for some reason, your child’s body sees the allergen as an invader and attacks it.

When exposed to an allergen, the immune system will produce an antibody. More and more antibodies are produced with each exposure. Once the antibodies begin to attack the allergen, they will cause an allergic reaction that may include coughing, sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes and/or congestion.

Many of the most common allergens are airborne, such as pollen and dust mites, animal dander, and foods. Allergies can be seasonal due to fluctuating pollen counts or they may be year-round as is the case for those allergic to dust mites. Different allergens are more prevalent in different parts of the country or the world, but moving will not solve the problem. He will most likely develop allergies to the irritants in his new environment.

Children inherit the likelihood of having allergies from their parents. If one parent has allergies, there is a one in four chance that a child will also have allergies. The risk is higher if both parents have allergies. Children do not inherit a particular allergy (like being allergic to seafood) but rather just the likelihood of having allergies.

Airborne allergens can cause allergic rhinitis. That means the person suffers from sneezing, itchy nose and/or throat, nasal congestion, and coughing. Often times these symptoms are accompanied by allergic conjunctivitis or itchy, watery, and/or red eyes.

In children with food allergies, some exhibit oral allergy syndrome or an itchy mouth and throat. Others form a rash or experience cramping accompanied by nausea and vomiting or diarrhea. Other common symptoms are hives, wheezing, rhinitis, and shortness of breath.

If the reaction is extreme, a child may develop anaphylactic shock, a life-threatening condition. Severe symptoms or reactions require immediate medical attention.

Sometimes it is easy to identify allergies based on reactions after exposure. But some are trickier and are mistaken as other conditions.

If your child has cold-like symptoms for more than a week or two or develops symptoms at the same time every year, consult your pediatrician. The doctor may be able to make a diagnosis or refer you to an allergist for allergy skin tests.

Allergy symptoms may be relieved by limiting exposure to allergens or the use of medications or shots can be used to desensitize your child.

Food allergies cannot be desensitized. The only way to avoid symptoms is for your child to avoid the food causing the problem.

Common foods that cause reactions:
milk
soy
egg whites
wheat
shellfish
peanuts.

By Brandi M. Seals

It can seem like children are constantly getting sick. That's because they are. Their immune systems are not that of a fully developed adult so they are more susceptible to picking something up. Plus, kids touch everything, including germs and are repeatedly exposed to illness at preschool or in the classroom. So it is no surprise they come down with an illness more often than adults do.

There are a number of common childhood illnesses that make the rounds. Usually it is just a cold or the flu, but there are other illnesses you should be on the look out for.

RSV
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes a lower respiratory infection in children and infants. The virus is most active during the months of November through April and it can get serious. Approximately 90,000 children are hospitalized each year in the United States due to RSV illnesses. Of that, 2 percent die.

All children will likely get RSV at some point. Usually it shows as little more than a cold. Common symptoms include a low-grade fever, runny nose and other cold symptoms.

The virus spreads quickly from person to person. To help reduce the risk of RSV, practice proper hygiene. Wash hands frequently with warm water and soap. Avoid going into public when you have a cold. And, try to avoid crowded places.

Ear Infections
Almost half of all children will have a middle-ear infection during their first year and by age three; two-thirds of all children will have had a middle-ear infection.

Bacteria build up in the middle ear is the culprit. The bacteria come in from the nose or throat and multiply in the ear. Fever usually occurs, pus accumulates and pressure builds up causing pain. If your child has nasal congestion, cough and conjunctivitis keep an eye out for ear infection. These symptoms often precede ear infections.

Symptoms of ear infections include ear pain, fever, irritability or dizziness.

Use acetaminophen to provide temporary pain and fever relief until you can see a doctor.

Some children will have reoccurring middle-ear infections. They generally have an abnormal Eustachian tube (the passage between the throat and the middle ear). Usually these abnormalities are temporary and resolve themselves. In other cases, surgery may be required to insert drainage tubes into the ears.

Chicken Pox
Chicken pox is one of the most common infectious diseases probably because it is so easy to catch. Nearly 95% of people will be affected by chicken pox before they reach adulthood. Each year nearly four million people in the United States contract Chicken Pox. They are generally preschool and school age children.

Chicken pox is an itchy rash that forms blisters that dry and become scabs in 4-5 days. The rash is sometimes coupled with fever and malaise.

Chicken pox is contagious during the 1 to 2 days before the rash appears and until all blisters have formed scabs. Chicken pox develops within 10 to 21 days of contact with an infected person.

In 1995, the Food and Drug Administration licensed a Chicken Pox vaccine. The vaccine is recommended for children over 12 months of age who have not had chicken pox.

Pink Eye
Pink eye is also called conjunctivitis and is very common in children. Pink eye causes an inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the eyelid and can be the result of allergies, viruses, or bacteria.

Pink eye causes the whites of the eye to appear red or pink and is accompanied by itching, and/or burning and a discharge.

If your child gets pink eye, make sure he washes his hands and face frequently to avoid spreading the infection to others. Also, while the infection is present, pillows, washcloths, and towels should not be shared with the rest of the family.

Pink eye usually will disappear on its own after a week, but it can also be treated with antibiotics. Your pediatrician may prescribe an antibiotic ointment or eye drops to clear up the infection and provide relief. Do not use over-the-counter eye drops to treat pink eye without consulting your pediatrician. These drops may mask the symptoms of an infection.

If your child has pink eye that includes a white or yellow discharge, he should not go to school or daycare until the infection has been treated with antibiotics for at least 24 hours. If the discharge is watery, there is no need to keep your child home.

By Heather Pohlabel

Naming your baby can be a fun and wonderful experience; it is one of the funniest things pre-birth to do; however, it can also be the cause for many an argument between you and your spouse. Trust me, I've been there. For some reason, it becomes almost a power struggle of sorts. Do we name the baby after my mother or father or his mother or father, or no one's mother or father? What about grandmas and grandpas? Would that be mine or yours? Do we keep a family name or go with something that reflects our religious views or go with something more trendy? These are all facets of baby naming. While it may end up being a point of conflict for you and your spouse, there is some fun in it, however, so don't lose hope, but do make a wise decision. This is a name your child will have to carry for the rest of her life.

To enjoy the fun in baby naming, take your time researching different names. The names you initially like or choose may not be the names you end up taking. There are hundreds of baby naming books on the market. You can even find them on end caps at supermarkets while you're waiting in line to pay! More comprehensive studies of names, their origins, and their meanings can be purchased at bookstores like Barnes and Noble, or you can even find out much information online. It can be entertaining to put a name you have never heard before with your last name to see how it fits. I really liked the name Quenna, but everyone in my family thought I was crazy. I found it in a baby book and thought it was unique and interesting. My dad said "white people don't name their girls Quenna". So much for that! But it was fun to pretend and to ruffle everyone's feathers for a bit.

Everyone will have something to say about what you are naming your baby. It could be a rude comment like, "white people don't name their girls Quenna", or it could be a simple, "Isabelle, I like that name!" Some people get very animated and have whole stories to tell you about the names you're considering "I had an aunt named Grace; wonderful woman. She died last year. Yeah, that is a wonderful name. You will have a beautiful baby." Others live vicariously through your baby naming adventure, "I always wanted a boy named Matthew, but we only had girls" or "that was the name I chose, but my husband liked Derek much better...meet Derek." Some people may even try to change your minds about the names you have chosen, or choose one for you! "So, what names do you have picked out? Isabelle and Marleigh? Who names their kid Marleigh? I have never even heard of that. Go with Isabelle. It is such a beautiful name. I just love it. LOVE IT!"

Ultimately, the decision is up to you and your spouse. You will be the ones to write the name on the birth certificate. But there are options to help the baby naming process to go more smoothly and to help you be confident that the name you choose will be the perfect name for your baby.

Things to Avoid When Naming Baby:

Family names: If you can't agree immediately that your child should carry on someone's grandmother's or mother's name, it's best not to do it at all. It is common to explore these names for your baby, but very hard to "be fair" to all grandmothers and mothers or grandfathers and fathers; after all, how many babies are you going to have? Some people opt to use family names for middle names. We have three children that we did this with, but with our fourth, we decided that she was going to be her own person. You can still love your family members and show respect for them without naming your children after them. If your family members are still alive, they may develop hurt feelings over your naming your child after someone else and not them. There are other ways to honor both deceased and living family members without dragging your child into it. Don't feel badly if you do not name your child after someone in your family or if you want to break the tradition of naming every first boy John. If you don't want your child to be John VI, that is your choice.

Very trendy names or spellings: Apple. Britni. No way. Sticking with more traditional names or spellings of baby names will be easier on your child in the long run. With our first daughter, we chose the name Micaela. Spelled without the "h". If you know a Mikayla, it could be spelled any number of ways. There are at least twenty ways to spell McKayla. Every girl named Makayla has to spell her name for the rest of her life. When the teacher calls out, "Michaela (insert last name here)", how do you spell your name?" your daughter will inevitably have to spell our "M-y-k-a-y-l-a" every time. When you go to sign up your Mickaylah for sports or school, you will get "how do you spell that?" to which you will reply "M-a-c-k-a-i-l-a". You will almost always hear "We have lots of Mickayla's, but none of them spell it the same way". Really? I couldn't imagine. Dave, on the other hand...there's a difficult name!

People will find a way to spell things badly or wickedly in order to confuse everyone. Is being different really worth the price? Our daughter learned to spell her first and last name BEFORE pre-school because she heard us spelling it so much. Heather, for example, should not be spelled without the "a"; it just doesn't seem natural. What's the point?

Things to Do When Naming Baby:

Check out books and online sources about baby names. As mentioned before, you can learn the meaning of your baby's name this way and also come across some pretty unique names that you may like. You can find spelling variations on common names, but, as mentioned before, be careful not to get too crazy, or you will be dooming your child to a lifetime of spelling her name or getting offended when others spell it incorrectly (Micaela particularly takes offense to that).

Talk to your friends and see what they like with your last name. Some names just don't sound right together, like Richard Dick, for example. Bryan McBryan is another one. Names that rhyme or repeat each other are just sensible no nos.

Search your heart and soul. With my children, I knew there really were no other first names for them. The right ones came pretty much immediately.
Write it down. Keep a list of the names you like along with middle names and attach your last name to it. This is the name your boy will have for the rest of his life and the name your girl will start out with until she marries (and even then she could choose to keep your last name). Don't choose a name without considering your last name as well. (See above where some names just don't go together!)

Finally, wait until your child is born to fill out the birth certificate. Your baby may "look like" a certain name to you. I wish I had waited before attaching Grace to my baby daughter's first name. She looks like an Elizabeth, but her first name was destined to be Isabelle. I would have named her Isabelle Elizabeth if I would have waited, but she is Isabelle Grace. I could always change it, I know, but who wants to go to the trouble of that? It seems so untraditional to change one's name that was given at birth; however, don't discount that as an option if you are unhappy with your baby's name. Unlike her looks and personality, some things can be changed if you are unhappy with them!

Hydrotherapy is considered to be a "water cure" as it utilizes water for the purposes of healing and the treatment of a variety of diseases. Hydrotherapy works by using the buoyancy property of water, the effect of the water's turbulence and the water's warmth to reduce discomfort, pain, spasms or stress and to encourage a swift recovery after surgery has been undertaken. Hydrotherapy is used in the treatment of many disorders and diseases such as asthma, arthritis, neck, back and knee injuries, hyperthermia, pain and wound healing, varicose veins, pulmonary disease, swollen ankles, work or sports-related injuries and many other ailments. It has also been found to be beneficial during childbirth. For example, in the United Kingdom the use of birthing pools for pregnant women who pose a low obstetric risk are becoming increasingly common.

History of Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy dates back to 4th century BC when Greek physician Hippocrates recognized the healing that was possible by both natural hot and cold springs. Hippocrates encouraged others to both bathe as well as drink water from springs to reap all of its healing effects.

The Roman people were true believers in the therapeutic benefits of hot springs and constructed their share of communal baths. Other early cultures that saw the value in hydro-and hydrothermal therapy included the ancient Chinese, Japanese and Native Americans.

The use of water as therapy lost some of its popularity in the late 18th century but was revived in the 19th century by a Bavarian monk named Father Sebastian Kneipp who saw the imminent value in water treatments for what ails the body.

The Practice of Water Therapy

Today hydrotherapy can be put to use in a variety of ways. Most forms of hydrotherapy are made use of in clinical and/or health and wellness settings (such as spas) and are overseen by qualified professionals such as massage therapists, physical therapists or naturopaths. Some of the methods include saunas, wraps, packs, a number of types of douches (arm, knee, chest, neck, back, etc.), water-based exercise, steam baths, whirlpool soaking, hot or cold compresses, swimming, icing sprains and colonic irrigation

However using water to heal in the privacy of your own home is possible as well. Regular baths and showers are healing for the entire body. The full bath should be warm, not scalding hot (90 to 95 degree Fahrenheit is advisable) and it should be full enough to be shoulder deep. Baths are relaxing to the nervous system, and beneficial for head colds, low grade fevers, and bladder infections as well as other urinary tract problems.

There are also sitz baths (which are water treatments for the rear end, hips and lower abdomen), footbaths and vapor baths. A sitz bath should contain enough water to immerse the lower half of the body only. These baths are common after an operation or if a person needs assistance with bathing. A sitz bath of cold water or one where warm water is followed by cold is extremely helpful for disorders that affect the reproductive system or abdomen, pelvic inflammation, congestion or cramps, menstrual pain or problems, kidney and intestinal pain and hemorrhoids.

A footbath is exactly that- the ankles and feet (and sometimes the lower half of the calves) are placed in a deep pan or pot of water and soaked or washed. If one's feet are very cold, a hot (but not scalding hot!) footbath that lasts around 15 minutes is recommended and can be very beneficial. A hot footbath can also aid in terms of inflammations of the ear, throat, kidneys or bladder. Tired or sore, achy feet would benefit from a cold footbath to revive them and make them return to a more comfortable state. In order to encourage better circulation in the legs or if you suffer from varicose veins, frequent headaches, high blood pressure, arthritis and/or insomnia you might want to indulge in a footbath where you alternate between hot and cold water.

A hot and cold alternating bath can also benefit problems experienced in the hands and fingers such as stiffness and arthritic joints because the hot and cold, one right after the other, helps to stimulate the flow of blood and increases circulation. Here's how to do it- fill one bowl or pan with water that is as hot as you can stand it without burning yourself, while the pan next to it is filled with cold, cold water (you can put ice in the water if you like). Place your hands (or feet) in the pan of hot water to a count of one minute and then take them out and put them in the cold water for twenty seconds. Then alternate back and forth between the hot and cold until ten minutes has elapsed. Make sure you end the bath with your hands taking a final dive into the cold water. If you have a double sink in your kitchen or bathroom you can forego bowls or pans and use those instead. People with diabetes are not advised to try the warm footbath nor the alternating hot/cold footbath. Body wraps are also not advisable for those suffering from diabetes. As well if you have Raynaud's disease avoid any form of cold baths or cold water applications.

The hot/cold alternating foot and hand baths work so well because heat is soothing and quieting to the body and decreases the activity that is going on inside the body's organs. It also improves the flow of blood by causing blood vessels to dilate, relieves pain and discomfort and eases the tension in muscles. Cold, depending on the circumstances of the pain or injury can be either soothing to the body or invigorating and increases the activity of the internal organs.

Hydrotherapy is also helpful in improving and stimulating the digestive system, the immune system and toning the body. It is therapeutic in fighting stress and "perking up" the body when it is overworked or tired. Hydrotherapy is beneficial to the muscles, skin and has a soothing quality to the heart, lungs, stomach and endocrine system by increasing the speed of nerve reflexes traveling up and down the spinal column.

By Brandi M. Seals

People move all the time. They move to be closer to work, to upgrade to a larger home, or for a number of different reasons. While the move may be beneficial, it often does not seem that way for kids. They may be leaving the only home they have ever known and venturing into uncharted territory. Moves can create a lot of anxiety and stress, so try to be understanding of your kids needs.

When you decide to move, the first thing you should do is discuss it with the kids. Prepare them for what is about to happen. Tell them where you want to move to, if they will be going to a new school, and when they can expect to move. Always answer your kid's questions about the move. Explain why you are moving and try to emphasize that although they will miss their friends, they will make new friends and be happy where they are going.

Never trivialize their fears. It can be easy to brush off your child's anxiety about going to a new school by saying that everything will be okay. Instead, to reassure your kid, offer to have friends from his or her old school over for a visit. If that is not possible because you are moving long distance, remind your children that pen pals make for great friends and that they should keep in touch with their friends.

Be prepared that your child may not fully understand what moving means or that he or she may not ever be truly onboard with the decision. Regardless, it is your job to get the kids excited about what possibilities lay ahead at the new place. Maybe they no longer have to share a room with a sibling. Maybe they will live by a big park. Pick a positive and get your kids excited. If they are at least looking forward to something, they are not as apt to hold on so tightly to the past.

If you will be doing a little decorating at the new place, why not get the kids involved. Have them pick out the colors for their rooms (with a little guidance from you of course). If new comforters and curtains must be purchased for their rooms, take the kids along. They will gladly give you an opinion. A reluctant child might just turn things around if she knows that a brand new beautiful room will be waiting for her on the other end.

Kids can help pack up the family belongings. Just do not assign them to fragile items unless they are old enough to pack them correctly. Have your kids pack up their own rooms. That way they will know where everything is. Be sure to check up on them to see if they have gotten everything. And regardless of how long the trip to the new house is, allow your kids to keep out a toy or something familiar to take with them. It may help to have something they love out in the open for them to see and to touch. It will also help distract them on the car ride over.

If you are able to, it might be a good idea to set up your children's rooms first. Do not unpack for them unless they are too young to help out. But get the bed in place and have it made. Since moving is so disruptive and unorganized, having one completed and organized room might help relieve a child's anxiety. For most kids, this move is their first and they do not know what to expect. Try to keep that in mind.

When you get to the new home, have your kids work exclusively in their own rooms until they are unpacked. Kids will feel safer and more relaxed once all of their stuff is settled.

If they are too young to unpack themselves, feel free to make their rooms a priority. New places can be scary at night when they are filled with boxes and unusual items. Avoid this by keeping the rooms clear of clutter.

If the kids get scared by their new surroundings, try having a giant slumber party in a bedroom or living room. That first night will be the toughest. Having a parent close by that first night will help some kids adjust to the new arrangement.

So, as any parent or soon-to-be parent knows, naming your baby is one of the most important things you will ever have to do. It can also be one of the most time- consuming aspects of your pregnancy-- many an expectant mother has been known to pour over countless volumes of baby naming books, in search of just that one perfect name. Trouble is, dad doesn't always agree with mom's pick. So then it's back to square one, rifling through the encyclopedia of baby names.

I live in a neighborhood where there has been quite a baby boom in recent years and I find it more than interesting to observe people's attitudes and etiquette on the whole baby naming process. People really take it seriously.

For instance, one of my neighbors, Diane, denounced my expectant next door neighbor's idea to name her little boy Evan. Diane claimed that Evan was going to be the name of her baby boy someday-- but she wasn't even pregnant yet! So my sweet neighbor, the expectant one, reluctantly chose another name.

Then there was my neighbor Sarah. She loved the name Justin. Loved it loved it loved it. Ever since she was a young girl, she had planned on using that name someday if she were ever to have a son. But the woman next door to her had a baby first and named her son Justin. So, when Sarah had her baby a year later, she felt as though she couldn't use her beloved name. Funny thing is, the woman next door moved across the country a year later so there was no longer a Justin in the neighborhood anyway!

When my other neighbor, Kathy, named her son Riley, the neighbors gasped. Why? Because there as a "girl" Riley a few doors down. Talk about confusing! Now there was a girl Riley and a boy Riley in the neighborhood and the 3 year old in the neighborhood just couldn't comprehend it all!

Growing up, I remember my father was outraged when my mom's brother had "the nerve" to name his newborn daughter Suzanne. Why? Because we had a Susan in our family! I never understood his logic-- they are two completely different names! But I guess they were a tad too similar for his taste, and in the end both girl's were nicknamed Sue so it did cause confusion once in a while (but only at family reunions and stuff).

Still, my own personal philosophy is: name your child a name that you love, no matter what your neighbors, family members or co-workers name their kids. Honestly, if your heart has been set ion a name since the beginning of time, you shouldn't let the fact that someone else named their child that stop you.

Would it be weird if both you and your best friend end up with daughters named Olivia? Maybe a little, at first. But they surely will not be the only two Olivia's in the world. Take any name that you think of, and chances are that somewhat someplace has that name! And while we all want our children to be unique in some way, a random neighbor across the street may not be your neighbor forever, so why be afraid to use a name that they have used? And, as we all know, most kids end up with a nickname, whether you had planned on it or not. So while one Alexandra may be called Alex for short, another Alexandra may be called Lexi.

If you really want to check the popularity of a name you are considering, check out the Social Security's Popular Baby Names record (you can find it on eth social security website). It lists the top 1000 names given and you can do a search broken down by birth year. For instance, in 2005 the most popular name for boys was Jacob. The most popular girls name was Emily. In fact, Jacob and Emily have been at the top of the list for the past several years, so expect to see more than one of them in your kid's school yard some day. That doesn't mean you shouldn't name your daughter Emily, after your favorite aunt, though!

Truth be told, there's enough names to go around for all of us, so let's all try to share and play nice together.

The arrival of a new baby can cause a lot of sudden upheavals in a household. This is true especially for the already existing children who are not quite aware of what is going on. Some older children adjust quickly to the thought of a new sibling, others not so well (sibling rivalry starts as early as when the new baby comes home from the hospital). Before baby is born, parents typically are busy, preparing for the arrival of baby and after the little one arrives, the family takes on a new dimension with just meeting the basic needs of the new little one. It is not uncommon for children to react negatively when a new sibling arrives because of the lesser amount of attention that is paid to them.

