Healthy Pregnancy

“Mom, can we keep him?”

Those are the famous last words!

 Summer is in full swing and kids everywhere are finding all kinds of different animals to bring home.  They look up at you with big beaming eyes and say, “I promise I’ll take good care of it. You won’t have to do a thing!”

We live near irrigation water, so my kids have been bringing home critters of a slimy kind:

I compromise and let the kids keep them for a day or two. Then, they have to let them go where they found them.

So what are kids bringing home this summer?

Well, the kids are out of school for the summer!  Parents everywhere are wondering what to do with all of this spare time and kid-energy.

Summer reading programs, play dates, and even some vacations are probably at the top of the list.

When all else fails, break out the sunblock, slip and slide, and water balloons. It never fails.

Image found: http://weheartit.com/entry/2567392

My favorite part of being pregnant is feeling the baby kick. At first, it is just small little flutters that tickle and only you can feel these. It’s so special.

But later on, it turns into belly moving action. It’s weird and cool and amazing all at the same time.

Here are some links to videos of  moving bellies:

Find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0WWOpH0oPk

Find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxoWo4WbqtU&feature=related

Making a diaper cake for a baby shower is really easy!

You’ll need:

•  50 to 60 diapers
• Rubber bands
• Ribbon
• A cake topper of your choice

Start by rolling each diaper individually.  Place a rubber band around it to secure. Now take around 25 to 30 of the rolled diapers and stand them up (sides touching) to form a circle. This will be the base, or bottom layer of your cake.  Wrap  the ribbon around and tie it in place. This will secure the diapers and hide the rubber bands.

Repeat this step, but use less diapers so the this circle is smaller. This will be your middle layer of the cake.  You’ll repeat it one more time in order to have a three layer cake.

Top it off with your choice of a topper. It could be a couple of baby bottles at different heights, or maybe some flowers.

These are great for baby showers! Try making one!

While we are on our trip, we will be going to the zoo.

Here is a good list of things to take to the zoo:

• Camera
• Stroller
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• Comfy Shoes
• Umbrella
• Snacks
• Juice and Water
• Kid’s binoculars

My son loves to play safari when we go, so we take his little binoculars and his toy that has a compass, magnifying glass, fake knife, and tweezers all built into one.

If you are going to be there during a nap time:

• Favorite small blanket
• Pacifier

Remember to get there as early as possible. Animals are more active in the morning before it gets hot out. They are sleepy and lazy during the afternoons.

Enjoy the zoo!

We are headed out for a two week vacation with four kids. It’s a road trip.

Road trips tend to be cheaper than buying 6 airplane tickets, but you end up being gone longer.  I think the best advise on taking road trips with kids is to take it slow. Give yourself enough time to stop here and there. They need bathroom breaks and snack times. 

The single best invention for the road trips:  The DVD player. Yes, we used to do just fine without them but boy are they helpful now!

This is the cutest faux sushi I have ever seen!

You have got to head over to Serious Eats and have a look! Here’s the link:

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/peeps-recipes-how-to-make-peepshi-sushi-rice-krispies-treats-easter.html

I have actually made this one before:

It was a lot of fun and everyone loved it! Find it here: http://www.notmartha.org/tomake/hostesssushi/

With my first pregnancy, everything was documented. Everything.  I loved journaling about all the changes that my body was experiencing and what the baby was doing that week.  It was exciting and emotional. I didn’t quite know what to expect and wasn’t really sure about what was happening, but I wanted to remember every little part.

With my second pregnancy, I wanted to journal, but found I had a lot less time to do so. At this point my son was a toddler. We were trying to get him potty trained before his little sisters arrived. I would journal when I could, but that second pregnancy journal is a lot thinner then the first. It’s kinda sad too, because the second pregnancy was a twin pregnancy and I could have had so much to write about.

With this last pregnancy, I wanted to keep a journal. Again, I found myself with NO time. I decided to find pictures and comics about pregnancy that I could just clip out and paste into the week.  This worked out well because it conveyed what I was feeling and experiencing, but without a lot of writing.

So how about you? Do you find time to keep a pregnancy journal?

If you like to use pictures and paste them, I just found a good one. You can buy a small print for real cheap, or even a poster. Here’s the link:

http://www.dpcprints.com/print.php?IMAGE_ID=820382

I have been up for two nights in a row with sick children.  A six-year-old and twin three-year-olds have been taking turns throwing up. Gross, I know.

It’s funny how your “mom instinct” kicks in, though. Daddy will just sleep through it all. But moms, we can hear the tell-tale signs of  a vomiting episode.  First you hear them toss and turn a little. Then you hear the little moan. This is the exact point you run to them because it’s coming! Once you reach them, they are pale and clammy.  I like to have a big bowl near-by because they can never make it to the toilet.  Never.  So, keep a bowl near-by. It’s gross, but it saves a lot of clean up!

I hate seeing my kids sick. I wish I could make them better, or at least comfortable. But, getting sick is part of growing up. And it’s part of being a mom. Vomit and all.

Ahhh. . . the second trimester.  It’s probably my favorite part of pregnancy.  Your nausea decreases and your energy returns. It’s great.

During your second trimester, you begin to “show”. People can finally tell your are pregnant and not just gaining weight.  You are still able to get in a comfortable sleeping position, which is wonderful. (Enjoy it now. . . while you can!) You reach your halfway point during your second trimester at 20 weeks.  You can still breathe, still move around, swelling isn’t that bad yet, and heartburn is at a minimum. These things will become just a wonderful memory once you enter into your third trimester.

During your second trimester your baby is growing fast. Sometime in this trimester, you will start to feel your baby. Lots of little kicks and wiggles will get you so excited! In an ultrasound, your baby finally looks like a little human instead of an alien.  In this trimester you can find out the sex of the baby, if you wish.  The baby starts to hear and responds with kicks.

I love the second trimester.