Pregnancy and childbirth adds a lot of sudden change for the older siblings. They may feel upset because they feel that they may have gotten the spotlight stolen from them and some children react to this upheaval by acting out. Though it may not change the reaction of your child or children, there are a few ideas you might want to consider to make this time of change a bit easier to swallow:

While you are pregnant, you will want to sit down with your child and explain to them what is happening. There is no right or wrong time when talking to them. There is also no right or wrong way to do it. You know your child best, you can start by doing some research and deciding on the best way to tell them. Go to the library, there are several books you might use that are story books which will help in telling your child. But make sure it is age appropriate. For example, preschoolers have no sense of time, so telling them in nine months they will be getting new little brother or sister will not mean much to them (and they will ask you on a daily basis when is it coming?!) Also, you will want to mention to them that (although they might think so) that this new baby will not be an instant playmate. Be realistic, tell your child that all it will do is cry and sleep most of the time.

It is important to involve your child even during pregnancy. Allow them to help with the decisions on how to decorate the room for the baby, enable them purchase new things for the baby, let them pick out one special stuffed animal, let them pick out some clothes. Share pictures of your ultrasound with them. Give them a new baby doll and show them how to feed it with a bottle and assist them in diapering it. Some hospitals have sibling classes that you can send your child to with a teddy bear (they learn how to diaper and take care of their teddy). You could purchase a button or a t shirt that says big sister or big brother on it. Spend some time talking to your child about when they were a baby. Look at your photo albums. Let your child assist you in putting together a new photo album for their new sibling. You could have them draw some pictures to put into it and help decorate the book.

As the due date arrives closer, try to maintain the routine of your child by making it as normal as possible. If you are planning any major events such as potty training or moving your child out of the crib, you may want accomplish them well before your due date or wait a while till after things have settled down some after the baby has been at home for awhile.

Once the new baby has come home, you will want to involve the older siblings as much as possible in the care of the baby so they do not feel left out. Even smaller children can help in the day to day activities such as getting diapers for you; they can help push the buggy; can help you dress and bathe the baby, anything that provides interaction between the baby and the sibling. Keep in mind however, that allowing young children to help will probably take a little longer because of them helping. If your child shows no interest what so ever, do not force it. It may take some time for the child to get used to the idea of having a sibling.

You will need to remember to have some one on one time with your older child. Spend some time together doing a favorite activity while the baby is sleeping. Try to put aside some time during which the older child can spend some undivided time with one parent; this shows the older child that he too, is special to mom and dad, just as special as the new baby. In doing this, it may help lessen the feelings of anger or resentment that may be surfacing in regards to the new baby.

Take time to listen to your older child and acknowledge how she or he feels about the new baby even if the child is angry. Never deny or discount the feelings of your older child toward the new sibling. Also you will need to point out that while anger is ok; hurting the baby and general misbehavior is not. Do not bend the rules in the disciplining of your child. You will want to point out to other extended family members not to forget the older child. If visitors have brought something for the baby and have forget to bring something for the older child, you might want to have a few gifts on hand for the older sibling so that the child does not feel left out or neglected. You can also point out to the older child that there are benefits of being older. The child can pick what to wear, what to eat, if they want to go to the park or not, etc and that the baby cannot do this.

Adding another child to your family can be both a beautiful time and a busy time for all involved. Do not forget to include the existing siblings and everything should go smooth.

Folic acid, which is sometimes referred to as folate, is one of the B-complex vitamins (B9 to be exact) and it is found in such foods as leafy green vegetables such as spinach and kale, enriched grains and orange juice. Folic acid can also be taken as a supplement. Research has shown the tremendous importance for all women of childbearing age to consume enough folic acid in their daily diet both in the months before they attempt to get pregnant (approximately three to four months preceding) as well as during the early stages of pregnancy. Repeated studies into the effect of folic acid when it comes to preventing neural tube defects in developing babies has yielded the result that women who consume 400 micrograms (which is 0.4 milligrams) daily decrease the risk of their babies developing these serious diseases by up to 70 to 80 percent.

What does folic acid do for the body?

Folic acid allows for the creation of new cells in the human body on a regular basis. To use examples, folic acid manufactures new cells for the nails, hair and skin. The more you have in your body, the quicker it can work to replace a damaged nail or strands of hair that have fallen out. Folic acid is instrumental in preventing neural birth defects (NTDs) in developing fetuses as well. In fact this is one of its most essential functions. The two most widespread of all neural birth defects are spina bifida and anencephaly. Both of these serious health conditions can cause health problems and lifetime disabilities for the individual and in many cases they can prove fatal.

The neural tube of a developing fetus

A developing fetus’ neural tube is the precursor to its brain and spine. Neural tube defects happen when the neural tube does not grow properly and the result is that the brain and/or the spine sustain damage. This damage can be very minor or it can be moderate to extremely serious. The quality of life of the individual upon birth will be affected regardless of how bad the damage is. However more serious cases have more severe outcomes. Problems with the growth of the baby’s neural tube are irreversible once they begin and it is an unfortunate reality that often this is taking place in the first few weeks after conception but before a woman is even aware that she has become pregnant. This is why consuming adequate amounts of folic acid in anticipation of future pregnancy is so important.

What is spina bifida?

Spina bifida is a neural tube defect (NTD) that can easily be prevented by consuming the required amounts of folic acid on a daily basis. Folic acid is necessary for all men, women and children but it is especially necessary for women who wish to give birth to healthy babies. Spina bifida is a disease that takes place when both the spine and the various bones of the back do not fuse together and close up as nature intended them to do. When they do not fuse properly, a sac of fluid forms through an opening in the fetus’s spine instead. In the majority of cases, a large percentage of the infant’s spine is damaged because it is encased in the sac filled with fluid. As mentioned previously, spina bifida can range from mild to more moderate or downright severe. With lots of special care and attention, a child born with spina bifida can manage to live as long and as successful a life as a person who was not born with such a problem. However a spina bifida child will always have special needs and very likely will require a number of surgeries throughout his or her lifetime.

What is anencephaly?

Unlike spina bifida, anencephaly is always fatal. This neural tube defect occurs when both the bones that make up the skull as well as the brain does not develop as they were supposed to. Anencephaly means that either all or portions of the brain are not in evidence and the same thing is true of the skull bones. Many women who are carrying fetuses that suffer from anencephaly do not carry their babies to term, as miscarriages in the first and second trimesters are very common. For those babies who suffer from anencephaly and are carried to term, the great majority succumbs to the disease shortly after birth. While spina bifida and anencephaly sometimes come about for other reasons besides lack of folic acid, in most incidences both diseases can easily be prevented if women who wish to become pregnant begin taking in extra amounts of folic acid either through dietary means or by way of supplements at least three to four months before they begin trying to get pregnant.

Dietary sources of folic acid

Folic acid is a vitamin that can be found in many foods however it is generally believed that foods alone cannot adequately fulfill a woman’s recommended daily allowance. It is strongly recommended to all women between the ages of 19 and 45 years of age to eat foods rich in folic acid and to also take a folic acid supplement daily that is equal to 400 micrograms per day (which is 0.4 mg). Folic acid can be found in foods such as a number of vegetables (broccoli, spinach, asparagus, kale, and romaine lettuce), lentils, legumes, black beans, fruits (such as apples and oranges), as well as orange juice (choose orange juice from concentrate), peanuts, milk, fortified grains such as pasta, rice, enriched breads and flours and fortified breakfast cereals such as Kellogg’s All-Bran, Kellogg’s Special K and Quaker Oats Honey Nut Oats among others. When it comes to shopping for a breakfast cereal rich in folic acid, look for one that states on the package that it contains “One hundred percent daily value (sometimes abbreviated to “DV”) of folic acid in one serving.” The DV is the quantity of a vitamin or a mineral that it is necessary for an individual to take in on a daily basis. It is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States that determines daily values of vitamins and minerals for specific groups of people.

By Heather Pohlabel

It came as quite a surprise not only to myself and my husband, but to our family and friends as well when we found out that we were expecting our third child nine years after our last child. I was ecstatic. My husband was nervous. Our families were bewildered. They couldn't figure out WHY we would be having more children; the two we had at home were 13 and 9, my husband had a 14 year old son from a previous relationship, and both of us were about to be 33! We were supposed to be DONE having babies and start enjoying our lives.

The thought of adjusting to a newborn after 9 years seemed like it could be a major inconvenient task to me, and must have at first seemed absurd to my family and friends, but I was so happy that I did not care what obstacles or changes came up along the way; I was ready and willing for them, even if I had to do it alone. Initially, it did not seem as if I was going to receive much support from family or my surprised and nervous husband, but after the initial shock wore off, everyone was happy about the pregnancy and very supportive of our growing family! My husband even doted on me even more than my previous pregnancies because I was "older". I think that he realized what a blessing it was as well that we were starting "round two" of our already beautiful family.

Our two children at home were very shocked. Our son (age 13) was shocked simply because this meant that his parents "did it" and now all of his friends would know that we "did it" as well. "That's the only way they can make a baby, dude" they once told him. He was appalled by that fact and really, I don't think, thought much at all about the baby. He was stuck on that grosser than gross fact for quite some time. It wouldn't be until after the baby was born that he really understood the significance of a new life.

Our daughter had been the spoiled little daddy's girl for that past 9 years, and she was extremely mad when we told her, to the point of denial even. The "we're having a baby" conversation went something like this with our daughter:
Mom: Honey, we want to share some great news with you. We're going to have a new baby in the family!
Daughter: No we're not.
Mom: Yes, we are because I'm pregnant, so that means that we're going to have a baby join us.
Daughter: No you're not.
Mom: I sure am, honey, and it's a wonderful thing.
Daughter: No it's not.
Mom: Well, honey, we just wanted to let you know that you'll have a new little baby sister or brother in a few months.
Daughter: No I won't. You're NOT having a baby. La la la I can't hear you.
Mom: Well, I am pregnant, and I can't change that, so you are just going to have to accept it. You have time to work through your feelings, and I bet you will end up feeling very happy in the end.
Daughter: I won't let it in the house. I will lock it outside in the cold if you try to bring it here. MAKE IT GO AWAY!

Yes, it was that bad, but as my belly grew and we talked about babies and played more with baby dolls and reassured our daughter that she would always remain in our hearts the same way she always had, she grew a little more fond of the concept of a baby in the house. She felt less threatened as we continued to treat her as we always had and reassure her of our love for her and her place in our home and hearts.

When our new baby girl was finally born, I was more ready for her than I had been for anything else in my entire life. I was calm throughout the birthing process, so the birth went easier than either of the previous two births. I was even almost ready to go home from the hospital the very next day, but I stayed in the hospital to get a little bit of rest before going home to care for three children. I felt wonderful, though, and everyone who came to visit was so surprised at how "good" I looked.

The first two weeks were the hardest, getting used to getting up at two a.m., but I did fine. I had plenty of friends who pitched in to help entertain my two older children by taking them swimming at the country club or having them stay the night or taking them out to eat or for an ice cream. I did not feel like I needed to rest all the time; I was so in love with my new baby that I could not stay in bed; I took the baby to visit my children's friends' families so that they had a sense of pride about their baby sister, and secretly, I was so proud of this baby that I needed to show her off and share her.

I was very comfortable and knew the ins and outs of parenting pretty well. Even though each child is unique, I had more tricks up my sleeve this time and could assess my baby's needs pretty quickly. She never cried for long and seemed to be the luckiest baby in the world to have a mother so patient, understanding, and loving doting on her. If only my two older children had had that luxury! But thanks to them, I knew what to do this time around.

Many of my friends are past the baby making stage. They are either set in their ways financially and don't want to sacrifice their SUVs or beauty salon time to care for an infant. Others simply cannot have more children because they chose to have tubes tied or daddy snipped. Many of them regret that now after seeing and holding our new baby and re-experiencing the joy that babies bring.

I'm glad I didn't mess with mother nature. Having a child almost 10 years later has proven to be very therapeutic and wonderful for myself as well as my family. My husband says that our new baby saved our family, and in a way, I would have to say that she did.

We were beginning to take life for granted and to fall into the trends of the world more so than reaching within our own family unit for happiness and security. We were drifting apart a little bit. We never completely lost it, but we were not as close as we once were, and we so desperately needed that unity once again. The pregnancy brought us close, but the baby brought us even closer. We were all able to share in the joy of her and the miracles of life. This baby worked wonders not only for us, but for the extended family as well.

We were the only children with children on both sides of the family. Last year, my 24 year old brother and his girlfriend found out they were expecting, then we found out. Two weeks later, my brother-in-law announced that he and his wife were also expecting! This is the first time a child of ours will have cousins her own age. Our older children have only second cousins, friends, and each other. Our baby is going to be surrounded by children her own age as she grows, and this is unique and wonderful. Our niece and nephew has someone to share all the crazy things that children experience together, and that is a blessing!

Now we also have built-in help and babysitters (a bit down the road), not only for ourselves, but for the niece and nephew too! So far, both children have been extremely helpful, but we have tried extra hard not to infringe on their freedom or lifestyles. We don't ask them to change diapers or do laundry or dishes (chores we did not have them do before), but we do ask a few things from time to time like "could you grab that diaper for me", or "can you get the pacifier" or "watch the baby for a minute while I go to the bathroom, please". They have been happy to oblige, especially our daughter, who we were afraid was not going to let us come in the house when we got home from the hospital.

She has surprised herself even, I think, with how much she loves this baby and wants to be around her and hold her and help out. It surprised her how much love she could feel from her baby sister and how when she was feeling bad or sad that just holding the baby could make her feel better. She has become quite the mother hen, and had a hard time going back to school when it was time.

Our older son has also discovered the meaning of true love, as I've heard him whispering to the baby that he loved her so much that he would die for her. He now knows how we feel toward him, and as he enters his teenage years, this has come in handy to remind him to be careful to take care of himself and to not make bad decisions because people love him as much as he loves the baby, and if anything happened to him, he can actually feel what that might feel like to his parents. He is a little more responsible for himself now that the baby is here.

When questioned by friends as to why we would possibly want to start over, I say "why not?" What else was I going to be doing with my life that could possibly be any better than this? To this they nod in approval and say, "well, if you can do it, go for it" and then they melt over the baby I am holding and everything about them changes as their eyes light up and they start to coo.

Yes, we've started round two of our parenting and this is only the beginning. We couldn't be more prepared and we couldn't be more happy.

By Heather Pohlabel

I swore that with my third child on the way, when it came to making purchases for the baby, I would buy everything as cheap as possible. I pledged to buy everything second hand and not until it was absolutely needed. No splurging or stocking up this time, and no wasting. I had thrown thousands of dollars away on pricey items with my first two children, and I was not going to do it again, no matter what - until I saw the swing of my dreams - the Fisher Price Papasan Swing. At that very moment, all my promises to myself went out the window and I just thanked my lucky stars that I had enough money with me to buy it.

It was love at first sight with this swing, and I figured that if I loved this particular item so much, my baby would love it ten times more; after all, she would be the one using it. The Fisher Price Papasan Swing ended up being the best baby item I've ever purchased, and it was worth every dime, even though it was quite a few dimes that I had to spend to get it. It's the most expensive swing I saw, and that wasn't what I was looking for, but it is perfect in every way, and I will be sad when my baby outgrows this swing and can no longer enjoy all that it has to offer.

When I saw the Fisher Price Papasan Swing sitting on the shelf all lonely, I could immediately envision my unborn child snugly rocking back and forth in the deep circular plush covered seat. Not only could she rock back and forth in a swinging motions, she could rock side to side like a cradle! SIDE TO SIDE! How wonderful and new that is! I thought of how comforting that would be to a crabby or tired baby and how absolutely cool this swing looked!

The swing is also adjustable, providing two seat positions for baby. There is a recline position for younger or sleeping babies, which looks very comfortable, and an upright position for older babies and babies at play. The swing comes with a snap on tray that has three toys attached. There are two puzzle toys and one rattle toy attached to the tray. The tray is removable.

The feel of the fabric that covers the seat is even wonderful. The neutral colored earth toned velour fabric is very soft to the touch, but slightly luxurious. There of course, is a built in seat belt, and this swing comes with an adjustable head support to hold even the smallest infants in complete comfort. The head support can be raised lower or higher, depending on the child's length and needs. This swing definitely is a grow with me swing! It fits babies up to twenty five pounds!

Not only is the swing adorable, modern, and luxurious, it is an entertainment center as well. Baby can be rocking or sitting still and enjoy the overhead mirror that allows her to enjoy her own face and silly smiles. In addition to the mirror, there is a butterfly, bird, and leaf mobile that can twirl around to engage baby's attention. The butterflies are beautiful and with happy faces, and the bird is blue. They are dispersed intermittently with green leaves that move up and down. The butterflies and bird twirl happily and move in a circular motion above baby's head.

As if this were not entertainment enough, there is a built in sound system in this swing! Baby can enjoy music, chirping, nature sounds, and frog sounds, and the volume can be controlled by you. You can also opt for no sound.

In addition to volume control, you can also control the speed of the swing or the cradle. There is a very slow rock up to a more vigorous rock. There are a total of six speed settings for this wonderful swing. No matter your baby's mood or needs, you can find some comfort with this swing!

The Fisher Price Papasan Swing retails for about $140 at most major retail stores, but you can find it for about $110 to $120 at discount stores. You would be lucky to find this swing at a garage sale or resale shop because it is a new item, but if you find it, get it. It will be the best money you ever spend. I know it was for me!

By Brandi M. Seals

When kids get home from school, it seems inevitable that they are hungry. Be prepared next time your kids are seeking snacks. Sure, you could rely on a package of fruit snacks and a soda to hold them over, but why not get them interested in healthy snacks now. Good eating habits are developed early in life, start your kids off right by giving them delicious, easy snacks that are good for them.

Celery sticks are a great option for most kids. They are crunchy, easy to prepare and are almost always ready. Simply chop celery into thin stick that can be nibbled on. Celery is also a great option because digesting celery actually uses more calories than the celery contains.

If your kids will not go for the plain green sticks, try dressing them up a bit. Celery sticks can be used with veggie dip, spread with a thin layer of peanut butter, or used in a salad.

Really any fruits or vegetables your kids love will work as great snacks. Some hold up better longer. For example, grapes tend to have a better shelf life then kiwi. Plus, they can be prepared in advance. Wash them and take them off the vine so the grapes are ready to go whenever your kid is.

Always do as much preparation in advance as possible. Wash all fruits and veggies when you bring them home. Some things like celery and carrots can be sliced in advance and still stay good for a time. This will save time when your kids want a snack. It also helps them out if they are returning to an empty house.

For some added variety in their diets, try keeping some apple sauce on hand. It now comes in single serving sizes and offers a variety of flavors. There is strawberry apples sauce, pear apple sauce, and much more to choose from. You can also get individual fruit cups for your kids. They come prepackaged and are available at any grocery store. Keep in mind though, that it would be cheaper to buy canned fruit that has multiple servings then the pre-packaged indy servings.

If eaten in moderation, cheese makes an excellent choice. It provides tons of calcium and most kids like cheese. To save on calories, try buying low fat cheese. You can get cheese sticks, shredded cheese, or cheese crumbles for the kids to snack on. If you want to save a little money, go ahead a buy a block of cheese, just cut it up into child-sized portions or shred it. Of course, if your child is lactose intolerant you will want to buy soy cheese or otherwise avoid this snack.

Nuts are another great snack, but since they tend to be high in fat, they should be eaten in moderation. Go with almonds, peanuts, cashew or whatever your child likes. They are so easy that all you have to do is take the lid off and they are ready to go.

If your kids love potato chips, try switching them to pita chips or pretzels. Pretzels are low in fat and make a tasty treat. You can buy all different shapes of pretzels, find one your kid likes and stick with it. You can also get giant soft pretzels that just require a quick zap in the microwave.

Pita chips are another excellent alternative. You can buy them pre made from most grocery stores or make your own at home. First buy or make some pita bread. Then cut it up into bit sized pieces. Sprinkle the pieces with some olive oil and the seasonings of your choices. Pop them in the oven until they are crisp.

Keep in mind that fresh food is always the best health-wise. You can keep your kids for eating unnecessary preservatives, added sugars and salt. However, fresh does not work for everyone's lifestyles. Just try to keep healthy foods on hand for your kids to eat. Look at labels and compare. You might be surprised to find that several juices and juice boxes have nearly as much sugar as soda. If you kid has been sipping on these all day, chances the sugar will take its toll eventually.

By Brandi M. Seals

Adopting a pet to complete your family is a great idea if you are ready for the added responsibility. A pet is not to be taken for granted. They must be fed, watered and cared for around the clock.

During the holiday season, many well meaning people become determined to give their kids a puppy, kitten, or other pet. Unfortunately some of them do not fully think this decision through and they end up giving the pet away or taking it to the pound. It has become such a problem that many animal shelters refuse to adopt out pets within given time frame near the holidays.

Before you give in and get your kids a pet, take a few things into consideration. Sit down in a family meeting and discuss what kind of pet everyone wants. Do you want a dog but your daughter is desperate to have a cat? Things like this need to be dealt with before a pet is brought home.

Children must be taught how to handle animals. It is unfair to unleash a new pet in a home where children are rough and do not know how to behave around pets. Along those same lines, if your child has never been around a pet, he or she may be fearful of animals. That is definitely something you will want to know before laying down good money for a pet.

To get your child ready for a new pet, consider visiting with friends that have pets. Keep a close eye on how your child behaves. Is she comfortable around the dog? Does she treat it appropriately? Stop any inappropriate behavior immediately but be sure to explain why the behavior is wrong. Sometimes children can be rough and not realize it.

The next step in getting a pet is determining who is going to do what. If you want your child to be involved in the pet's care, be sure to let him or her know in advance. Keep in mind that while children may be well intentioned in volunteering to care for new pets every need, chances are the responsibilities will fall the wayside. When you get the pet keep an eye on things. Make sure the animal is getting enough food, water, and attention. If your child is old enough to play a large role in the pet's upkeep, then do not take over for him or her. Remind them of their responsibilities and check to make sure they are taken care of.

Now you should be prepared to pick out a pet. You should already have a good idea of what you want when you set out looking for the pet. Take your kids with you. Get there opinions. You should be able to find the pet of your dreams at any animal shelter, pet store, or animal breeder.

If you do not care if your new animal is a purebred, please go to an animal shelter to pick out a new pet. There are thousands of animals currently awaiting homes. They range from dogs and cats to horses and turtles. You would be surprised at all the different animals you can find in an animal shelter. You may even find a purebred every once in awhile. Plus, most shelters are willing to keep animal requests on hand and give you a call when an animal fitting your description comes in.

Shelter pets often cost less then their pet store or breeder counterparts and they are definitely in need of a home. Animal shelter pets are typically tested to see how they react around children, other animals, and how they respond to stressful situations. Despite previously being neglected, animals at the shelter are usually very resilient. If they should not be around kids or other pets, it is usually noted for anyone interested in adopting.

Of course, it is fine to get your pet elsewhere. Just be sure to make sure your new pet is up to date on all of its shots and vaccinations. Take it to a vet to make sure it is in good health. And of course, do not forget to purchase all the accessory items it will need, such as a litter box, food and water bowls, and a leash.

By Heather Pohlabel

Experts now believe that your child's emotional state is as equally important to his future success as his IQ (intelligence quotient). They have even labeled and made tests for the emotional quotient (the EQ, as it is referred to). It is a measurement of how well your child relates to others and manages his emotions. I find this new measurement of future success very reassuring for my children.

I have a broad spectrum of intellectual variance among my children, but I have always believed that the person inside of them (who they were) and their personality would help them to be successful, regardless of how well they did in school or if they went to college. Now the experts agree that it's more than what you learn; it's how you apply it and how you respond to people and the world around you that will contribute to your overall success!

One of my children has a learning disability, but a grand sense of right and wrong and justice. He struggles in school and will probably not tolerate college very well, but aspires to be a police officer or in the armed forces. I am comfortable that based on his emotional quotient, as they call it, that he is well-equipped to handle injustice and to deal with the bad guys appropriately! He may not take a test very well, but he is very good at explaining to someone why they are wrong.

Another child is extremely bright and is enrolled in the gifted and talented program at her school. She wants to go to college forever and have all kinds of careers; she has not made up her mind yet. She is also very social and friendly, but is very egocentric. She has a fairly high IQ for her age, but her confidence in herself is what has made her successful so far.

The baby is too young to tell, but so far, she has been responding and growing at an above average rate. We think she's going to be a genius (don't all parents think that of their newborn children?!), but what we really want is for her to comfortable with WHO she is, no matter how smart she is.

To raise kids with high EQ, you need to nurture their emotional needs as well as their intellectual needs. Children with stay at home moms or strong family units tend to have a stronger EQ because they have the confidence that someone is always there for them to support them in their choices and to guide them through their failures, so they tend to take more chances and explore more things. They are also a bit more social due to this.

Begin offering support for your child as soon as he is born and keep practicing! Don't give up when he starts to explore his own world. Don't let the television set be the babysitter. Support your baby in his world by guiding him through it, not by observing him in it.

Learn your baby's cues to his needs and respond appropriately. If he needs a diaper change, do it as soon as you can. If he is hungry, feed him. If he just needs you to play with him, take the time to play with him and teach him the things he needs to know to grow in his environment. The reassurance that you are there and will tend to his needs will give him comfort and assurance that someone cares about him and that his needs are important and will be met. He will learn to trust, and you will have taught him that.

He will feel more comfortable exploring new things, and with your guidance, will be able to handle new experiences. Since your child will trust you,when you offer him the opportunity to explore new places, such as a day care or play group, or even offer him a new food, he will be more likely to try it because he knows that you care about him and if it is unpleasant, you will comfort him. This will remain a trait he will exhibit as he grows older and more confident in himself and his ability to handle new experiences, such as school and a career, which in turn can make him more successful in both of those future endeavors.

When you're playing with your child and responding to his needs, remember that you are making him feel comfortable in his world. So comfortable that he will be able to interview well for a job or for a promotion because he has learned that he is important in the world, and you have taught him that.

EQ does not only stem from the support that parents give their children. It also comes from parents dealing with their children in an honest way. Being honest about how you feel or helping your child to express how he feels will help him to deal with his emotions properly because he knows what they are. If, for example, your child is exhibiting restlessness, he may be nervous about something, but is not sure what feeling is or why he is feeling it. Exploring that feeling with him will not only help him face it, but to overcome it.

My daughter recently had a bad case of the "meanie greenies" as her school counselor called it. Jealousy. She was extremely jealous of the time that her friends got to share with each other in the classroom. Since she had a different teacher, she was unable to share this time with them, and began having severe physical and emotional symptoms. The first week of school, she missed three days. We took her to her doctor, who said she had a classic case of school avoidance.

Upon returning to school, however, she did not get better. She would cry before school, she wasn't eating breakfast, complained of a stomach ache every day or some other ailment like a headache. It wasn't until the third week of school when I finally was able to get the school counselor to see her that she was able to find out what her problem was and to find ways to deal with it. Up to that point, it had been an unknown anxiety to her that was ruining her life. We felt helpless, and even though we have always been supportive and honest with her, she was not able to explain this even to us. We explored every option, and found someone else for her to talk to. Sometimes that is what it takes.

Don't feel as if you've failed or that your child is different because he responds to a counselor. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Counselor's help people deal with their emotions, strengthening their EQ! Had our daughter not talked to the counselor and dealt with her jealousy, she would still not be eating and would be crying every day, eventually leading to decreased performance in school and in life.

Supporting your children, being honest with them, and helping them to figure out their own feelings are all ways to encourage a stronger emotional quotient in your children.

By Christina VanGinkel

Calling up a friend recently to ask how it was going with the new baby in the house, I could instantly hear thee tension in her voice when she answered. This was her second child, an adoring little girl now almost three months old, sister to her son who was currently in the seventh grade. Quite a stretch in time between the birth of her two children, but both children planned for and very much wanted.

To say I was surprised when I heard her give a big pause as I asked how things were going, would not be an understatement. She had been upbeat throughout her pregnancy, and immediately after. Her husband was thrilled to hear that they were once again expecting, after years of trying, and from what I heard and knew of him, he was extremely helpful with the baby.

Their son had been born without much effort. They had intentionally waited a few years before trying for another, then when they did try for a second child, it seemed like it might never happen. There followed several years of tests and trials, and finally, they had given up, only to be surprised about two years after that with the news that they were expecting. Their doctor had never found any reason why they had not become pregnant, so mysterious low sperm count, or hidden issue with her, and had told them that it just worked that way sometimes, and who knew, a pregnancy still might occur, and it had.

So now, with their new daughter home, healthy, and the family seemingly of the ratio that they had hoped and wished for, there was definite hesitation when I asked her how it was going. This hesitation was followed by a squeak of sorts, and then a gush of jumbled words as she tried to speak through the tears. The baby was colicky, she cried constantly, it was difficult to get any sleep, she was having difficulties finding a daycare she was comfortable with, and she had to be back at work in two weeks, already off much longer than she had originally anticipated.

We ended up talking for quite a while, with spurts of interruption by, you guessed it, her new daughter screaming ferociously in the background like the world was ending.

I reminded her that her son had been colicky too, not that there was any correlation between the two, other than she had been through this before. I asked her how she had dealt with it the first time, as we had been friends back then, but not as close as we were now. Her mother had been around back then I learned, and would stop by each day, sending her out for a walk, to the store, even to the shower. Anywhere she wanted to go basically, for a breather. Her husband worked a different job then too, and was home much earlier than he was now. He was currently picking up as much overtime as he could to help make up for her lost wages. She also had to deal with a teenager this time around, a commodity that is enough to stress the most balanced adult anyway, and add in a screaming newborn, and I could fully understand why she was crying.

I had no magic answers for her, but after talking for nearly two hours, she told me thanks, that talking about what was different had started to put things in perspective,. She said she had been guilty of comparing the two times she had a newborn in the house, even though the time between the two was enormous, as were the differences in her circumstances in nearly every way she could imagine. Same loving husband, but a life changed in nearly every other way.

I talked to her again a few weeks later. She had found a daycare, though she was still not sure if she felt it was the right one for long-term care, they had an excellent facility and staff to child ratio for infants. They were also communicative with her and her husband about their daughters care during the day, and were always welcome to have them pop in when they could during the day, such as during her lunches, and even a mid morning break when she could swing it. Her husband was making it home earlier now that she was back to work and he was not picking up so much overtime, and finally, her daughter seemed to be settling into a bit of a routine, even though she still had bouts of screaming. Some things had not changed, such as dealing with a teenager, but she said life was good. Our talk had been a help she went on to say, that just hashing things out with someone else had been the push she needed to put it all into perspective. Having kids is tough sometimes. Having kids far apart in age can be a blessing, and it can be an adjustment. If you find yourself in this circumstance, all I can say is remember the old adage that no two kids are alike, and neither are the parents. With each child, you become a bit different from the parent you were before. Your family unit changes and evolves, and change is the key word with any number of children. Each day is a change from the day before. Each day is new. Oh the joy of raising children.

By Heather Pohlabel

No one looks forward to the visits to the doctor that entail shots. While babies and children fear the slight pain that the prick of the needle gives them and the slight discomfort that follows, parents have much more to think about when it comes time to immunize their children against childhood diseases. Some parents choose to not vaccinate, and others put it off because they fear side effects or think that the vaccinations cause diseases.

Childhood vaccinations have not been proven to cause any disease, despite rampant rumors in the late 1990s that they were linked to autism. Rumors also circulate that vaccines are linked to learning and behavior disorders. Again, this has not been proven. What vaccines have proven over and over again is that what they really do is protect children from deadly diseases such as mumps, measles, polio, and meningitis. There are also more recent vaccines that help prevent common childhood diseases such as chickenpox and the flu.

Vaccines not only protect children from disease, they help guard against outbreak. One unimmunized child could contract a disease and spread it rapidly amongst his other little unimmunized friends. Unvaccinated children are more likely to get measles, chickenpox, and the flu. Not immunizing because you think your child is safe if all other children are immunized is not a safe bet. Your child is still twenty five percent more likely to contract disease.

Advantages of immunizing
Diseases exist. The only way to ensure your child the best protection is to have him immunized against them. Polio, while very uncommon, still exists; measles still exist. Very few children even have to suffer the itchy rash and small scars of chickenpox now because there is a vaccine for it!

Children can build up their immunity to a disease without actually having to suffer through it. Take chickenpox, for example. It was always a fact that you could never get chickenpox twice, and rarely anyone ever did. The body, once it had suffered the fever, the intolerable rash, and had a few scars left to prove it, built up a defense against this disease, ensuring that the child would not suffer the disease again. Vaccines do the same thing without the discomfort of the disease. They build up a defense against disease, and when exposed to the disease, the body will fight it easily, minus the side effects.

Daycares and schools often require children to be immunized and for you to prove it before allowing them to enroll in their programs. Your child could not be allowed to enroll in certain schools or daycares if he is not immunized. Private child care professionals also may turn your child away.

Recommended Immunizations
Your child will be vaccinated in the hospital at birth against Hepatitis B and will need follow up shots at 2 months and about one year. Hepatitis B is the only shot given at birth, but there is a list of immunizations that you will need to get during your child's first two years of life:

Hepatitis B:

• given in the hospital at birth
• 2 months
• 12 months

DTaP (Diptheria, Tetanus, Acellular Pertussis):

• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 12 months
• 5 years (usually before entering Kindergarten)

Hib:

• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 1 year

Polio (usually given orally):

• 2 months
• 4 months
• 1 year
• 5 years (prior to entering Kindergarten)

MMR:

• 1 year
• 5 years (prior to entering Kindergarten)

Chicken Pox:

• 1 year
• 5 years

Hepatits A:

• 1-2 years
• 6 months after first dose

PPV:

• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 1 year

There are several other vaccines that your doctor may or may not recommend - the Influenza and Rotavirus vaccines are often optional, and you can research these further and speak with your doctor to make the best decision for your child. The influenza will be administered typically at 6 months of age, with a follow up one month after the first dose and then annually after that. Rotavirus vaccine is given orally at 2, 4, and 6 months.

Doctors and health clinics will provide you with a card to keep track of your immunizations. You will need to hold on to this for your child, as schools and daycare providers will often request a copy or ask for the last date of booster shots. They will need this information even entering high school, so be sure to hold on to your shot records for your children. Your doctor's office will keep a copy in your child's records in case you lose your card, but be sure to replace it immediately so that you always have access to that information.

Some doctors participate in an online vaccination registry, and your child's information may be there for other doctors to access if needed. Be sure to ask your pediatrician if he participates in this online registry.

Vaccinating against childhood diseases is a wise decision, but one that commonly weighs heavily on parents' minds. There are relatively few, if any, occurrences of disease due to the vaccination. The side effects are relatively minimal. Vaccines are the best way to ensure your child is protected against common childhood diseases like measles and influenza. If you are having doubts about immunizing your child, talk to a health care professional. Ignore playground rumors and old wives tales. Make an informed decision if you decide against immunizing your child, but remember, immunization is the best way to prevent childhood diseases.

By Brandi M. Seals

There seems to be something about going somewhere with your child that can illicit the most extreme tantrums you have ever seen. You could be at the grocery store, eating in a restaurant or doing laundry at the Laundromat. Your child does not care, he will open up those lungs and scream like there is no tomorrow if he does not get his way.

People with children who do not do this are either extremely lucky or know how to nip these problems in the bud. I know each mom has her own way of preventing tantrums in public, but do they really work?

I know quite a few people that insist that the best way to keep junior happy is to promise him a reward if he behaves. I have to admit, I hate the idea of rewarding kids for behaving. It is like rewarding them for acting like they should. I know it works in the moment, but doesn't it set you up for problems?

Your child will begin to expect gifts and rewards just for doing what is right. Everything will need an incentive and the incentives will have to get bigger and bigger. No one wants that, and quite frankly most people can't afford to buy something ever time their kid does not screw up.

I suppose in the moment, no one really thinks about the long-ranging affects of rewarding everything. They just think it works and are happy with that.

Some parents ignore the tantrums. To a point this works. Sometimes kids are just looking for attention or a reaction. When they do not get it many kids will give up. Others will wail louder. If your child does not straighten up within 5 to 10 minutes, it is time to implement something else. After all, your child is not bothering just you, but also everyone else in the area.

Several years ago I was working in a department store. I was the children's department clerk. I loved it over there, except when parents refused to discipline their children. One time a little girl of maybe 4 decide that she needed a pair of purple pleather pants. Her parents thought she was too young for such a mature look. The girl then spent 30 minutes screaming and crying at the top of her lungs. Her parents did nothing.

The children's department was towards one end of the store, the girl could be heard all the way at the other end. I got calls from coworkers making sure that nothing terrible had happened. The parents finally gave in and bought the pants. The girl was so thankful that her tantrum continued and ended with her finally being removed from the store by her father after she tried hitting and kicking him.

Clearly this is an extreme example. I don't know many people who would let their child escalate to this level. But it is easy to see how these parents got here. They are trying everything to get their child to behave. They get her what she wants, reward her for being good, and have a hard time enforcing rules.

What kids need are firm guidelines. If you say no to something, kids need to learn that they cannot get their way regardless of how long they whine, plead or cry. That goes a long way towards stopping tantrums. If kids know what they cannot get away with, they won't try it, especially if there are consequences.

One thing that has amazed me over the years is the number of people who do not remove a tantrum-throwing child from a situation. It may be inconvenient to leave your shopping cart and drag your kid out of the grocery store, but you will be setting an example. You will clearly show your kid that you will not put up with his behavior and you wouldn't dare subject others to it.

While this article may seem like I'm under the false impression that children never act up, I am not. I realize that they get cranky and do not always to the right thing. If I'm in an area with children I expect to hear them and see them play. I am very understanding of a crying child. I do not, however, expect to be subjected to more than 10 minutes of wailing, kicking, screaming or other tantrum maneuvers.

By Brandi M. Seals

There are a number of great children's movies out there. It just takes a little looking to find one that your child will absolutely love. Next time you are in the market for a new children's DVD, consider purchasing one of these great movies. Just make sure it is age appropriate.

Charlotte's Web
This classic film is an adaptation of the book, Charlotte's Web, written by E.B. White. It has three main characters, a pig named Wilber, a spider named Charlotte, and a rat named Templeton.

Wilber was the runt of the litter and the farmer's daughter fell in love with him. The family decided to keep and raise him. In the barn, Wilber lives with Charlotte and Templeton. Charlotte has a knack for making spider webs that say different things. She draws attention to Wilber by writing things like "Wow" and "Great Pig" over Wilber's pen.

Charlotte's skills come in handy when Wilber is placed in a competition at the fair for best pig. Wilber wins, but his victory is short lived. Charlotte dies after laying eggs. With Templeton's help, Charlotte's eggs are retrieved and brought back to the farm. Here they develop into hundreds of tiny spiders, all of which leave Wilber.

While the story is sad, it has many high points. Children will learn that although Charlotte died, she lives on through her children.

Charlotte's Web is rated G and retails for $12.99.

Ice Age
A strange mix of characters meet up in Ice Age and work together to save a lost human baby. There is Manfred (Manny) the woolly mammoth, Sid the sloth, and Diego the saber tooth tiger. During their trek to return the lost baby to his tribe, the group must stay on pace, going back to where they just migrated from. The pass to where the humans stay will soon close for the season.

The group starts out as a reluctant gathering. Diego is working to lure Manny into a trap. Manny would rather travel alone and work through his fear of humans. The human tribe killed his wife and child, but he is determined to return the human baby. Like an unwanted pest, Sid insists on going with the group.

Slowly the group begins to bond. Diego helps diffuse the trap he originally set. Sid proves to be a great babysitter, and Manny starts to open up.

During the movie there also clips of Scrat - an acorn-obsessed squirrel with a knack for causing problems. Scrat provides simple fun clips that will have your kids giggling none stop.

Ice Age is rated PG and retails for $19.99.

Lady and the Tramp
Lady and the Tramp is a classic Disney film about a family pet named Lady and a stray dog named Tramp. Lady is the apple of her owner's eyes until they have a baby. Suddenly she finds herself isolated and unappreciated. Devastated by the change in her owners as well as some harassment by two Siamese cats, Lady runs away from home.

She finds herself in trouble, but Lady is quickly rescued by the loveable yet wild Tramp. He shows her the streets. He teaches her where to get food, how to stay safe, and most importantly, how to get away from the dog catcher's.

Despite their differences, Lady and Tramp begin to fall in love with each other. After some obstacles Lady returns home to find that her owners do love her and want her around. They even accept Tramp into the family. Finally this stray dog has a place to call home.

The film ends with Lady and Tramp starting their own family. All the girls look like lady, but there is one boy that is exactly like Tramp.

Anyone who may be adding to their family may find it beneficial to add Lady and the Tramp to their DVD collection. It will help children learn that even though mommy and daddy will soon be spending a lot of time with baby, they will still have time for their first born.

Lady and the Tramp is rated G and retails for $29.99. Like all Disney movies it is only available for a short time before it will go back in the Disney vault.

By Heather Pohlabel

There are several instances I can remember that my children have had their hearts broken by the death of one of their pets. There was "Hamsty", the hamster who died when my son was five years old. I was aware of the passing of this cute little guy by the noise of my son screaming through the house, "Hamsty...come back to me...speak to me!" as he stood there, holding the hamster corpse to his precious little face - kissing it and crying on it. However gross that seemed to me, he did not understand. He was just traumatized that his pet was no longer breathing.

Then there was the beta fish incident, and I am that sure almost anyone who has had a beta has found it floating lifelessly in its little bowl, so you know what I am talking about. However, this beta was super special because it was a birthday gift from my daughter's best friend (a gift for her seventh birthday). She actually gave her two beta fish as her gift. Well, the very next morning, one died, so we ran out and replaced it. The next day after that, the other one died, so we replaced that one. Then they both died. I removed the tank from her room, not daring to tell her that both fish had died. We believe she already suspect that we "switched" fish because she commented on how different they looked than the day before!

When confronted as to what I was doing with the tank, I told my daughter that it needed cleaning - she insisted on looking in it to see her fish. I told her the fish were sleeping. I am such a liar! She said, "fish sleep?". I lied again, "yes, fish sleep". After drawing out the fish deaths well over a week, we decided that we could not lie to her anymore and confuse her, so we told her the truth, and the fact was she pretty much knew that "fish don't sleep like that; everybody knows THAT!"

How my children dealt with the deaths of their pets was typical for their ages. How we reacted was indeed not the best way.

For "Hamsty" we did not give him a proper burial. We simply put him in the trash. I know, it sounds cold hearted and mean, but frankly, we were grossed out by the remains and neither of us wanted to touch it. I remember making our son place the dead animal in a washcloth and covering him up. We waited awhile and snuck him out to the trash and told our son the Hamsty had gone to heaven.

The fish, of course, got flushed.

With the death of our bunny rabbit just this morning, I was reminded of how ill-equipped I was to handle Hamsty and beta fish's deaths when my son says, "are we going to bury her or throw her in the trash?" I felt like I had been smacked right across the face. That was eight years ago! How could he possibly remember? He did. They all do.

This morning, things went a little differently than past pet deaths. When my daughter discovered her bunny dead in its cage and came in crying, I hugged her and explained to her the lifecycle of a rabbit and that it was just her time to go. I told her how lucky we were to have had that bunny for so long, and even though she was adorable, she was still going to die at some point. I apologized in sympathy for the loss of her pet and told her that the bunny was no longer in its body.

This is when my son so wisely suggested the proper burial for the animal. We picked a spot - under the tree in the backyard, and will wait until daddy gets home from work to bury her, and they will cry again, I am sure of it, and we will let them, but we will also give them and guide them through the proper channels of grieving.

If your family experiences the loss of a pet, simply replacing the pet will work for younger children. Our daughter is now too old to do that, and we learned that after age three or four, it is best to just be honest with the child about the pet's death. Tell your child that their pet has died and will not be coming back. They will learn to live without that pet and may request another one, but weigh the decision before making it. Evaluate how well your child responded to the death of this pet. If it was extremely difficult, you will only be setting your child up for future heartbreak.

It would be best to put some time between the death of this pet and bringing a new pet home to live with the family until your child has learned more about death and becomes a little more comfortable with it.
The older a child is, the harder death is to deal with, actually. Older children tend to evaluate animals' lives in terms of humans. The loss of a pet will lead them to exploring their feelings about losing human family members, and this can be devastating, or healthy, depending on how equipped you are to handle these emotional issues.

Honesty is always the best policy. It will help your child mature and deal with real life issues in a real manner, not in denial. The better able you are to cope with the loss of a pet and to explain it to your children, the better they will deal with it.

By Brandi M. Seals

It can be hard when your child is sick to decide whether or not to take him to see a doctor. Half of the time you get sent home and told to wait it out. Junior has picked up the flu or the common cold. Next time be prepared. Familiarize yourself with common cold and flu symptoms.

The Common Cold
A cold is characterized as a viral infection that affects the upper airway including the nose, throat, and lungs. Over 200 different viruses cause colds, but 30 to 50% are caused by a group known as rhinoviruses. Cold symptoms can last from two to 14 days.

Symptoms of the common cold usually begin two to three days after infection and often include:
Runny Nose
Obstruction of nasal breathing
Swelling of the sinus membranes
Sneezing
Sore throat
Cough
Headache
Watery Eyes
Chills
Muscle Ache
Lack of Appetite

Fever can be an additional symptom. It is not a common symptom but a mild fever may occur at the start of the illness. The fever is usually mild but may rise to 102 degrees in infants and children.

Colds can make people more susceptible to infections such as strep throat, and sinus infections. A doctor should be consulted to see if a secondary bacterial infection has been acquired if the cold does not start improving within a week or if the person with the cold experiences any of the following:
Chest pain
Problems breathing
Bluish lips or fingernails
Cough with greenish-yellow or grayish sputum
Skin rash
Swollen glands
Whitish spots on the tonsils or throat
Fever for more than a couple of days

Barring a secondary infection, no medicine is needed to cure the common cold. Simple bed rest and plenty of fluids can help. Contrary to popular belief, antibiotics do not work against the viruses. They can actually reduce the body's ability to fight viruses. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin can help reduce fever and muscle aches, but never give aspirin to children. There is a risk that children that are given aspirin could develop Reye's syndrome.

Reye's syndrome is a rare although serious illness that usually affects children aged three to 12 years old. It can affect all organs, but most often the brain and liver are injured. Most children who survive Reye's syndrome do not suffer any lasting consequences, however the illness can lead to permanent brain damage or death.

The Flu
The flu is a very contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Every year an average of 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu in the United States. The flu can be very serious. Each year more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and approximately 36,000 people die from it.

Flu symptoms include:
Fever (usually high)
Headache
Extreme tiredness
Dry cough
Sore throat
Runny/ stuffy nose
Muscle aches

The flu can also come with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea but these symptoms are more common in children than adults

Having the flu can make a person more susceptible to complications such as bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration, or lead to worsened chronic conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes.

The flu virus usually spreads from person to person through coughing or sneezing. Sometimes the virus is spread when people touch something with flu viruses on it and then touch their mouth or nose.

People with the flu may be able to infect others starting a day before symptoms develop and can continue to do so up to 5 days after becoming sick.

The best way to avoid the flu is to get vaccinated in October or November. Anyone who wishes to stay clear of the flu should be vaccinated. However, high risk individual should be vaccinated every year.

Those that need to get vaccinated include:
Children aged 6-59 months of age
Pregnant women
People 50 years of age and older
People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
People who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.
Health care workers
Out of the home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age

Some people should not be vaccinated without talking to a doctor first. They include:
Those with a severe allergy to chicken eggs
Those who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past
Those who developed Guillain-Barre syndrom within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously
Children under 6 months of age

Most of the stores in my area are all decked out for Halloween already and my daughters are planning what they want to be, but how can you keep the little goblins safe and secure in this age of uncertainty? Most children will pick the shortest route to your house, not the safest and according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children are four more times as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween and falls are another major form of injury. Stomach aches can be another concern of the evening. Limit the candy your child is able to eat that night.

How young is too young to take your youngster out for Halloween? How early do you let them go alone? Should you let them eat the candy right away? The times have changed since I was a little girl and I was allowed to go out for Halloween by my self. Though if you live in a small town, it is still relatively safe, but one never knows.

Here are a few ideas about keeping your Halloween a safe and happy one for your little ones:
*If you purchase a costume, get one that is flame retardant!
*Make sure the costume is short enough so the child will not trip when walking.
*Consider adding reflective tape to the costume or goodie bag for greater visibility. Or you might try what I do with my kids. Go to the local dollar store and purchase some of the glow sticks (now they have necklaces, earrings, flasher pins - quite a selection to choose from!) These are great and make your child really stand out in the crowd. For younger children, you might want to consider hanging one both in the front and in the BACK to ensure safety.
*If your child does go alone or with friends, consider adding (discretely) some emergency information to the costume (tucked in a pocket or the sleeve).
*Face paint is much better than masks. Paint allows the children to see, yet still look scary or pretty or whatever.
*Make sure the costume is suitable for the weather.
*Secure hats and wigs so they do not slip over the eyes.
*Advise your child to stay away from any pets wandering around that she does not know (if someone is walking their dog, ALWAYS ask the person if they can pet it).
*Instruct your child to be cautious but polite around adults they are not familiar with.
*Teach your child to always walk on the sidewalk.
*Have your child carry a cell phone or a walkie talkie or have them wear a watch and have a pre-arranged meeting point. Remind your children to NEVER enter the house of a stranger.

And on the home front:
*Take extra precautions for the safety of visitors. Check all loose stair or porch boards; rid the entry way of obstructive flower pots, low tree branches and even hoses that are left lying around. This will ensure the safety of the little goblins as they rush onto the next house.
*Put the family pooch or cat in an enclosed area away from the excitement for the evening. All the confusion can make even the friendliest pet a little nervous.
*Turn on all outdoor lighting.
*If you do have a Jack o Lantern, make sure the candle in it is away from any flowing costumes.
*Brake wet leaves out of the way of revelers.
*Consider purchasing and handing out more healthy (still wrapped) treats (or even a non-food treat; I have heard of people giving away penny stocks for a company). Most parents will thank you for not adding to their dentist bill!
*Though candy tampering is rare, be sure to inspect the candy you child brings home before they dive into it. Get rid of any candy with a loose wrapper or candy that looks odd.
*Be EXTRA careful with the goodies before you give them to your toddler. Remove the choking hazards that are inappropriate for them such as hard candies or small toys (or toys with small parts). To avoid the inevitable protest, you may want to keep a few surprise substitutes on hand.

How young is too young for Halloween? While I really look forward to the cute little one and two year old kids in costumes such as a kitty or a princess, is the candy grab necessary for the health and the well being of the child? Or is it a candy grab for mom and dad? What ever you choose to do, make sure you dress the baby warmly, but not too warm. Just remember to exercise caution with your kids and your Halloween will bring good memories in years to come, not bad ones.

By Heather Pohlabel
As soon as your baby is born, he immediately belongs to a family, a community, and on a much broader scale, to the entire human race! It is easy to see how your baby resembles others in your family, whether in appearance or temperament, and as your baby grows, you will see how he fits in to your community and learns from it and grows with it. It is important not to forget that your baby is one in over five billion as well, and that despite that overwhelming number, he will have his own unique characteristics and traits. He will form his own likes and dislikes. He will have his own personality.

A good way to foster more favorable personality traits and good habits is to encourage your child to socialize. This begins with family and friends and will grow to unfamiliar surroundings and situations. Some children are by nature introverted, but encouraging socialization and providing opportunities for social activity will help even the most shy of children at least feel comfortable with who they are if nothing else.

Begin introducing your baby to as many people as you can. The smiles and happy sounds that he hears will make him happy and help teach him that interacting with people can be a very pleasant experience. Most people love babies and will happily oblige your introduction to your new baby or an opportunity for a visit. They may even want to hold him if they are comfortable with babies and if you will allow it.

I was very overprotective of my first child and did not want anyone to hold him. However, by the time I had my third child, I was passing her around to everyone, even my middle child's friends. Whoever crossed our paths got to meet baby Isabelle, and they always seemed very happy to get a good look at her or a smile from her.

I can see the difference in my older child and youngest child already. He was a very fussy baby and didn't want anyone but mommy. My youngest is very happy all of the time and smiles at everyone, even at the young age of two months. My oldest still has a hard time being in a group of more than two or three people at a time.

In addition to introducing your baby to friends, family, acquaintances, and the occasional stranger, allowing your baby to be around other babies is a good way to let them know that there are people out there like them!

When I first introduced my baby to her cousin, my baby niece, she stared at her in amazement. I could only imagine the things running through her head, but I'd almost bet that she was thinking something along the lines of, "hey, there is someone MY size who speaks MY language - I am not all that different after all; people like me do exist". I also started babysitting for another baby during the week, and although they do not really play together yet, Isabelle will watch as the other baby plays with her toys or gets in her swing or sits with her mommy. She is learning from her by watching her and also learning about herself and what she likes and does not like from other babies. We have all come to realize that she does NOT like other babies in her swing!

When your baby can sit up and hold her head steady, you can begin to do wonderful social activities together such as baby and mom swim classes and music and movement classes. These classes give babies and moms the time to enjoy stimulating activities while making friends and enjoying each other's company at the same time.

A perk to taking classes like these is being part of another type of community of like-minded parents. In our community, we have been members of the local YMCA for 13 years, and everyone there has been able to watch our children grow and help in their development. They keep an eye on them if they see them out and follow their progress through their growing years. They support our family and we support theirs. It was a great place for our children to meet and make some of their closest friends.

Some children are naturally not social and prefer to be left alone or to observe. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it also does not mean that you should not encourage socialization or should not offer social opportunities. For shyer children, you can become involved in small parents' groups such as scrapbooking groups or church groups where your child will be around other children and you at the same time. If your child does not like to be left alone with other children, this is an ideal way for her to socialize or find someone like her as she is in the safety of your presence.

Shyer children also may enjoy having one friend over to play at a time. They may not enjoy large parties or play groups, so find out whom your child would like to play with and invite that child over frequently. Using your shy child's interests can also help you to help her socialize and make friends. If she likes to draw, you can enroll her in an art class and hang around in case she needs you. Dance classes are a wonderful way for children to socialize for short periods of time.

Most of all, parents must model the types of behavior that they would like for their children to imitate and grasp. If you model the way to approach a new friend by doing it for your child the first few times, she will learn how to do it on her own, and making friends will not seem a difficult task, even for a shy child.
Parents also need to explain to their children that all people are different and that differences are OK. This will not only help them to tolerate others better; it will make them feel better about themselves, especially if they feel different.

Each child is unique and special, and that should not deter them from making friends or having the ability to do so if they so choose. Parents have the ability to guide favorable or healthy personality traits in their children by teaching them well and modeling healthy behaviors.

Socialization begins at home with the family and grows as your child does. Encouraging socialization early in life will help your child not only form lifelong friends, but will also help her feel comfortable with herself, whether she makes a lot of friends or not. She will know how to handle social situations and know how to make friends if she so chooses.

By Brandi M. Seals

Christmas crafts used to be a tradition in my house. As a child, my sister and I would cut out snowflakes, make dough ornaments, and do any other craft my mom could come up with. It was a great way to spend time together and share in a little Christmas cheer.

This year, get your kids involved in a Christmas craft. They are easy to do and tons of fun. Try one of these two crafts. Your kids will love them.

Make Snowflakes
Whether you live in a warm climate that rarely sees snow or you are accustomed to shoveling your car out from under 6 inches of snow ever other day, it can be nice to decorate your home with some homemade snowflakes.

To do this craft, you will need sheets of white paper, kid-friendly scissors, and some glitter.

It can take awhile to get the hang of making a snowflake that looks good. Start by folding the paper. For a circular flake, take an 8x11 sheet of paper and fold the top (narrow end) left corner so that it now touches the right side of the piece of paper. You will notice that it does not go all the way to the bottom of the sheet. Simply cut off the unfolded portion of the paper. You should now have an 8x8 square folded on a diagonal.

Starting along the long side of the paper (where the fold is) you will want to fold the edge over. You can fold over as much of the paper as you wish, just be sure that the top still forms a sharp point. Continue this over and over again until you are left with a very narrow triangle.

Now it is time to cut. Using the kid-friendly scissors, your child can cut out any shapes his heart desires. Cut from all sides of the triangle but make sure he does not inadvertently cut all the way across the narrow triangle.

Once he is content with the cuts, your child can unfold the paper and reveal the snowflake. Lay it out flat (if it tries to curl up try placing it under a heavy book or pan until it has been pressed open). Using glue, your child should outline the snowflake with a thin line of glue before sprinkling glitter over it.

The glitter snowflakes make wonderful window decorations. Place them wherever you like. Simply tape them to a surface or punch a hole in one end and string it up. You can have snowflakes floating above your head in any room.

Whip up some Christmas Cookie Ornaments
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup butter
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Cream 1/2 cup of butter and brown sugar together.

Beat in egg and molasses

In a separate bowl combine 2 3/4 cup flour, soda and spices before adding it to the butter and sugar mix.

Blend until dough is well formed

Roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness on floured workspace. Cut out shapes and using a toothpick, poke holes so that you can hang the cookies up after they are baked.

Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Reform holes if necessary at this time.

For Frosting: Cream 1/3 cup butter. Slowly add in 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Depending on the ages of your children, you may have to be in charge of baking. Just be sure to let them give you a helping hand measuring ingredients or getting them out of the cupboard. Once your cookies are done, let the little ones frost them as they please. Next, insert a string or yarn through the hole you made. Tie the ends of the yarn together. Now you have the perfect ornament that looks and smells delicious. But, don't let the kids eat them. They are merely for decoration. You will need to whip up a batch of cookies just to eat.

By Brandi M. Seals

Following pregnancy many women may experience postpartum depression. The depression has made the news several times in the past couple years as women like Andrea Yats killed their children as a result of the problem. However, those are extreme cases. Postpartum depression does exist, but for many it results in minor symptoms such as not wanting to be near your child, constantly sleepiness or having trouble focusing.

I in no means mean to trivialize how any symptoms of postpartum affect women. I merely mean to say that it is something for new mothers to watch out for because it is not all about feeling the urge to kill your kids as it was previously hyped in the media. Celebrities, like Brooke Shields, have come forward to say that yes they did suffer from postpartum, but they got help and so can you. This has helped sway the overwhelmingly negative impression that the words "postpartum depression" used to inflict.

After pregnancy, hormonal changes can trigger symptoms of depression. When women are pregnant the levels of estrogen and progesterone in their bodies greatly increases. But, within the first 24 hours of childbirth these hormone levels drop down to their normal non-pregnant levels. Researchers have come to believe that this rapid change in hormone levels may lead to depression.

Besides hormone changes there are a number of other factors that may contribute to postpartum depression. They include:

Feeling tired after delivery
Not getting enough rest due to broken sleep patterns
Feeling overwhelmed at having another baby or being a new mother
Doubting your ability to be a good parent
Getting stressed due to changes in your routine
Believing that you must be a super mom can cause added stress
Feeling a loss of identity because you are not the same as before the baby-this includes both physical appearance and sense of who you are.
Losing of control over how time is spent.

Symptoms of postpartum depression include any of the following that last longer than two weeks:
Restlessness
Irritability
Feeling sad, hopeless, and overwhelmed
Frequent crying
Little to no energy or motivation
Eating too little or too much
Sleeping too little or too much
Trouble focusing, remembering, or making decisions
Feelings of worthlessness
Feeling guilty
Loss of interest in activities
Withdrawal from friends and family
Headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations or hyperventilation
Significant signs of depression may include a fear of hurting your baby or yourself and/or not having any interest in your baby.

If you experience any of the above for more than two weeks, please speak to a doctor about what you can do. If you have ever feared hurting your baby or have no interest in him or her, do not hesitate to seek medical guidance. There is nothing wrong with having depression, but it can inadvertently affect your relationship with your child if you do not seek help.

Many women may be tempted to dismiss their symptoms of depression as baby blues, but baby blues usually occurs in the days just after childbirth and go away within a few days to a week. New mothers with baby blues may have sudden mood swings, crying spells, loss of appetite, sleeping problems, and feel irritable, restless, anxious, sad and lonely. Symptoms of baby blues are not severe and treatment is not needed.

To relieve baby blues try to get as much help as you can from your husband, family and friends. You might also like to join a support group for new moms. You won't feel so isolated once you talk to others in the same situation. And take a tip from mom's who know best, always catch up on your sleep when the baby is napping. You never know when you will get another crack at it.

In contrast, postpartum depression can happen anytime within the first year of your child's life. The main difference between postpartum depression and baby blues is that postpartum depression often affects how a woman is able to function and her well being for longer periods of time. The use of medicine, counseling or joining a support group all may go a long way to helping relieve postpartum depression.

Some women hide their symptoms because they feel embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty that they are not as happy as they are supposed to be. They worry that they will be viewed as unfit parents. Don't be. Talk to your doctor. He or she can help you learn more about treatment options and decide which approach is best for you and your baby.

By Heather Pohlabel

It's been six weeks since you've given birth to your new little bundle of joy...now what? Are things going to magically change? Is this all the time you have to get in a schedule and bond with your new baby? Certainly not, but depending on your lifestyle and your family's individual needs, your new lifestyle changes may be different from other new mothers. A good way to transition back in to the swing of things is by trying to work out a schedule that fits your life.

Share Your Baby
After having a new baby, friends and family are eager to see her and share in this experience with you. There is no joy like holding a new baby, even if she is not your own. Try to schedule in at least one visit a week after baby is born to keep your family and friends connected and to get you out of the house for a bit! If you cannot travel, let your friends and family come visit you at home, but schedule the visits so you will have time to shower and feed the baby or make sure that you are comfortable having a visitor. Sharing your baby with others will help you leave her in someone else's care when and if the time comes, and it will show your family and friends that you care enough about them to share your child with them.

Offers of free babysitting usually come from these first few visits, so take those and use them to go to your doctor or the dentist or to get your hair cut - places you cannot take your baby. Accept the offer and make an appointment right away and then get back with the generous helper as to when you will be accepting their offer. If you wait too long, the excitement will wear off and they may not be available.

Eating and Resting
Your baby is going to set her own feeding times, so you will need to learn to work around these. Your body will adjust to your new sleeping and eating times, but take time to rest when your baby is resting, especially the first few weeks she is home. Even as your baby gets a little bit older, it's a good idea to rest when your baby rests because you need your energy to take care of her!

If you are planning on going to work after your maternity leave is up, you may want to try to change your baby's eating pattern by offering a bottle when your day care provider is going to be feeding the babies. Be sure to check and see if they have scheduled feeding times or if they feed on demand. However, your baby may over-eat if you choose to do offer bottles at times other than when she is hungry.

Exercising
If you get to stay at home, take your time working your way back into your pre birth activities, but do get back to them! A complete lifestyle change could bring about postpartum depression, so be sure to keep your family and friends close and connected and set a goal as to what you'd like to get back to doing once you and your baby have scheduled a routine. If, for example, you want to get back into shape, try taking the baby for walks in or outside, depending on your location and weather. It is a good way to get motivated to exercise and will help you transition into either working out at the gym or at home, and still gives you time with your baby. Babies enjoy walking as much as their parents!

If you are going back to work, however, you may want to use your lunch hour to exercise or wait until you get home to take the baby for a walk. Some women will be too tired after a long day at work to do this, so fitting exercise in can be a problem. If you can find something that you can do with your baby at the same time, the exercise will be more enjoyable. If not, try to fit it in on lunch or right after work before you get your baby.

Whatever the challenge, it can be done. Work with friends and family to help you out with babysitting. Take advantage of rest time to rest. Keep in shape and you will be happier and your baby will be happier too. You can have a fully functional schedule as time passes, just utilize what you already have!

By: Heather Pohlabel

So, you are pregnant! Wonderful! This is the most wonderful experience of your life, whether it is your first or tenth child, so enjoy it and take time to prepare yourself for the major changes that will take place in your life from this point on. Brace yourself for the pain of childbirth, embrace the joy of motherhood, and most of all, beware of advice from the "experts"!

Here are some frequently offered, best intentioned pieces of advice that you should ignore:

"Put cereal in their bottle, and they will sleep all night"
This is wrong in so many ways. First of all, babies don't NEED to sleep through the night - the parents are the ones who find this a necessity. However, babies have tiny little bellies that empty much quicker than our big bellies. They need to eat more frequently, bottom line. Secondly, babies will stop getting up every few hours as they age. Around two months, they will typically only get up one time during the night as opposed to two or three times, so you ARE going to get more sleep during the night - just not a full night's sleep, and you knew this going in to your pregnancy. It does not last forever and is part of being a parent. Finally, those sleepy hours when everyone else is asleep is the perfect time to bond and play one on one with your baby without distraction. Some of the cutest smiles and loving gestures are shared at 3:30 a.m. while everyone else is fast asleep in bed. These days won't last forever, so even though you are tired, cherish them.

Babies have their own schedule, and you must adhere to it. Adding cereal to their bottles will not guarantee sleep and may cause your baby to have digestive problems or become overweight. Ask your baby's doctor if you are in doubt as to when to start giving your baby cereal or when and how much to add to a bottle if you are using it to reduce spit up or acid reflux.

"Breastfeeding is the best way to feed your child"
While this MAY hold true as far as nutritional value, there are MANY advantages to bottle feeding that breastfeeding advocates fail to recognize. Bottle-fed babies can be fed by ANYONE at ANY TIME. Dad can share in the bonding as well as siblings and grandparents. Many mothers are self-conscious about breastfeeding in public, and will suffer engorged breasts and fussy babies until they get to a comfortable place to feed. Bottle-fed babies can be fed anywhere at any time by anyone.

Current formulas are more enhanced to be more like mom's breast milk. There are nutrients and proteins in many formulas much like mother's milk. It is very uncommon to not be able to find a suitable, healthy formula for your baby, and you don't have to worry about what you put in your body affecting your baby. You can also sleep at 2 a.m. while dad gets up to feed the hungry baby!

Some women just are not comfortable with breast feeding, and that is OK and perfectly normal. Not every woman or every child for that matter was cut out for breast feeding. If so, there would be no bottles or formula available. Some mothers have inverted nipples and some babies have weak sucking ability. Other mothers have difficulty feeding their children and may underfeed them or view them as a burden. Breastfeeding is a very emotional and physical task, and not all women are cut out for it or want it.

Breastfeeding is best for some women, but not for all. Be comfortable with your choice, whether it be breastfeeding or bottle feeding.

"Let them cry it out"
While not every sound out of your baby's mouth calls for an immediate pacifier or bottle, some cries should not be ignored.

Sometimes babies are making noises to find out what their voices do, how you respond to their calls, and to test their own vocal abilities. They will continue to do this for years. If there are no tears involved, the best bet is that your baby is either trying to talk to you or just testing out her voice. There is no need to try to quiet your child; let her talk and enjoy the sound of her voice just as she enjoys the sound of yours!

A cry is different and needs attention. You should not let your baby just cry and cry unless you are frustrated with your baby and the sound of her cry. In that case, put her in a safe place and leave the room to calm down. Come back to her when you can comfort her. Most cries are due to hunger, pain, or needs. Your baby may be soothed with a bottle, a hug, or in more extreme cases, medication (usually under the advice of your baby's physician; however, gas drops can be given if you suspect your baby to have an upset stomach due to gas).

A pacifier and a swaddling blanket will often soothe a baby when nothing else seems to work. Rocking the baby in a rocking chair could provide comfort or placing her in a swing may take care of the problem. Sometimes baby just needs a relaxing, calm environment in which to rest. Try putting on a soothing CD and dimming the lights. Rubbing your baby's tummy or gently touching her face while lying near her may be what is needed to reassure her that she has a parent near and that she is safe. Never shake your baby out of frustration. This can cause irreparable damage to her brain.

These are three very common pieces of advice given to new mothers (and even returning veterans) on how to care for their babies. When people offer advice, they are doing it in the best of intentions (yes, even your mother-in-law has the best intentions when offering her two cents), but often it is not best to heed their advice.

When to ask for and take advice:
There will come a time when even your common sense is not telling you what to do with your baby. This is when you reach out and ask a seasoned mother for advice. Once you've exhausted everything you know to do, it's time to call in someone who has survived every possible child related incident imaginable. But always remember, you know your baby best, and you will make the best choices for her. When you don't know what to do, reach out to someone who has lived through it, but beware if they advice you to "put cereal in her bottle", if they make you feel guilty for not breastfeeding, or if they advise you to "let her cry it out". These are just classic examples of bad advice and should not be followed.

By: Heather Pohlabel

Money. I love it. I need it. We all do. However, I am choosing to do without it. On purpose!

I have chosen to stay at home with my baby and to not go back to my job. I am making my family my job by choice. I am broke, but I am happy, and so is my baby.

For years, I have worked part time jobs and raised my family at the same time. While I got to enjoy my children most of the time, I still had a boss to please as well, and if I was needed on a day I really did not want to go to work or on a special occasion such as a field trip or play, I had a tough choice to make. Do I stay home and make my child happy and risk losing my job or go to work and miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity? Too many times I faced that dilemma, thinking that if I do one thing for this child this month and one thing for the other the next month, that it would all be even and all would work out well. And it did. I can’t go beating myself up over the past. But I can change the present. No more choosing for me. My new boss is my lovely baby daughter.

Sure, I had to make the decision on giving up a paycheck. I would no longer have any consumer power. I would have to go through my husband for all purchases and I would have to learn to budget better, creatively finance, and sometimes downright lie to get the money I needed for the things that I wanted or needed because face it, moms have needs too! We need our hair cut every now and again. We like to have a semi modern wardrobe at least, and once in awhile, we like to have very our own special delicious treat hiding out in the kitchen. Instead on relying on an employerr to cut me that cash, I was going to have to prove to my husband that I was worth all that without leaving the house to work.

It is a good thing he thinks I am a wonderful mother or he may have had a bigger problem with my choice to stay home. Some women say they simply do not have the choice, but I do not know that many husbands who MAKE their wives work. I am sure they exist, but in our town, men seem to be pretty supportive of their wives staying home and raising the children. And the children are happy. My baby is no exception.

At only two months old, my baby only cries to express hunger or pain. She does not cry for any other reason. I know when she is hungry or when she is uncomfortable.

She has crafted her own vocabulary to communicate with me, and since I am with her all the time, I know what she is saying. When she has a wet diaper, she says "NGA" without crying. If I do not change her immediately, she will try two or three more times, increasing in volume. She does not like to be wet and will sometimes ask to be changed simply so she can go again in a fresh new diaper! "NGA" again. I happily oblige. I do not have to worry about her not getting changed immediately or when needed. She has yet to have a diaper rash. She is pretty happy about that. And so are dad and I.

When baby is happy, everyone is happy. This is the golden rule. A baby's smile is more contagious than the common cold. As soon as one person catches the baby smiling, everyone is over trying to get a glimpse and making nice little happy sounds at the baby and conversing wonderfully with each other. She really likes that. We all do!

I think staying home was the best choice for our family. This baby is perhaps one of the most pleasant people I have ever met, and it shows. We get comments all the time on her demeanor and how "perfect" she is. Of course we love this, but we know it is because she gets the time and attention that she needs and deserves at home.

Most infants love taking a bath. It is warm, soothing and provides an opportunity for close personal interaction between mother and baby. However there are other babies who are scared when it comes to bath time. Some cry, some scream and some tremble because they do not know what to expect. Here are some tips for making bath time as relaxing and enjoyable as it can be for both of you:

• Most doctors do not recommend a daily bath for a newborn baby. The frequency of a bath depends on three conditions- the state of the baby's health, the climate and the time of the year. Sponge baths are a good idea until a baby is approximately six weeks old. Use warm water and a soft cloth to clean baby. Start with the face and then proceed to the neck, the hands and the diaper area. It is best to wash a baby's hair near the end of a bath, as it will prevent him or her from losing too much body heat. Also for babies who are scared of baths, this can be the worst part. Most babies dislike getting their eyes wet because it stings and therefore as the parent you should do your best to make sure that this does not happen. Try this- tip the baby's head back just a bit and work your way from the front to the back. When your baby's starts to eat solid foods (which will be when he or she is approximately four months of age) you will then need to bathe him or her more often.

• Choose gentle, hypoallergenic tear-free baby soaps and shampoos such as for example, Johnson and Johnson or Dove Baby products. Unless a doctor recommends them, avoid using oils and lotions on your baby. Water, soap and shampoo should be all that you need to keep him or her clean. Look for products that contain aloe vera and chamomile because they are mild on baby's delicate skin. Johnson and Johnson has created a brand new line of products that is specifically geared, according to research conducted by the company, to provide the necessary moisture for a baby's delicate skin. The product line is called Johnson's Soothing Naturals. These products contain olive leaf extract, a blend of natural ingredients, which include vitamin E and skin essential minerals such as magnesium and potassium. The Soothing Naturals products include nourishing lotion, intense moisture cream, moisture rich wash, hair & body wash, and soothe & protect balm.

• A baby cannot regulate his body temperature as well as an adult, so always bathe him in a warm room. The water should be at body temperature. Before placing your baby into the water always check the temperature of the bath water with the underside of your wrist. All that is necessary for an infant's bath is a couple of inches of warm (but not hot) water in the tub. Whatever you do, do not overfill it.

• Some babies experience fear at having their clothes taken off and becoming vulnerable and exposed. Try to sing or talk to your baby soothingly to help reassure him or her that everything is all right.

• Before you begin a bath, gather all necessary supplies together, such as soap, shampoo, towels, toys and other bath items so they will be close at hand.

• Shampoo a baby's hair about once a week until he is several months old. Place a washcloth on his forehead to help keep drips out of his eyes. If it does get in his eyes accidentally wipe it away immediately as it can sting and can cause a baby to cry and get very upset.

• In the first few months of a baby's life you may notice the presence of small flakes on your baby's scalp that are caused by a condition known as cradle cap (or under it's medical name, infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis). In order to remove the scales from your baby's head, gently brush his hair with a soft brush after you have lathered it with soap. Don't forget to rinse well afterwards.

• Babies are very slippery when wet so use both hands to bathe your little one. To keep a baby from slipping in the sink or tub, lay a towel beneath him to act as a soft bath mat.

• Use toys appropriate for his age to engage your baby in the entire bath experience. When he is very young this might be as simple as a clean washcloth to suck on or a rattle to hold and move around. As he gets a little older, perhaps plastic cups and bowls will keep him entertained.

• When bath time is finished, gather baby up in a clean, soft and warm towel and dry him off by gently patting (not rubbing) his skin and hair. Then dress your sweet smelling baby.

• Never leave a baby alone in a bath. If you need to answer the telephone or doorbell, take your baby out of the tub, wrap him in a towel and take him with you.

• A portable bath specifically designed for babies is ideal for an infant's introduction to taking baths. It is a good idea to set it on the kitchen counter or on a table in a warm room. The kitchen sink is okay to use if the baby will fit in it comfortably. Keep a close eye on the faucets, as babies are curious about everything. Line the sink with a towel to prevent your baby from slipping.

• Adjust the hot water heater in your home so that it is below 120 degrees Fahrenheit in order that there is no chance that your infant will be scalded.

• Always cover the spout as well as the temperature knobs in the tub when you are giving your baby a bath in case your little one bumps his or her head and also to prevent burns. If you choose to bathe your infant in the sink in the kitchen, always swing the faucet in the opposite direction from the direction your baby is facing.

• It is good practice to always face your infant away from the faucet when he or she is in the tub taking a bath.

• When using a bath seat for your baby, always follow the manufacturer's instructions. Before putting your baby in it, tug on it as best you can to ensure that the seat sticks to the surface of the tub. Be aware that if you have and designs, mats or anti-slip decals in your tub these could cause problems with the adhesion of the seat.

• Instead of adding hot water from tub faucet to warm a baby's bath while he or she is in it, fill a pitcher from the sink beforehand and add fresh water this way. Never turn away from the baby to refill the pitcher.

• Always remove all razors from around the tub when you go to bathe your infant.

• Always drain the tub right away after the baby is finished his or her bath.

• Some fun suggestions of water toys for bath time enjoyment and safety include plastic animals, boats and dolls, foam shapes or perhaps colorful sponges from the kitchen cut into interesting shapes, squirt toys, plastic measuring cups, suction toys, small plastic containers, as well as empty but clean plastic squeeze bottles.

• When your baby grows too big for the sink or portable tub, usually at about three to six months then it is time for the bathtub. If your baby can sit up, place him in a bathing seat. Or consider laying him on a bathing mat (like a big sponge) set in shallow tub water. It cannot be stressed enough, NEVER leave your baby alone in a tub, no matter how little water is in it.

By Christina VanGinkel

From the moment you knew you were having a baby girl, whether it was months before her birth or the big day itself, it was probably not long before you were planning all the gala parties you could host to celebrate her future birthdays. There is nothing like a little girl to bring forth a reason to celebrate as if a princess is in the palace, because doesn't every little girl deserve to be princess for at least a day now and then! With this in mind, plan your very own little princess her own Princess Themed Birthday Party for her next big day.

Invitations

The invitations are of course the first thing guests are going to see in relation to the event, so make sure they are as fitting the princess as the rest of the party. If you cannot find suitable invitations, make your own. With your computer and printer, create a castle or wand themed cards, announcing the event. Add a sheet of vellum to the interior to play up the extravagant nature of the day. Envelopes should match too. If you would like to make the invitations even more exciting, send a small gift with each, such as a wand that the guests must bring in order to gain entrance to the grand Princess Ball, or print a golden ticket that guests must bring along, each ticket admitting one or one family, depending on how you address the invitations. For a group of young school aged girls, one ticket per person, for your toddler, one ticket per family.

Decorations

Decorations will be an important part of such a party. Pick up some white or pink lacy tablecloths, and drape them over the tables. Tulle can also be used to cover anything you might want to disguise to make the house or yard look more fitting for the princess. Keeping in mind the age of the young princess, you might wish to use table attire such as pink paper plates, or for a princess who is a tad older, shop your local second hand shop for an assortment of old fashioned plates and tea cups to set the table with. When your young palace of princesses set down to lunch with real china, they will truly feel as if they have stepped into a palace! Have treat bags tied up in tulle, add lots of ribbon, and when the party is nearly ended pop the treat bags into the freshly washed teacups, and let the young princesses take them home. If you come across any fancy candlesticks, pick those up too. Add flowers, and your table is sure to be a hit.

Games

Play pin the lid on the teapot, or tiara on the queen. Both are knockoffs of the all time favorite pin the tail on the donkey game, but much more in style with your princess theme. Kids can also play Pass the Frog, which is a knockoff of musical chairs. Have the kids sit in a circle and while you play music have them pass around a stuffed frog (a Beanie styled frog works well because they are smaller and easy to grasp even by small hands). To make the game of Pass the Frog more fun, change the rules if you please. Instead of losing when you end up with the frog when it is your turn, the one holding the frog when the music stops is the winner! Play until kids are tired of the game, or until everyone is a winner at least once! If kids are very young, get a few adults to play along, but be prepared for lots of giggling, by kids and grownups alike.

Food

Punch in an elegant bowl is necessary. Make it pink or purple (Kool-Aid comes in a wide variety of colors!) and float ice shaped like stars in it. While most kid's birthday cakes are one layer, a layer cake is ideal, with the cake's decorations shouting princess the whole way. Ribbon, edible glitter, and top it off with a wand fit for a princess.

Throwing you daughter a Princess Themed Birthday Party is a great way to celebrate what is one of your most important family events. From toddler to early elementary aged girls, all are sure to love the special touches that such a party is sure to bring!

By Brandi M. Seals

The words stretch marks strike terror in many people, especially those who are pregnant. It seems everyone has a story about stretch marks that they just have to share with the expectant mother. There are tales of horror where the stretch marks took over the whole body. There are tales of no stretch marks, except maybe one itty bitty one over here. Regardless of how the story goes, there is always a home remedy that someone absolutely swears by or one that did them wrong.

Stretch marks are thin reddish lines that can form on the stomach during pregnancy. You may have had a prior run in with stretch marks during puberty. They seem to like to hang out on the stomach, breast, thighs, and butt. Stretch marks fade with time, but they never quite disappear completely. They fade to a silver color and become less noticeable.

Stretch marks are caused by the weakening and/or tearing of the skin fibers. It can happen when there is a significant weight gain during a short period of time. That describes pregnancy to a t so it is no surprise that pregnant women often end up with stretch marks.

Stretch marks may start to appear late in the first trimester or in beginning of the second. While they are more common during the third trimester, some women start to see them as early as 3 to 4 months into the pregnancy.

Many women swear by cocoa butter or other creams. They believe that by frequently lubricating the skin, the skin fibers will not break down as they begin to stretch. However, while you may enjoy rubbing lotion on your belly, it does not do much in way of preventing the marks.

The number of stretch marks one get depends is directly relational to how elastic her skin is. Elasticity of skin tends to relate to genetic make up. So if your mom had a bunch of stretch marks while she was pregnant with you, chances are you will run into the same problem. Think back to puberty, did you get stretch marks then? The answer to that question may speak a lot to what will happen to your body over the next several months.

The more weight that is gained during pregnancy the more likely you are to have stretch marks. Skin is normally very elastic and capable of stretching; however for some women they may gain pregnancy weight rapidly and that probably will result in stretch marks. Of course women carrying multiple babies at once are more likely to get stretch marks because they are holding in two or more kids.

Some women are just more likely to develop stretch marks. If you have had them with a previous pregnancy, expect to get them again. If you are currently overweight or gain more weight than is recommended, you will probably have stretch marks.

Doctors generally recommend that women gain 25-35 pounds with the pregnancy. Anything over that is really probably more than your skin can handle. In addition, staying hydrated and well nourished has many benefits. One being that generally the better hydrated and well nourished you are the less likely you are to develop serious stretch marks.

If your stretch marks are very bad, you might want to consult with your doctor or a dermatologist. Some topical treatments such as tretinoin cream can help reduce stretch marks. However, these creams must be used after pregnancy because they can cause defects in your unborn baby. Usually topical treatments like this should be used shortly after delivery, before the marks begin to fade. The more time that passes between the delivery and use of cream, the less likely they are to be effective.

If you are breastfeeding, consult with your doctor before using any stretch mark treatments. Some treatments may affect your milk supply or pass through the breast milk.

For women who truly cannot live with the stretch marks, there are a few treatments available. Special laser treatments may improve the skins elasticity and help reduce stretch marks. Plastic surgery is another option. A tummy tuck can help hide some stretch marks and reduce sagging skin.

For women not willing to go that far, keep in mind that those stretch marks came with the birth of your baby. You certainly would not want to forgo the baby just to avoid some marks that will fade over time. So wear them proudly.

Have you been feeling itchy lately, I mean really itchy? Perhaps you have been floating through your pregnancy with nothing but joy in your heart and a rather large basketball looking belly. All of a sudden you find that the sides of your fingers itch, then your tummy. You look closer and realize that there are bumps that look uncannily-like bug bites on your skin. These, then, spread across your arms, down your legs, and maybe even up your neck. Before long you find yourself scratching and praying. If you are anything like me you may loose sleep, become depressed, tear at your skin with miscellaneous objects, or even wish to harm yourself. Welcome to the world of P.U.P.P.

P.U.P.P. What does that spell? For 1% of all pregnant women it could spell misery. If you have got an itch (and I'm not referring to the anxiousness over the arrival of your bundle of joy) this could include you. P.U.P.P. stands for pruritic urticarial papules plaques which is just a fancy, scientific term for an irritating rash that pregnant women sometimes acquire. If you have this rash during your present pregnancy you will be likely to have it in any recurring pregnancy as well. You can find lots of other helpful information about P.U.P.P. on the web. I found mine on WebMD. (This is just one of those many reasons the internet is such an invaluable tool)

Many doctors are not well educated on P.U.P.P. simply because it is such a rarity. I still remember showing my doctor this Mystery rash! I had suffered for a month before my scheduled doctor's appointment and was smart enough to enlist the help of the internet for information before I went. When the doctor finally saw me I described my symptoms to him and he examined me carefully, only to say, "yup, that is a rash, what do you think it is?" When I shared with him the information I had he was very intrigued. Then when he told me he had heard of P.U.P.P. before, his voice was full of wonder! That was all it took for me to take matters into my own hands, and let me tell you that there is hope.

You can try home remedies but I wouldn't advise them, it is best to treat serious conditions under medical supervision. One of the first things you can do is to try topical treatments. Vitamin E oil, for example, can soothe your skin. Other creams such as Psoriasis cream and Cortaid can help control the itch. You may even ask your doctor about a topical prescription. Should all of these fail to help there are some prescription drugs you can try. Your doctor can prescribe a wealth of antihistamines to help control some of the itching. Personally, I had to try two before I found some relief in Zyrtec. An antihistamine is usually the best solution to P.U.P.P., but there are some other things you can do that will help.

If you are becoming depressed and even having harmful thoughts you should seek professional help. My doctor, for instance, was able to prescribe me a couple of anti-depressants as well as a sleep aid. You can also get therapy either in a group setting or by one of the numerous pregnancy hotlines. Whatever you do it is always important to keep as positive a state of mind as possible and to surround yourself with positive people. In fact, you may even want to set up a watch or support system of people who will be there during your breakdowns. Remember that you are loved by your family and friends and that they are there for you.

Pregnancy should be a beautiful, joyous time for you, and it may seem unfair to be susceptible to P.U.P.P. Just remember there are ways of coping with this terrible rash. Do your research and understand your condition. Talk to your doctor. There are many things you can try when you work together as a team. Be active in your recovery. Do things to ensure your health mentally as well as physically. Finally, never give up. Remember that your suffering will end shortly after delivery of your beautiful new child, and believe me, it is worth it!

By Misti Sandefur

The dreaded "morning sickness" usually occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy, and this is nothing to be alarmed about, because it's normal in pregnant women. Some women are lucky and don't experience any morning sickness at all, but there are many who aren't so lucky.

Now, I know it's called "morning sickness," but it can occur all day or even during the night for many women. During all three of my pregnancies, I was always running to the bathroom or feeling very sick at all hours of the day. I got worried, so I asked my doctor if it was normal for it to occur during other hours, and he assured me it was. He even said a lot of women have "morning sickness" that lasts all day.

Following are a few home remedies for all you unlucky women. These remedies may not work for some, and if you have concerns or questions about any of them, check with your doctor first. Furthermore, I said morning sickness was normal, and it is, however, if your morning sickness continues past your first trimester, and/or you begin to lose a lot of weight, you should consult with your doctor to make sure everything is okay.

I'm sure you know this one, because this remedy has been around for many years, but just in case you've not heard of it, here it goes... Before you get out of bed in the morning, eat Saltine crackers to help settle your upset stomach. I always had boxes of Saltine crackers on my nightstand when I was pregnant, and they did settle my stomach many times. As a matter of fact, I was very thankful for my Saltine crackers.

Also in the morning, try drinking juice, but drink sweet juices like orange juice or grape juice.

When you get out of bed in the morning, take your time and get out slow. Rising from bed too fast could cause you to get dizzy and even run straight to the bathroom. Of course, you don't want to visit the bathroom again, but you definitely don't want to get too dizzy and fall.

Open the windows in your house to bring in fresh air, or you can even sit outside for a while.

Exercise can also help, but check with your doctor first to find out what exercises he recommends.

Eat small, frequent meals during the day, and drink plenty of fluids, but drink fluids between meals not during meals.

Candies such as wild berry lifesavers and other sour candies relieve queasiness for some women. An alternative to candy is Orbit chewing gum; some say this works until the flavor is gone.

Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons may help.

Drinks such as Ginger Ale, 7Up, Lemon Lime and Sprite may help settle your stomach. In addition to soda pop, consumption of peppermint or ginger tea has helped many women. However, do not take large quantities of ginger –– check with your doctor on the amount first.

Some women have said if they eat the food they're craving it has helped their morning sickness.

Many times getting sick can be brought on by nerves, to calm your nerves try listening to soothing music.

Like with most any pregnant woman, some smells made my nausea worse, and most of the time I ended up with my head over the toilet again. I told my grandma about it and she shared a home remedy with me that seemed to work. Grandma said, "Find some lemon and apply a couple drops of it to a handkerchief. Carry the handkerchief around with you, and when you feel sick again from that smell just pull out the handkerchief and breath in the lemon scent." Thank God for Grandmas!

Find a recipe for homemade ginger cookies, and then bake lots of them for snacks.

Popsicles aren't just for kids!

Being tired also contributes to morning sickness, so take short naps during the day. Besides, a pregnant woman needs her rest.

Many women have found that applying pressure to the acupressure point on their wrist is an effective remedy for morning sickness. Plus, many of the women even buy acupressure wristbands.

Have the daddy-to-be massage your feet, and make sure to tell him to apply pressure as he gives your feet a massage. Some women find the pressure to their feet--from the foot massage--helps when they are feeling nauseated.

Finally, avoid things that can trigger the morning sickness. Some triggers include spicy food, cooking (a reason for Dad to cook), eggs, milk, an empty stomach, strong odors, caffeine and fried foods.

There are many other home remedies, as these are only a few of those many. Feel free to use them when you're feeling sick to your stomach.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! May God bless you with a healthy pregnancy and baby!

Dealing with unwanted advice happens to be one of the few downsides to pregnancy in general. It comes right along with morning sickness, back aches and the big belly. For some reason it seems that as soon as people here that you are about to embark on the adventure of motherhood that everyone around you becomes an expert when it comes to children and pregnancy.

You can be walking through the grocery store and people will just see you and notice you are pregnant and throw in their two cents. Not only do you get advice like " Do not pick that up, it is too heavy!", even when it barely weighs a thing but you also get to hear everyone's different version of old wives tales. People will tell you that if you are carrying low that you are definitely carrying a boy and then someone else will turn around and say that if you are carrying low then it is most definitely a girl.

I even had a woman that has never even had any children before tell me that because of the way I was carrying and the fact that my belly button had turned into an outtie that I was carrying a girl. When I told her that I was having a boy she felt sure that the ultrasound must have been wrong. There is nothing more nerve grating than having people who know relatively nothing about pregnancy trying to tell you how to take care of yourself, what not to eat and even trying to convince you that everything that your doctor tells you is not quite as smart as what they have to say.

I myself being a first time mom did not know a thing about babies or being pregnant, so when I found out that I was the first thing my husband and I did was go out and buy a couple of books to help us on the way. It was a good thing that I did or else the what seems like hundreds of women who have offered me advice would have surely scared the crap out of me by now. Any pregnant woman who has done any kind of research while they are pregnant know without a doubt that no one rule applies to all pregnant women. Each and every woman's pregnancies is different from another.

Some will suffer some symptoms that will not ever be a problem for another woman. Some women will carry a boy low and some will carry him high and vice versa with a girl. Spicy food may give some very bad heart burn and for others it will be the same amount of heart burn that they get when they eat anything in general. Saltine crackers or toast are not a all around cure for a queasy stomach, they may actually make you feel even sicker. Drinking a little bit of caffeine will not be the death of your baby, doctors just recommend not taking in excessive amounts everyday.

You are allowed to die your hair when you are pregnant, they just suggest that you do not because of hormones it may actually turn a totally different color than what you were going for. Same goes for perms, they probably will not hurt you but you may be spending money on something that will not take. Hair is very finicky when you are pregnant.

Walking around on a day to day basis is not bad for you. I can not tell you how many time I had people tell me when I was at work that I needed to go sit down. Apparently pregnant women are not aloud to stay on their feet for more than two minutes at a time or they are putting their babies at risk. As long as you are in a low risk pregnancy and your doctor does not tell you other wise almost everything that you did on a daily basis before you got pregnant is actually still okay for you to do while you are pregnant. Just do not over work yourself but do not let other people be the decision maker on that front. We know how our bodies feel a lot better than everyone around us and we are not incapable of making our own knowledged decisions.

On a closing note I just want to say that if you are in a first time pregnancy and you do not know much more than I did, make the investment in a pregnancy book. It will totally be worth it. I suggest What to Expect When You're Expecting, it completely saved me. Also, do not be afraid to ask your doctor questions, there are no stupid questions. Make your doctor and your book your two very best friends and whenever someone offer advice that is unneeded and unnecessary just try to tune them out.

By Crystal Bowden

By Brandi M. Seals

Halloween costumes for little ones can end up costing an arm and a leg if you buy a fresh costume every year. Instead of ponying up money year after year for an outfit your kid will only wear once, why not buy key pieces that can be incorporated into a number of different costumes?

Growing up, my family didn't place much importance on having store-bought costumes. In fact, I never wore an official costume for Halloween. My sister and I would dig through our bag of Halloween gear and come up with something new each year.

Whether you are looking to cut out Halloween costume spending or otherwise do not see a point in buying something that can only be used once or twice, using a few key pieces to create unique Halloween outfits may be the thing for you.

Try a few of these ideas for the Halloween and every one to come:

Get a Cowboy Hat
It may seem that the purchase of a cowboy had would be trivial and could only be used in cowboy costumes. Actually, they can be used in a number of different get ups. Let your little boy be a cowboy one year, a country line dancer the next, and round it out the next year by dressing as a country singer.

That is three costumes centered around one piece. All three require little else to complete the look. Just some snug fitting pants and button up shirt should do it for all three ideas. If you want to go ultra-authentic and have a little extra money to spend, you could get a pair of cowboy boots to go along. However, since kids' shoe sizes change frequently, you really won't get your money out of them.

Purchase Wigs
Wigs are great to use again and again. Pick some up after this Halloween. They will be seriously discounted and can be used year after year. Get a basic color like black and your daughter can dress up as Pocahontas, a witch, Wednesday Addams, Dora the Explorer or several other things. Choose red and you have gone a long way towards creating Pippi Longstocking or Wendy (from the Wendy's restaurants).

Obviously each of these costume possibilities will require additional items. But, you will probably have most of the additional items on hand. For example, if your daughter already has a backpack, a tee shirt and some jeans, she is all set to be Dora the Explorer. Want to be Pocahontas but don't have a deer skin dress? That's easy -a long brown tee shirt from your husband's closet will get the job done. Pair it will a strip of cloth tied around your child's head and some braids. Instantly you have created a very simple Pocahontas costume.

Stock up on Bandanas
Bandanas are a perfect accessory for any costume. They can be added to an outfit to create a pirate, old time bank robber, or even a clown. Tie a bunch together and stuff them in your son's pocket. He can pull them out as he goes door to door as a clown. Everyone will love it since it's a favorite gag among clowns even today.

Put your kid is some dark denim and black button up shirt. Tie a bandana around his face (leaving eyes expose) and you have an instant bank robber.

For a pirate tie the bandana on your child's head. Fold the bandana in half to form a large triangle. Place the long side of the triangle on your kid's head near the forehead and wrap the sides around. Tie the ends behind his head, near the nape of neck. Be sure to tuck the point of the triangle under the knot. Pair that will some hoop earrings, an eye patch or a fake parrot on the shoulder and instantly you have a pirate ready to search for some booty.

These are just some of the many costumes you and your family can create at home that cost little or no money. It just takes some imagination and a little bit of time to come up with something new each year. Get your kids involved. They will love coming up with their own costume ideas and amazingly their little imaginations seem to come up with hundreds of ideas at once.

After a new baby joins the family, it seems as if every friend and relative the parents have will be offering some kind of advice. Most of that advice will be about how to raise the baby. The new parents can decide to either follow some of the advice or just smile and nod and then decide that they surely know what's best for their child and do things their own way.

One issue never seems to come up when everyone is freely giving their good (or bad!) advice, however. That is how to recapture intimacy in your marriage after that precious bundle of joy and energy arrives. You have waited patiently for nine months and you researched everything you could think of that concerned raising a tiny little newborn into a wonderful adult.

You know how to bathe baby, and you know what foods you will be feeding him or her when that time comes. You have everything in the nursery that you could possibly need and maybe if you really enjoy researching, you have even thought and planned beyond the first year.

By the time the first hectic week or two passes, you will realize that there is probably something that you forgot to consider when all that planning was going on. You forgot to plan how to get intimacy back with your partner, or maybe even have any quality time together at all.

The first weeks will be filled with night wakings and guests coming to see the baby. The new mother will be struggling to get enough rest and sleep herself so that she can be ready to handle those middle of the night feedings. In addition to everything else, chances are that she will need to be dealing with extra laundry as well as the rest of the housework.

Enter the first thing that may help. When friends and relatives ask if they can do anything to help, by all means take them up on the offer. Don't overwork them or have them slaving away with your laundry for hours, but think of something that will help you. If someone could do just a load or two of baby's laundry, it's often a great help. If someone can do your dishes or vacuuming, great!

If you don't agree with having someone come by to do some of your housework while you rest some days, consider allowing them to bring dinner. Some groups of friends I know will automatically provide a week of dinners for new parents. Often church groups will do this, too. It is a big time saver and any time mom can save or use to rest during the day gives her more time to spend with her partner.

Take family and friends up on offers to do babysitting and plan a date! Granted you won't want to do this right away, but surely when the baby is a few weeks old, you can slip away for a couple of hours. Making sure that the sitter is someone you trust completely will assure that you don't spend your date worrying.

Remember that a date doesn't have to cost much at all if money is short due to the expanding family. Arrange for a sitter while you both go for a drive or a long walk. Go to the mall and walk the distance from one end to the other while window shopping.

If you are not comfortable going out too soon, plan a gourmet meal with your partner. Don't forget the candles! Just plan it for a time when the baby has been sleeping. Renting a few movies is another way to be able to stay home. Just remember that the baby will probably wake a time or two, but keep the focus on having a "date night" and it should work out fine.

If you don't want to plan a date for whatever reason, at least remember that part of intimacy is conversation. Talk to your partner. If there seems to be no time for talking, then make time. A quiet dinner because everyone's exhausted and then flopping in front of the television without saying a word to each other isn't doing anyone any good.

A doctor will probably recommend that sexual relations not resume until about six weeks after the birth. Don't wait until then to have meaningful conversation daily. Things will probably never be the same as before the pregnancy, but there are plenty of things you can do to make sure that the spark remains.

You felt your child when he or she was inside of the womb, and the two of you grew until the birth. Throughout all of this time, your child was developing their senses, and was learning with you through site and sounds in your voice. Before your child was even born, he or she knew who you were, and relied a lot on the sounds of your voice. That very same voice is what teaches the child self esteem, among many other lessons in life.

From the moment your child is born, they are learning even more, and while they look like they are just laying around a lot, and sleeping a generous portion of the time, they are taking in their surroundings. Right off the bat, what those do around this baby molds them for the rest of their lives.

The first five years of a child's life is the most important time for you to instill skills and moralistic values, because any time over that is apt to be more of a struggle. Your child is a learning vessel, and if you look back on your older child's kidnegarden report card, you will see they still possess the main trait the teacher discusses in the comments area.

The first thing you are teaching your child is love, and we do this in a numerous amount of ways. Your young baby is going to count on your love, to know that they are safe and secure. A safe and secure baby is a happy baby, and a happy baby is more likely to be more advanced in the future. A happy baby is catered to in every way possible, and all needs are met.

We do this through stability, because showing our children that we are there for all of their needs will show them that they will be well taken care of. Your baby is relying on you for that comfort, because he or she is not able to take care of their basic needs themselves. This requires a lot of your attention, is time consuming and offers little sleep over the first year. This can get hard and trying, and is an important reason why it is good to have a support system to help you get caught up on that much needed space, or allow for some private, but quality time for yourself.

One of the main parts of having a baby consist of dealing with moments when you are learning who your child is and what they want. Those first couple of weeks can be a trying time as you are trying to figure out what each different type of cry means. Your child could need a new diaper, be hungry or just plain want to be held. All of these choices that are made are ways to show the child you are there for them, and will help to grow a bond that is long lasting.

Your child will watch your face, and your facial features, along with your voice will be an important part of showing your child stable emotions. Use your time that you are spending with your child to sing to them, tell them stories, or hum to the tune of something you know. Your child will listen attentively, and if you are at a peaceful state of mind, your child will be as well. Your child will learn that this is what you act like on a normal basis, and because your child is going to be a mirror image of you, will soon begin to show that same peaceful state of mind.

Then comes the first day your child shows you the smile of appreciation, and it's going to melt your heart. You will be doing what every parent does, and encourage them to do the best they can, and show them what they are capable of doing, and one day, in return, your child will send to you a smile of appreciation in return. Those are the golden moments that we never forget, and from that moment on, we are consumed with making sure our child has a smile that remains plastered all over their face.

Education should begin early, and as a matter of fact, should begin as soon as your child comes home from the hospital. There are many things you can do that don't cost more than the cost of printing paper and a little ink. You see, when the child is first born, they still need to enhance their eye coordination, but in order for them to see things, they have to be relatively close, and be certain colors. A good thing to do for this is to create simple patterns of bright colors on white background. Stick to red and white, and then make one that also has a black circle in the center of it that is big enough to hone in on. Place these papers around your child's head right from birth.

As your child begins to grow, and even at an early stage, you will catch them really looking at the patterns that are surrounding them. They will notice that one of them has a black circle in it, and will look at that one very closely. This helps their eye skills, and also serves as an educational tool that pretty much took nothing more but a little bit of your time.

Another common toy to begin with, that is usually located in your baby stuff is a baby washcloth. Your baby can easily hold on to something like this, and right from birth I have encouraged each of my children to hold on to them. Because of this, they all started playing with toys at the young age of three months. They learned through my exercise hour, and items like washcloths and pictures that they are capable of using their extremities, and they start using them more and more.

As time goes on, and your bond is growing, you will start to see significant growth in your baby. Your baby will start to play with things, and become more independent, and yet will still rely on you much of the time. They will follow you with their eyes, and watch where you are going next. This is why it is a good idea to put your baby in a spot where many people have to walk past the path every day. This way everyone can stop and give a friendly hi to the baby, and believe it or not, they really appreciate it. It helps keep them from getting bored, helps them adapt to many faces and shows them that they are not forgotten.

Another good way to share with your baby is to carry them in a front or back carrier on a regular basis. As much as often you should take your child for a walk. This is how they take in their surroundings and don't think they can't understand you. Enough times of telling them what a flower is, or a tree is, will help them to recognize that is what you are talking about. They will form a better vocabulary much more quickly if you do this with them. So not only are you sharing quality time with them, this serves as an educational background, and to prepare them for their future, I think education should start at birth.

From early on, I bring my young children around to visit other children of their age. This works out well in showing them that they eventually have to share, and also creates bonds with friends. This is really good, because social interaction also helps them to learn. They watch what the other child is doing, and from that, they can also learn they can do the same thing. This teaches them that they can be even more independent, even if it means sitting across from each other sharing smiles, and waving their rattles.

I can't stress enough that it is never good to share hostile feelings with someone that is around you, and in front of the baby. Especially if they are not accustomed to such behavior, it will scare them, and they will not feel as comfortable. Aside from that, you don't want them to learn that aggression or negative words is a way to conduct yourself when you are angry. Your child will ingest each and every thing that you do, and your actions are a way of revealing how your personality works. You want your personality to work well so that your child will have a personality that works well too.

Always make sure you are using your manners in front of your baby, even if it means that your baby is hearing this as a newborn. As our society is growing, we are constantly being faced with children that do not have the same set of standards as the people who are growing up. This is not done through abusive behavior, this is done by using your manners consistently, and showing the baby at a young age that this is the acceptable way to handle yourself.

Never hit, shake or scream at your baby, because your baby will not trust you after that, and you may find yourself dealing with a very cranky, untrusting child that will also be hurt emotionally, as well as possibly physically. Never, ever show your child that this is a way to handle a frustrating situation, they could grow up abusive and uncaring, and they may not know how to handle themselves in relationships or situations when they are older.

If you feel like this is something you are on the edge of doing, it's time to involve the support person in your life, because not only will you harm the baby, but the reality is you may possibly even lose your child, and in more ways than one.

Never show your child any type of prejudices towards other human beings, because a prejudiced person is someone who is not going to experience all that life has to offer. There is much to be learned by each other, and if we work hard at obtaining this factor in our lives, we can become much more improved as a society. Your child needs to be able to get along with others and not cause harmful affects on the emotions of another child just because they were born of a certain race.

Even as a baby, if you go to a sports game, make sure you use good sportsmanship. After all, this is a game that your child may participate in the future with, and you don't want this child to feel like they can't ever lose. A fact of life is that we lose sometimes, and there is nothing we can do about that. We have to learn how to deal with our losses, and by acting unsportsmanlike, you are teaching your child that it is okay to blame others, instead of supporting them.

As your child is growing, you should make special time to read to them. Many people choose to do this at bedtime, and it really helps to create stability and organization, and also forms a stronger bond, but that's not everything reading does for your child. While your child listens to each word, their imagination is working at full throttle, and the word they just listened to is now sitting in their brains to be recognized when it is used again. This helps to develop their vocabulary.

When you are reading from a book, take the time to point out things in the picture that were talked about. This helps them to identify certain things in life, and also helps them to talk better as they grow. The most advanced child talkers are children who have had a lot of interaction, and have heard a lot of stories. I believe giving them that advanced area in life opens the door up to a lot more education, and therefore helps them to have a lot more confidence in themselves when they reach school age.

Once your child is developing a good vocabulary, make sure you have a scratchpad and pencils or a chalkboard with chalk. Your child will learn a whole lot with these items if you spend just a little time every night with them. If you don't have the time, perhaps you have another school age child around that can play school with your child. This works out wonderful, because with the use of these items the possibilities are endless. Work on the alphabet, shape and numbers, and before you know it, when you test your child for preschool, you will find out they could be as advanced as the end of first grade.

Now you've been very much a good friend in all of this process, and you have taught your children a lot. You will have watched them grow by leaps and bounds, but there is bound to be a stage where your child is going to start testing you, and at that point you are going to have to start using reprimands. Make sure you use reprimands that you can stick with.

At a very young age, they may not fully understand you, and you'll be issuing a lot of the word no. Do this is a calm fashion, move your finger back and fourth, and never let them go back to doing what they are doing. You may have to interfere in the process several times in the beginning, but over time, your child will learn the valuable lesson of following directions.

It's important that you stick to the directions, and set yourself a time schedule. Routines are very important for each child, and whether or not anyone likes to admit it or not, children do count and rely on you to have rules. These rules keep things comfortable, keep the child out of trouble, keep them from getting hurt and shows them how to have respect.

If you keep giving in on a rule, and don't follow through with the affects of what the child has done, or could do, they will never learn what consequences are. Consequences are important parts of life to learn about, because our whole life is filled with nothing but rules. They have to be able to count on the fact that what you say is true, and then they will accept the punishment for what they have done. This is important, because some time in life, we will all have to deal with a consequence of our action, and we have to learn that we can't run from it, or that no one is going to be easy on us because we think the world owes it to us.

But with every criticism that you will ever hand out, make sure you are also willing to give a compliment. This will show them that even when they do something wrong, they are still special people, but they still have to deal with the consequences of their actions. This is important, because without this compliment that gets handed out, the child starts to question if they are still loved. You want them to always know they are loved, and that they can always rely on you, and it never hurts to help someone's esteem, even in a wrong decision.

Be open minded with your children, and keep tabs on them and their friends as they are growing up. This can help you to find out what they are up to in their spare time, and can help you to guide them through tough and trying times as they get into the adolescent area. Always make sure you are giving them the chance to voice their opinion, because you can give them valuable information in the future that can save the situation.

Basically, no matter what we have to do, we have to always make sure they feel good about themselves. Help them to be independent, and fill them with education. Show them that the world is their limit, because they are our future. They are our hopes and our dreams when we get to the next generation, and if we teach them right, it will be a fine world to live in.

Good times and frustrations are all parts of growing up, and when we make the big step towards showing them fulfillment, they learn the structures of life. They go off to school with a pleasant feeling on life, and end up conquering fears and hardships when they grow up. All of the images that you have planted in their minds are the very things they will use, and it starts with you. You are the first, biggest and best example that is out there.

You are the person who can help them to achieve their dreams, goals and desires. You are also the person that can teach them to feel like failures, worthless and want for nothing. You want to be the path that helps them find a rich life with their family, and believe me, they will instill your virtues and ideas on their children. Be creative with their life, and they will learn to create. Be encouraging, and they will know they have the power. Be honest, and they will be honest to others. The simplest of life virtues is what makes a man, a man, and a woman, a woman.

Even if you grew up in the roughest of environments, you can have a more fulfilling existence if you break the chains and teach your children what you wish your parents would of taught you. Be an active part of your child's life, and show them you are there for ever. Make sure their mind is ever turning, and that they understand that life is always changing. Show them the encouraging life that every person on life should be a part of. Focus on the good, and work through the bad, and you will find out that child rearing is the most rewarding experience of life.

When holding another baby knocks you off your feet...

This is a tough decision for anyone, made even tougher by the fact that two parents don't often agree on the answer. There are a lot of factors involved in this decision and since having a baby is a lifelong commitment, it is wise to consider all the factors involved in this complex decision.

Biology
We are wired to want to have children; our genes tell us to reproduce when the conditions are right. Sometimes this is immediately after we have recovered from having a baby, sometimes it is when our children get a bit older and can play on their own, sometimes it is when we realize we don't have to buy diapers, formula, or baby food anymore, and sometimes it is much later when our kids have lives and friends of their own. Biology doesn't usually drive us to stop having children. Instead, once that urge knocks on the door, it is a hard one to fight. Even if you are perfectly happy with your life and current family, one day you may be looking at baby pictures or holding a newborn and you are blindsided by the urge to have another child. Sometimes this feeling comes on strongly and feels urgent. Other times, it can sneak up on you over the course of time until one day you wake up and you are sure that you want another. It can be difficult to separate that biological force from your own feelings.

Before you commit to it, sit down and honestly evaluate your life. Ask yourself if you are just bored with where you are in life. Try to answer honestly. Are you afraid of never experiencing that purpose and all-consuming love again? Do you just need to spend some time remembering your children's babyhood? Are you afraid of not being needed? Do you just miss that sweet baby smell and that soft skin? Having another child is more than sweet babyhood. Take some time to remember the negative aspects of having a baby and a child. The hard work involved and the heart-ache. These are honest questions you need to answer before you move forward, because even if you have that baby, if the biological urge is pushing you forward, you will likely feel them again. Postponing your honest answers is not a good reason to have a baby.

However, if you can answer those tough questions and still come out of it wanting another baby, then perhaps biology is not the only thing motivating your desire. Next, take a look at your family.

Family
How would another baby impact your family? Would your child or children benefit from a sibling? What would the age difference be between them? Would this new baby have any step-brother or –sisters who would be impacted? Would your child or children be excited about a little brother or sister? Adding another child to your family does take time and attention away from your other child or children. The benefits gained by the child in the form of a sibling can be worth the trade-off. You know your child or children best. What is in their best interest? Do you have an only child who would significantly benefit throughout life by having a brother or sister? Do you already have three little girls who might not see the advantage in yet another little sister? You will need to look at your family and answer these questions honestly.

What type of support group do you have in place? Do members of your extended family live nearby? Would they welcome another baby into their lives? Would they be able to provide any help?

Spouse
Most importantly, you need to know how your husband or wife feels about adding another child. You cannot make this decision alone. That person must be entirely on-board with the idea or it will be an unpleasant trip. If your spouse is eager to have another child, this part of the decision is easy. If he or she is skeptical, you need to ask why—and really listen when they tell you. They probably have legitimate concerns that you will need to address. Be sympathetic and compassionate about their concerns. You may be able to work through some of them together.

Be sure that you are not trying to have another baby to fix a problem. People often have another baby in the hope of having either the boy or the girl they didn't get the first time around. While this is a logical hope, you need to want to have a baby even if you get the opposite of what you hope. If you are a family of four boys, thinking of trying for a girl, you need to know that you will still be as excited about having a baby if you knew you were having another boy. Perhaps your husband travels too much and you are sure that if you had another, he would have to curtail his travel schedule? It is never a good idea to have a baby to solve a problem.

Money
Babies are inexpensive, but children are quite costly. The actual cost of caring for a baby is minimal, especially if you breastfeed, but the long-term cost of raising a child is expensive. Current studies have put a $155,000 price tag on raising a child from birth to age 18. While money should not be the only reason you decide to have a baby or not to have a baby, it will probably impact your decision in some way. Will you need a bigger house, a bigger car, more child-care? Will one of you stop working for part of the time or permanently? These are critical questions that every family must address when considering another child. Long-term costs are even more difficult to plan: college, weddings, high school events, clothing—these are variables that will make it difficult to ensure you have enough money to make this leap.

In addition, planning for a baby often comes with a host of other costs: infertility treatments, doctor's visits, a nursery, baby equipment. These costs are small in the beginning but can accumulate quickly. However, people who have not had money have been having kids forever. You do not have to plan where you are getting all the money before you have another child, and few people do. It will just certainly be an element you want to talk about and consider before making that decision.

Health
You need to know how another pregnancy will affect your (or your wife's) health. Was her previous pregnancy difficult? Were they any infertility issues that you might expect this time around too? Are you (she) in good health now? Have you had a recent physical? You might want to schedule a routine check-up with your doctor before making a decision. You will want to be aware of any high-blood pressure or other potential health problems before going down this path.

If your doctor gives you the all-clear, you can cross this concern off your list and pick up some prenatal vitamins that will help get folic acid into your system before the pregnancy. Folic acid helps prevent spinal defects and will also give you additional nutrients if you do make that decision.

Time
A baby requires a lot of additional time and energy. If you are running the PTA, volunteering at the food bank, shuttling your existing children to soccer practices, and thinking about going back to work or about picking up more hours at work, something will have to give. You won't need to become a hermit, but you will simply not be able to do it all with a newborn. You need to have the time and the energy to take care of a baby. Can you make that time or are the demands of your life too pressing right now to cut? You need to also understand your husband or wife's time limitations. Will he or she need to travel a lot for work in the coming year? Is your husband thinking of starting his own business? Will your son need speech therapy twice a week in another town? Is your mother getting older and will need some care soon? You need to be aware of your limitations. If you think you have room in your life and can adjust your schedule to make time for another baby, then you are all clear.

Having a baby is a wonderful, life-changing experience. You get to meet someone and shepherd them as they grow into little people and then into full-grown adults. It is a magical and rewarding experience fraught with challenges, heart-ache, joy, and love. That pull to have another baby is strong in both men and women and should not be ignored. Take time to listen to that feeling, evaluate your life, and decide whether you are ready to make that leap.

Potty training can be both stressful and exciting for you and your child. There are a lot of different methods for potty training and no matter which method you choose, you will ultimately have to take your child out into the world. You will need to go to the grocery or a playdate, take a car trip to grandma's, make it to a doctor's appointment, or just need to get out of the house to keep from going crazy. You can't stay in the safe zone of your house and your potty routine forever, but taking your even successfully potty trained child out for the first few times, can cause some anxiety. There are a few things you can do to make sure your child can continue his or her success into the outside world.

1. Pack a bag. This is absolutely essential. You need to keep a well-stocked bag of supplies with you at all times. This bag should include: at least two pairs of underwear, two pairs of pants, a diaper, wipes, a large ziplock bag, and an absorbent towel. I know you don't want to include that diaper, but in an emergency when you are out of underwear and miles from home, that diaper can be a last resort. It is better to have it with you and not use it than to leave it at home out of principle. Pack the towel to clean up accidents in unusual situations: the grocery aisle, the car seat, the hallway of preschool. You can put any accidents in the ziplock bag until you get home. The ziplock ensures you aren't the woman who smells like poop roaming the aisles of preschool. You want to avoid being that woman.

It's often a good idea to keep a board book in your bag so you have something to read to your child while he or she is waiting to poop. Children get bored and distracted on the potty sometimes and a book helps refocus that effort. A book from home also makes that transition to an unfamiliar potty not so scary for your little one. If your potty training system uses rewards, be sure to pack them in the bag too. M&Ms travel well unless you are going somewhere hot and stickers are always easy to transport.

I also recommend keeping a small bottle of hand sanitizer in the bag. When you have more than one child in a restroom and they all want to wash their hand with that gooey public soap, and no one can reach the sink, it can turn a five minute trip to the restroom into a 20-minute ordeal. If you have the hand sanitizer in your bag, you can get everyone a quick squirt and skip the sinks and the hassle altogether.

Keep that bag stocked and ready by the door so you can always just grab it and go. Even though your child may be potty trained, he or she may still have accidents for a few months or longer. You will know when you stop needing to bring the bag along.

Some children are hesitant to use the regular toilets found in public restrooms. It will be more convenient for you if you can help your child overcome this hesitation. However, if you cannot, then there are potty seats that come with a handle or that fit easily into a diaper bag. These seats fit on top of the regular toilet and may make your child feel more comfortable with the public toilets. If your child feels more comfortable using that type of seat, pack it in your bag too.

2. Wear a watch and consult it often. Even if you've successfully trained your child to come and tell you or to go potty on his or her own, when kids get busy or distracted, they forget. Just keep an eye on your watch and remind them when you notice they haven't gone in a while. If they ignore your reminders consistently, you may need to go over, look them in the eye, and tell them it is time to go potty. Walk them there and show them where to go. Often kids just need to disengage with their activity and they have trouble justifying that to go potty. Keep an eye on that watch.

3. Be a potty scout. Wherever you go, the first thing you should do it scout out the nearest bathroom. Once you've found it, point it out to your child. Remind him or her that there are potties here and if he or she needs to go, to let you know. If you are at someone's house and your child can get to the potty on his or her own, take them there when you arrive so he or she knows where it is and how to get there. If you are in department or grocery stores, make extra sure you know where it is. Often the bathrooms aren't located where you think they should be and running a toddler to the wrong location is a recipe for accidents. Just ask someone when you enter the store; you might not be able to find someone to ask when the moment arrives.

Some children find it exciting to go to the potty in stores. It seems like an adventure to them: new potties, other people, strange toilet paper holders, the big line of sinks. My own children asked to go potty whenever we entered a department store or restaurant. They just wanted to see the bathrooms. While this got to be a frustrating game, they always went when we visited these potties, and it wasn't long before I learned the locations of every bathroom in our regular stores and restaurants around town.

4. Pre-potty and avoid drinks. Everyone should try to go potty before leaving the house, and if you can help it, avoid giving your child drinks in the car. Even if you think you will be home again before he or she needs to potty, you never know what will keep you out in the world longer than you think. One errand often turns into two or three and the difference between an hour and two hours often slips away, the odds of accidents increase. In your first few out in the world activities, avoid drinks in the car or during the trip since they can complicate your errand. If drinks make your trip more stress-free or your child is simply thirsty while out, give out the drinks but keep an extra watchful eye on the time between drinking and potty trips.

5. Accidents. Your child will almost certainly have an accident out in the world. You will be at a playdate and find your child playing with trains in the tent, his batman underoos full of poop or standing in a puddle at the grocery check-out. It is certain to happen. It happens to everyone. In these situations, whip out your potty training bag and clean up the child and the mess. Excuse yourself from the location, if you must. I recommend that you do not scold your child or discipline him or her in public. That is humiliating for him or her in an already uncomfortable situation. Just explain that it was an accident, that pee/poop goes in the potty, and that he or she should tell you when they need to go. Clean your child up matter-of-factly and don't make a big fuss. You may feel additional pressure to make a fuss of it because other people are watching. Don't do it and don't say anything disparaging about your child or the process. He or she is watching and will notice how you react, even with other people. Don't be discouraged. It is a learning process and your child will eventually get it. Don't retreat to your house.

6. Out in the world success. When your child successfully makes it to the potty out in the world, praise him or her lavishly. Do not hold back your praise because other people are watching. Make a big deal of it. Your child will notice and will be motivated to continue such big kid successes. Tell your family about it when you get home so the child can hear. If you use a rewards system, do not forget to reward for those outside world successes. I success that when you get home, praise your child for keeping dry pants. Even if he or she did not go to the bathroom out in the world, praising for dryness reminds your child that you expect him or her to stay dry in the car and out on trips with you. It will reinforce your training methods and help make those out in the world trips easier in the future.

7. Have potty, will travel. For long trips or situations where you are not sure there will be a bathroom available or easily accessible, you might want to bring your child's potty chair and a roll of toilet paper. Just keep the potty in the car or the trunk of your car. If you need to use it, you can always pull over into a parking lot and get it out. It is better than hearing that little voice say from the carseat, "Need to pee-pee," and racing to find the next exit with restroom available. Plus, a lot of gas station restrooms are creepy and it saves you from having to brave those for the sake of one toddler. Traveling with that potty, gives you peace of mind and saves you from having to clean a wet car seat on the side of the road.

8. You are your own worst enemy. When you go out among normal people, it will be easy for you to get distracted. You've spent so much time worrying about someone else's bladder that it can be a relief to talk about something else with someone, to look at things in stores, or to lose track of time. As tempting as these welcome distractions may be, do not entirely give in to them. If you allow yourself to get distracted and forget about your new job as potty police, your child will almost certainly have accidents. Enjoy your time out, but don't forget about the time and your child's bladder.

As your child gains greater control of his bladder and mastery of his new-found potty skills, you will be able to phase out these measures. But many children take several months to completely potty train and you simply can't stay in your house that long. Be brave, take them out just be prepared. Soon these potty training days will be a distant memory.

By Christina VanGinkel

Anyone who has ever spent any time actively potty training his or her child has been there, when it is just easier to put o a diaper on a toddler. You are running to the store, and are short on time, and the last thing you feel like dealing with is a toddler suddenly having to use the bathroom. Maybe you are taking a long car trip, bathrooms stops are going to be short supply, and so on goes a diaper. You are spending the day at the in-laws, and the last thing you need is for your child to wet themselves, on your mother-in-laws new sofa! The scenarios are various, but the results are all the same. To save ourselves the hassle of finding a bathroom, or stopping numerous times to use one, or having an accident occur in an inopportune place, we simply put a diaper on our child.

When parents talk about potty training amongst themselves, about setbacks, and how well junior was doing, then suddenly they just reverted to square one, you will rarely hear that it had anything to do with parental responsibility, but this is a common reason that kids suddenly revert to using a diaper.

If a parent approaches the need to go to the bathroom as a hassle, it is easy to understand why their child might pick up on that thought process and just decide that being in a diaper is not that bad after all.

The problem is though; there are occasionally valid reasons to avoid putting a child struggling with the process of potty training in a regular pair of underwear, including those mentioned already and numerous other reasons too. Finding balance is the key issue here.

Padded training type underwear, along with newer alternatives such as pull up style diapers, can be used in place of an ordinary diaper during those times that a product somewhere in between underwear and a diaper are required. They can be a big help during the transitory times, as long as they are approached naturally, and with the conference that they are in use to protect clothing and other surroundings from being damaged and not for the convenience of the child or the adult.

How you approach the use of such items is as important as what you dress your child in. If you nonchalantly ignore their request to make it to a bathroom, you cannot find fault with them if an accident occurs. As a matter of principle, if you are helping a child with potty training, you need to make every effort available to get them to a bathroom when nature calls. If you just walked past four restrooms on your trek through the mall, only to arrive out at your vehicle to hear that a bathroom is suddenly needed, then trek back inside to use one. Look on the bright side; at least you know where they are located!

The thing with kids and potty training is that kids do not always have the knowledge ahead of time of the need to go as an adult does. One minute they are thinking about what cartoon they want to watch, what snack they liked and how can they get mom or dad to fork it over again, when suddenly, the need is there, front and center, and not a lot of time in between.

Parents can, and do sabotage their own work when it comes to potty training, and it is work, no doubt about it. Always being at your child's disposal for a lengthy period can be difficult. If you want your child to succeed though, then it may mean sacrifice from the adults in his or her life. If it is at all possible to get your toddler to a bathroom, even if it is somewhat of a hassle, take them. Praise them when they go, praise them for trying. I am a fan of never using negativity when it comes to the process of teaching a child to use a bathroom, as we have all been there at some point in our lives, either as a learner or as a teacher. Keep in mind the big advantage to all of this is the trade off for a successful attempt at potty training, no more diapers!

By Brandi M. Seals

The Fall can be an excellent time to spend some quality time with your family. The Summer temperatures have cooled and the leaves have begun to change. This set up means more fun can be had outdoors.

This Fall plan ahead and have a few good weekend ideas in mind the next time the kids whine that there is nothing to do. Instead of plopping them down in front of the T.V. consider heading out for a day of family fun.

One of the best things about the Fall is the corn. While Fall is past the growing season for corn that humans consume, many place still have corn in their fields. Where there is corn, there are often corn mazes.

Generally prior to planting their crops, farmers that offer corn mazes will plan out a design. It may be winding and twisted or even look like a pumpkin to anyone flying overhead. There are several different mazes. Hopefully, you can find one near you.

Pick a cool day and gather up the family and head out to the corn maze. It may take you 15 minutes to find your way through or it may take several hours. Either way, the corn maze will entertain you and your kids.

Check with the people running the corn maze. They generally offer additional activities, such as hay rides, bonfires, or pumpkin carving contests.

If there are no additional activities, do not worry. You can still do many of them at your own home. Pick up some pumpkins at a roadside stand or grab some next time you are at the grocery store. You and the kids can have fun carving them in your own home.

Be sure to get a safe pumpkin carving kit. They come with dull serrated knives that can carve through the thick skin of a pumpkin and yet not hurt your child. If you still don’t feel comfortable letting the little ones carve their own pumpkins, at least let them pick there own design.

Using a pencil or marker, have your kid draw on a design that you can carve out. But don't steal all the fun. The kids can still clean out the yucky interiors of the pumpkins. Be sure to do this step with a newspaper under the pumpkins. It makes clean up a breeze. Simply roll up the paper and throw it and the mess out. But don't throw those seeds away. They can be baked up into a yummy treat.

There are several different ways to prepare pumpkin seeds but I like to bake them. Start by cleaning the seeds off. Make sure they are free of all pulp and then soak them in a mixture of salt and water. It doesn't have to be perfect, but a ½ a tablespoon per cup of water used generally works well. Allow the seeds to soak at least 8 hours.

When you are ready for the next step, remove the pumpkin seeds from the salt water. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pumpkin seeds out on a baking sheet so that they are not stacked on top one another and pat dry. Toast the seeds for 20 minutes or until they begin to darken. If you can see them jumping up off the pan, they are done.

If pumpkins are not your thing, think about visiting an apple orchard. Apple orchards are great in the fall. The apples are ready. Cider is available and there tons of apple-related activities for visitors to be occupied with.

Pick some apples with your family then turn them into candied apples or caramel apples in your own home. There are kits available at most grocery stores to make these tasty treats. If you cannot find one or want to do it yourself, follow the recipe below.

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cup of butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
14 oz of sweetened, condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
10 apples

Melt butter in a sauce pan and slowly add in the brown sugar, corn syrup, and a dash of salt if you like. Cooking over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil (being sure to stir occasionally). Stir in the condensed milk. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 245 degrees. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

Dip your apples into the mixture and then roll them in the chopped peanuts. Allow the apples to rest on wax paper until they set up completely.

By Christina VanGinkel

I have written on the subject of baby naming before, but recently had a new perspective on this subject brought to my attention. Actually, it was not so much a new perspective, as it was the subject itself being looked at more directly, with discussion on various fronts of the baby naming game brought more into the light of day, into reality, and not the cutesy perspective it is so often discussed within. With this in mind, I thought sharing a few of the insights and the way I perceived them with all of you was appropriate. Let me say that my final perspective that I came away with was not so much that any chosen name is wrong for a child, only that the way a name is chosen can be wrong. If you have a heartfelt reason for giving your child a name, no matter how popular or unpopular the name is with others, then name your baby what you will and do so proudly. As long as you have a strong conviction on why you named baby what you did, and can share that reasoning with your child, as they grow older, you can rest assured that you chose the right name.

The do not's, I learned, were simple. Avoid giving your baby a name this is a fad. Do not just open a baby naming book and let your finger land where it will. Do not give a baby a name that when converted to initials spells out something you would rather it not. Also, be sure to consider what the name rhymes with, though this one can be hard, simply because every name conceivable is probably going to rhyme with something rather wish it did not. Try to avoid the obvious though.

As the discussion grew, I was asked how long a person carries his or her first name with them. Of course, my answer was a lifetime. Save for a very few persons who for a variety of reasons change their name, most people keep the moniker they are given at birth until their death. Some may choose to transform their given first name into an initial and predominantly make use of their middle name, but even these people still keep their first name. With this simple fact in mind, it suddenly becomes apparent why more than a few minutes should be given to the process of naming baby. For something that lasts a lifetime, it surely should be given more than a passing thought.

A person's first name is used throughout a life, from infancy, childhood, adulthood, as a parent themselves, and into old age. Keeping this in consideration, a name that fits a young child might not be so good in the boardroom for example. Trying to imagine a name we choose for our child as the name of an adult we know can often help a parent weed out those names that they think sound cute, but are obviously lacking in some way when it comes to mind that this name is going to be around for years to come.

Say the name aloud. Put someone else's face to the name if you can conjure it up. For example, think of your old high school teacher or a friend you know through business or some leisure activity. Consider how it would be if you were hearing the name you have under consideration out in the real world. If it sounds totally off track, maybe you need to reconsider the name itself, or at least the reason you have chosen the name.

In the end, what it all came down to, was that a child's name should not be something thought up in a minute, on a whim if you will. It is something that is going to stay with that child for a very long time, through eternity, so at least give it due thought. Say any name you think you might choose aloud. Say it under different circumstances and in full with the middle and last name too. Think it over for a few days, weeks even. There is no hard and fast rule that you must put in stone a name before taking baby home from the hospital, so do not feel pressured by anyone. In the end, if your child asks you someday how you came up with the name, you did give him or her; you can say with all honesty that it was not chosen lightly.

By Brandi M. Seals

Having a baby is a wonderful and exciting experience, but following the pregnancy unwanted pounds can linger. Most women gain somewhere between 25 and 35 pound for each pregnancy. Some go upwards of 75 pounds. Each person is different. What isn't different is the inability to easily shed all those extra pounds. New moms tend to only lose 10 to 14 pounds after the baby's birth. That leaves plenty of extra post-pregnancy pounds and they are often some of the hardest to lose. But with a little work and some determination you can start to work on sliming your waist.

It can be frustrating to try so hard to lose weight and see no results or limited results. Following pregnancy hormones can often take awhile to snap back to the way they used to be. During that time it may be very difficult to lose any weight at all because your body may still be telling itself to hold on to the weight. Try not to get discourage. Instead come up with a plan to stay healthy.

Eat Right
The first step in losing weight or otherwise just being healthy involves eating right. Make sure you get at least 1500 calories a day from a good food source.

A healthy diet is one that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, and low-fat dairy products. The diet should also be low in trans fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. A good rule of thumb is that if it is made fresh you will avoid the added sodium, cholesterol, and fats that are often found in processed foods.

Try not to do a traditional diet. By limiting what you can have, people tend to feel deprived and may lapse. Instead, eat in moderation and focus on eating better-for-you foods.

Don't Weigh Yourself
It can be tempting to check how you are doing by weighing yourself. Try to avoid it most of the time. If you fluctuate up a pound or two it can be devastating and lead to comfort eating. Hide the scale if you must, but do not fixate so much on the numbers. It is more important to eat healthy and get exercise than it is to weigh a set number you have in mind.

Wear Clothes That Fit
You may still have to wear maternity clothes for a bit after the pregnancy. Don't be stubborn and insist you can fit in smaller clothes then you actually can. By stuffing yourself into clothes that don't fit, you could become depressed. Clothes that fit will go a long way towards giving you the confidence and motivation you need to shed the extra pounds. Don't underestimate the effect they can have.

Exercise
It can be hard to get time to yourself to exercise, but make every effort to get some time away from the baby and be active. Get a babysitter for an hour every other day or let your husband handle everything while you work out.

To shed those pregnancy pounds get your heart pumping. You should strive for 30 to 60 minutes of exercise at least 4 times a week. More often would be better. Be sure that your exercise is vigorous enough that you get your heart pounding and your body sweating.

Aerobics are a great choice for new moms. The activity will help burn fat and calories and will aid in building muscles. Keep in mind that muscle works at a higher metabolic rate than fat and can burn more calories.

Whatever you do, make sure you like it. It will be easier to stick with it when you like what you do. Also try finding a workout partner or a whole group of friends to exercise with. They will hold you accountable and give you the boost you need to exercise on the days you just don't feel like it.

Breast Feed
In addition to saving money on formula and providing your baby with the food and nutrients you need for free, there are other unsung benefits of breast feeding. Women that breast feed their babies tend to lose their baby weight faster than those that do not. Keep in mind if you are breast feeding that the baby is being fed from your calorie intake. If you try cutting out too many calories too soon your baby and your milk production may suffer. Be sure to maintain a diet of 1500 to 1800 calories daily if you are trying to lose weight while breast feeding.

As parents, we have our own ideas (and probably more than a little bit of friendly advice from others!) about when to start solid foods for baby and what those foods should be. I have heard advice and have read articles claiming that any time between 4 months and a full year is the right time to start.

If you feel that jarred baby food is an added expense you would rather not deal with, try making your own baby food. Whenever you decide that it is time to start fruits and vegetables, you will find the first controversy. Half of the so-called experts suggest starting with fruits and yes, the other half swears that vegetables should be the first solid food. The problem is that each argument has points that make perfect sense.

Getting to the nitty gritty here, you can puree many of the vegetables for baby that the rest of the family is having for dinner. There are a few things that won't work so well, but most vegetables can be pureed just fine. One that comes to mind that would not be a very good choice is corn because it would be difficult to puree and shouldn't be given to babies anyhow. Things like snow peas with tougher shells would also not be a good choice for one of the first vegetables.

If they are thoroughly cooked, some good choices for pureeing include peas, green beans, carrots, and squash. There will be some fruits and vegetables that are simply easier to buy than to make homemade and that's fine, too. There is one thing to remember when you start solids, whether buying or home pureeing; many experts are now saying that red beets, spinach, citrus fruits, and a handful of other things should not be given to a baby under a year or 18 months old. Be sure to do your homework!

When it comes to fruit, try bananas; apples (make sure to cook them soft!); berries without seeds; and so on. In this category, you may want to check the jarred baby food section for any fruits that you may not be able to find locally. This will give the baby a wide range of new tastes and nutrients.

Before you start chopping, cooking, and then pureeing in a blender or food processor, be sure to clean the fruits and vegetables completely. Just because something is labeled "organic" doesn't mean that it won't have to be washed.

When you are feeding solids to baby, most baby doctors will recommend introducing a new food no more often than every few days. That will allow you to make sure there are no food allergies.

Any time that you are making homemade baby food, especially for a young baby not yet with teeth and in toddler stage, be sure to check that the blender or food processor did its job and didn't leave any chunks behind. Double check this, of course, when you are actually feeding the baby.

After the baby is accustomed to eating the solid foods that you have pureed, you may find that you want to try some of the mixtures you see in the prepared jars of baby food. Two vegetables mixed are often tasty, but fruit combinations are tried more often.

Ask the baby's doctor about serving a little bit of yogurt either by itself or mixed with one of the fruits. Some doctors will give a green light for this but others would rather have you wait until the baby is a little older.

One problem with making your own baby food is that you will undoubtedly make a lot more pureed fruits and vegetables than baby will be able to eat in a day or two. The best way I've heard to avoid this is to freeze "cubes" of the food in freezer bags. The cubes are made by freezing the baby food you prepare in ice cube trays.

As the baby gets older and is able to eat just about everything that you have on the table for the rest of the family, you will find that blending up your casseroles and main dishes and meats (be sure to research how to make homemade baby food meats before you do this) for the baby will have become second nature to you and you can feel confident that the baby isn't getting all kinds of preservatives and extra sodium and sugars from processed foods.

By Christina VanGinkel

With the older kids off to school, your older toddlers might be feeling a bit left out. They might even have a desire to go along with their older siblings to school, and no true understanding that before long it will be their turn. In the meanwhile, coming up with projects to keep them occupied is going to be a never ending cycle. Pulling out a few craft recipes that are both fun and kid friendly can help break up the early monotony of being left behind.

Yes, you can buy putty and kid safe clay in the store. All of these recipes have store counterparts for that matter. However, a big part of the attraction of these activities is that kids get to make them, and play with them. There is an innate sense in kids of wanting to know how things are created. Allowing them to measure and pour ingredients, and mix all of the ingredients up until they have a substance that they can then play with, lends a completely new level to their playtime. With that in mind, gather all of the ingredients beforehand, or add even another step, and help the kids create a shopping list to head to the store to buy what you all need to make these fun concoctions.

Once you have the ingredients gathered up, supply a few kid friendly mixing bowls and measuring cups, all preferably plastic (avoid glass that if dropped when they are mixing or measuring could break), and a few long handled wooden spoons. An apron is a big help too, especially when they decide that mixing with their hands is the best way to get good result, finally, a large, flat surface to work on, such as a countertop or table. A plastic tablecloth laid over whatever work surface you choose will enable you to clean up in a snap and keep much of the mess contained. If you are worried about spills on a floor, you could always move the tablecloth outdoors to a picnic table.

Child Safe Putty

The ingredients you will need for the putty are liquid starch and white glue. Elmer's School glue works great, or any off brand will suffice. Mixture rate is one part liquid starch to two parts white glue. In other words, if you use one cup of liquid starch, mix it with two cups white glue. Mix parts together well, kneading it much as one would any dough mixture. Be sure to allow the ingredients time to react with each other, thus creating the substance we all know and love as putty. Store in any airtight container, such as a Tupperware or Rubbermaid container, but avoid those plastic containers whose lids do not snap tightly closed, as it will dry out. Zip closed style bags work well too, but I recommend doubling them up if there is any chance the bags are not airtight. This will last quite some time, and is as fun to play with days later as it was the first day it was made.

Child Safe Clay

There are many recipes floating around for clay. The biggest concern with any of the recipes that I have found is that they can dry out. Store them somewhere cool, in a container with a tight fitting lid, clean up promptly after play, and discard when clay begins to dry out. This is a good excuse to make a fresh batch!

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups salt
3/4 cups water

Mix the dry ingredients together well, before adding water.

Slowly add water, stirring mixture, until consistency thicken, and then switch to kneading. Kids love this part almost as much as they do playing with the finished clay. If you think your mixture needs more water during this stage, add only a half a teaspoon at a time, as you can easily add to much water, turning your clay into a goopy mixture that is hard to handle. If you make several batches, color each batch with a drop or two of food color to liven things up. As stated before, be sure to store in an airtight container, or double thickness, zip closure style bags to keep your clay fresh for days, even weeks of play.

By Brandi M. Seals

The world of children's entertainment was dealt a blow today as beloved Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin dies in an unusual accident.

Irwin was loved by millions for his antics on his hit television show Crocodile Hunter. He also starred in the film; Crocodile Hunter - Collision Course which was released in 2002 and he appeared in Dr. Doolittle II in 2001.

In addition to his success on television and in the movies, Irwin was also the Director of the Australian Zoo.

Irwin was accidently killed in a stingray attack off the shore of Queensland, Australia along a portion of the Great Barrier Reef while filming a documentary of the ocean's deadliest creatures. While stingray attacks are not usually deadly, Irwin's heart was pierced by the barb on the stingray's tail.

Irwin seemed to anticipate that his life might be cut short. At one point he was quoted as saying "If something ever happens to me, people are gonna be like we knew a croc would get him!"

On this sad occasion let's take a moment and recognize other current individuals that carry on Irwin's dream of teaching everyone, especially children, about animals all around the world.

1.) Jack Hanna
Jack Hanna has been the go-to animal expert for years. He got his start as a pet store owner after majoring in business in college but he knew he wanted to do more. In 1973 Hanna was offered the opportunity to direct a small zoo in Sanford, Fl. He jumped at the chance.

Hanna worked at the zoo for a couple of years before taking a break. Two years later Hanna jumped back in and took over as director of the Columbus Zoo in Ohio. The zoo had been suffering from poor attendance. He changed all that by implementing several educational events. He was overwhelmingly successful at drawing people to the zoo and because of his efforts, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a state-of-the-art park today.

In 1985, Hanna got his start with the media. He was invited to appear on Good Morning America and talk to viewers about animals. His knowledge and charm worked well at educating people about animals while he entertained them. His first appearance was so successful that he was soon appearing on so many shows that he had to leave his job at the zoo.

In 1992, Hanna was made director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and in 1993 he began hosting Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures. It is the longest-running, most-syndicated animal show in the world.

2.) Jeff Corwin
Jeff Corwin is a bit of a wildcard. He often quotes movies and jokes around on camera about various animals. His winning personality and whit have taken him far. He is an Emmy winner for his television efforts and Corwin is always working for the conservation of endangered animals.

Corwin is host of The Jeff Corwin Experience, a highly popular cable show that reaches over 13 million viewers in the United States and can bee seen in over 70 countries around the world.

Since June 15, 2005, Corwin has also begun hosting a second show, Corwin's Quest. The series was filmed for months on five continents. In the show Corwin investigates animal behavior and how their senses of smell, sound, etc. affect their behavior.

If Corwin is not out filming, he can probably be found lecturing on wildlife, ecology and conservation across the United States. Corwin has established a museum and environmental education center, called EcoZone, in his hometown of Norwell, Mass.

Corwin holds Bachelor of Science degrees in biology and anthropology from Bridgewater State College, and a Master of Science in wildlife and fisheries conservation from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Corwin has appeared in several shows to discuss animal conservation. They include the Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Morning Show, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Access Hollywood, Extra and Oprah.

3.) Ruud Kleinpaste
Host of Animal Planet's Buggin' with Ruud, Kleinpaste has spent a large part of his life studying insects. Bugs are his passion and each week Kleinpaste shares that with viewers on his popular television show.

He has written several books and numerous columns. He has been on the radio and performed in television shows.

Kleinpaste was born in Indonesia, but moved to Holland with his Dutch parents when he was very young. He attended Wageningen University and eventually earned a Master of Science in silviculture, animal ecology and conservation.

Kleinpaste worked for years as an entomologist for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Auckland, New Zeeland. But, he did not like the public's perception of bugs and set out to become a media advocate. He got his chance to follow his dream in 1987 on a local radio talk show called Ruud's Awakenin. The show was a top-rated series that has continued for over 18 years.

Since 1990, Kleinpaste has expressed his love of bugs on television. He appeared on numerous shows, like Maggie's Garden Party in New Zeeland. He has been a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. And now he currently hosts his own Animal Planet show.

By Brandi M. Seals

There are so many children's books out there. The list is almost endless. But there are a few books that have stood the test of time. They will be as much of a favorite for your children as they were for you.

Next time you are in the market for a new children's book, consider getting one or all of these all time great books. They will make a great gift for any child you know:

1.) Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
This book, first published in 1974, is filled with wonderful little poems that your kids will want to recite all day long. Where the Sidewalk Ends is the bestselling children's poetry book ever. It features 130 poems, each different yet funny and touching all at the same time.

Pick up a copy of this book, which retails for less then $20. Your kids will get a kick out of all the poems.

2.) Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Where the Red Fern Grows tells the story of Billy Colman and his two coonhound pups. The trio wanders relentlessly through the Ozarks Mountains, trying to catch a raccoon, any raccoon. In time, the trio wins the annual coon-hunt contest by captures the ghost coon. Along the way the dogs must fight with a mountain lion. Although the dogs win the fight, their wounds prove to be too much. Upon visiting the graves of his dogs Billy sees a red fern growing between the grave, which holds a special meaning to him.

Billy recounts an Indian legend in which a little boy and girl were lost in a blizzard. The pair froze to death and when they were found the next Spring a red fern was growing between the bodies. The story went on to say that the seeds of a red fern can only be planted by and angel and that the fern could never die. The site where one grows is sacred land.

3.) The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
This wonderfully illustrated book showcases the life of one caterpillar. Readers will follow as long as the very hungry caterpillar eats a leaf, an apple, and much, much more. Children are taken on the caterpillar's journey as he eats and eats before finally turning into a butterfly.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar will be well received by any toddler. It retails around $20, and can usually be found at most libraries.

4.) Corduroy by Don Freeman
Corduroy tells the story of a teddy bear named Corduroy and his adventure in a store. Day in and day out Corduroy sits on the shelf of a department store. A little girl was about to buy him when her mother noticed the bear was missing a button from his overalls and refuses to let her get the bear. That night, Corduroy is determined to find his button. He wanders through the somewhat frightening store always on the look out.

During his adventure in the big store, Corduroy tries to pull a button off a mattress, but ends up falling off the bed and knocking over a lamp. Unfortunately for the bear, the night watchman hears the crash and finds Corduroy. Corduroy is taken back downstairs and put on the shelf. Corduroy gives up the search for the button and the next morning, a little girl buys him with money she saved. She even sews a replacement button on for Corduroy.

5.) Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Judy Blume is one of the all-time best children's authors around. She has several books to her credit including Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. This book is the start of a series of related books that include Superfudge, Fudge-a-mania, and Otherwise Known as Shelia the Great. They all offer different looks into the lives of the Hatcher kids and those around them.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing details Peter's, the eldest Hatcher child, life. He is in fourth grade and is trying to learn how to deal with his baby brother Fudgie. Fudgie is a cute kid that meddles too much, and is all around just plain old problematic for Peter.

Each of these books would be wonderful additions to any collections. I even find myself reading them over and over again.

By Christina VanGinkel

Grocery Shop

Create a list of objects, shapes, and colors that your kids have to find while shopping. Each child should be provided with their own list and a crayon for keeping track of their finds. Most kids aged two to three and up, should be able to accomplish this task. Be sure kids understand that they only have to see the object, shape, or color, the item does not have to be in the cart. Lists can be reprinted numerous times, so do not feel as if you have to spend tons of time creating a unique list each shopping occasion. There are no winners in this game, yet for each child that makes a concerted effort to fill their list with finds, they will be awarded a star. When so many stars are earned, to be determined by the parent, some small treat or reward could be given. If kids act up when shopping, instead of concentrating on filling their list with checks for those items they see, they will in turn, lose as tar, thus not getting any closer to earning a reward.

Make Dinner

The old standby of providing a low cupboard for baby filled with child safe plastic ware, and a few noisy pots and lids is still my favorite. Do make sure the cupboard is nowhere close to the stove, but close enough so that you can monitor their actions. If your kitchen and family area are open, utilize a spot in the family room. Spills or splashes from a hot stove are a concern, and your children should never be allowed to play where such an accident could occur.

For very young children, place them in their high chair, dump a few tablespoons of water on their tray, and give them a few plastic spoons to splash around with. I commonly did this after a meal too, while I cleaned up the dishes. It actually helped me by making the tray that much easier to wipe clean.

Work at Home

Kids love to play grown up, and providing them with their own drawer of office supplies is by far the best way to keep them occupied while you get in some work hours at home. If you have the room, give them a desk and chair of their own too. Add a few age appropriate workbooks and you are sure to be able to get in at least a half an hour of work here and there.

De Stress

We have all been there. It can hit any time of the day, morning, noon, or evening. The kids want entertaining, we want ten minutes of solitude. For the very young, put that playpen to use and put them in it, and always keep a few new amusements on hand for just such an occasion. Toddlers can usually be entertained by providing them with a bowl of water and a few measuring cups. Spread a couple of bath towels on your kitchen floor to help contain the spills, strip them down to their diapers, and le them play. You will have to keep them within sight, but they will be so occupied, you will be able to enjoy a cup of tea, or flip through the pages of a favorite magazine.

If everyone needs to be de stressed, pop in a CD of some fun tunes and get everyone dancing. It can strip away your stress, and use up some of that over bottled energy your toddlers are expressing. Dancing fast, then dancing slow, ending on a slow song, can be a great prelude to naptime.

Anytime

Kids love to partake of tasks that are outside of their normal routine. Letting them splash around with water, pretending to be grownups at the office, dancing, and more are all great ways to break up the monotony of playing with their usual toys, and following their regular schedules. When you need to keep the kids occupied, ask yourself what they have not done in a while that they love to do. If they are occupied in a task they enjoy, chances are you will be able to carve out a few minutes doing whatever task it is you want to accomplish.

By Christina VanGinkel

Recycling might not be a term you think of when it comes to baby and the products you use for him or her, but when you think of how much of some of the items you go through with baby, it should be. Baby wipe containers are my all time favorite item to recycle actually. The rectangular plastic tub types, with a snap tight lid, can be transformed into all sorts of fun and productive items. Travel size containers can also be fun to revamp, and those that come in round, tube form, can be recycled too.

Readying your Containers

When you empty a wipes container, rinse and dry before transformation, otherwise any decorations or embellishments you apply may not adhere well. Depending on what it is, going to be made into, you might have to remove the interior lid that is standard on several brands of both the large and travel size packages, but do not do so until you know what your container is going to be used specifically for. The interior lid is usually thinner than the regular lid and has a slot in the center for pulling the wipes through. It also works to help keep the wipes moist, so for some recycling projects, you might want to leave it in place.

With Scrapbookers always looking for objects to decorate and reuse, baby wipes containers are ideal. They can be transformed into containers to store miscellaneous embellishments, to containers made to store very specific items. Kid's projects are popular too, and I even have one for the geocachers!

Ribbon Storage

Take a small dowel rod and cut it to length so that it will fit into your tub. Slide your ribbon onto it. Cut a row of small rectangular slits across the front of the tub so that you can pull a piece of each roll of ribbon out of it. Of course, you will want to decorate the tub so that is looks as good as it is useful in your scrap room.

Stamp Cleaner

Travel packs make great stamp cleaners. Decorate to your liking, and leave a wipe or two inside to clean your stamps between uses. If you have a preferred cleaning solution, cut and fold several heavy-duty paper towels, place inside of travel pack, and moisten with solution.

Stencil Kit

This is actually a great use for the soft plastic lids. Note: Hard plastic containers will not work for this. The soft, bendable plastic is ideal. Remove the lid from the container, cutting off carefully along the seam, so as not to damage the lid or container, as you will want it to fit back on the bottom when finished. Using assorted paper punches, punch a row of designs, or just a random set of punches. Use as a stencil on various crafting and scrapbooking projects with markers. Store your markers in the bottom, and snap the converted lid back on to keep your new stencil kit all together.

Child's Purse

If you have a little girl in your life, make use of some of the more frilly supplies from your scrapping collection and transform any wipes container, big or small, into a tote. If you are a crocheter, remove the lid from a large round or rectangular container, and with a paper punch, punch holes all the way around the top. Crochet in the holes around, and a few rounds up, making a purse that can be opened and closed simply by having a simple crochet strip run through the last round of stitches. Cover the bottom part with fabric or let the kids decorate with paint, markers, or glue and bits and pieces of craft materials (think sequins!).

Treasure Chest

Both boys and girls would love a treasure chest all their own. You can decorate it and surprise them, or let them in on the fun and have them help. This is a great project for all those left over jewels that you have from your jean decorating days!

Geocachers Cache Container

The round wipe containers work best for this idea, simply because their lids are often tight fitting, yet can be removed relatively easily. The last thing any geocacher wants is a cache whose inside will become wet, causing damage to its contents. Plastic containers are great for making a cache to hide to begin with, so reusing these types of containers is a great way to recycle them. Spray paint in camouflage colors, or use camouflage duck tape to cover.

Having quadruplets sounds interesting! Well, actually it is more than that. I remember going to the doctor thinking that I was pregnant with twins. All that joy on mine and my husband's faces just went away when we were told that we were expecting quadruplets. The chance of somebody getting pregnant with quadruplets is less than 0.5%. We were shocked.

Actually we did not know what to do. At that moment we had no idea of what to expect. The doctor said that we had only 30% chances that things will turn out to be OK and that we had to have a deduction, something that I did not even want to thing about. An abortion for any reason was out of the question. Just thinking that I had to choose between my children, of whom to kill and who not, drove me and my husband crazy. We decided to visit as many doctors as possible in order to get different opinions about the matter. All doctors had the same answer, "You have to remove one or two embryos". That was not what I wanted to hear so internet and research was my second option. And the miracle appeared in front of my eyes... Several couples managed to bring quadruplets to life with problems that could be overcome. The first thing I did was to print copies of all those articles and take them to my doctor telling him that if all those women managed to give birth to quadruplets I would manage as well. I even told him that I would have two boys and two girls. He laughed and he said "Good Luck!" From there and onwards a continues struggle to prove I was right begun.

My husband was close to me from the first moment. We agreed that we will fight until the end. At least we would be in a position to say that we have tried everything that we could to give all four babies the same chances for life. My parents were optimistic; they both wanted me to keep all babies. My parents-in-law were thinking that this was a mistake. Actually, my mother-in-law never expressed clearly her opinion, but she said that if I had a deduction, it wouldn't be such a tragedy. My father-in-law said that we should do what the doctor said. Anyway that decision was 99% mine, since I was the one who carried those babies, and I decided to keep them all!!!

Bed and sofa were my best friends for that period of my life. We were counting not only the days but even the minutes. It was important for the babies to remain in the uterus until the 30th week of pregnancy. My eating habits changed. I love eating, especially sweets, but at that period of my life I could not eat much. I did not like sweets, only fruits and vegetables (healthy food in general). The amount of food that I was eating was reduced to the minimum. I lost a few kilos as well!! It is unbelievable, but during those 30 weeks and 2 days I only gained 8.5kgs! My body (belly) had a rectangular shape and my heart beats reached 120. During the 30th week I had very hard time breathing and the doctors were afraid that this would probably cause me a heart attack. It was very difficult for me to move and even more difficult for me to walk. I did not get very emotional, as other pregnant women do, but I was getting angry with almost everything and everyone. I felt a prisoner in my own body and that drove me crazy.

On Tuesday the 13/12/2005 I gave birth to four beautiful babies. They had to stay in the incubator for about 2 months with a lot of breathing problems since they were premature, but thank God now they are all fine. The doctors, that treaded the babies in the intensive care unit, did not guarantee that the babies will manage to survive. They only gave us 70% chances that all babies will manage to live. The chances of having them home with no serious health problems were kept to the minimum. Again we proved them wrong. Up to now they do not show that they have brain damage or something that we must worry about. Only the two boys need physiotherapy due to some movement difficulties, but even that is being done as a sort of exercise.

When we first brought them home we did not know anything about children. At this moment I think we can write books about raising children and the difficulties that multiple pregnancies have. Most of the books I read about those subjects have nothing to do with reality. Everything is so well written, the parents look relaxed and happy and the babies have the perfect life that everybody is dreaming for. They are all afraid to tell the truth which is very far from what things really are. Babies can be a 24 hour job. They give you good times and hard times. Actually the hard times are more...

Our life has changed completely. I love all my babies but I think it would be better if I had them one at a time. Having one baby gives you the time to raise it and you can teach it to behave the way you want. Four babies is a job. May God bless them all. They deserve all the work and fatigue of the world!!!!

There are so many parents that find it really difficult to keep up with the constant crying, whining and bickering that kids and babies will do. Babies are a little bit easier to figure out berceuse once the get what they were crying for, they usually stop crying. That has to be one of the most common mistakes new parents make, not being prepared an