10 WAYS TO INDULGE YOURSELF MOMS!!!

We spend so much time taking care of everyone else, that we sometimes forget that MOMS need a little bit of R&R sometimes too.  The better we are (physically and emotionally), the better we can be for our families. 

10 Ways to Indulge Yourself:

1. GO OUT and get a cup of coffee.  (This is one of my personal favorites.)  I love to physically leave the house to get a good cup of coffee.  I love my coffee and I love the quiet time!
2. When the kids are in school, go to one of those non-kid-friendly stores and browse.  It is so nice to go to one of those stores without having to constantly worry that one of the kids might actually touch something!  Plus, you don't have the kids or the hubby rushing you out of the store either!  You can simply relax and browse at your leisure.
3. Get a gym membership!  Exercise is great for the mind and body.  It is a great stress reliever!
4. Get up early, make some coffee and surf the web in total silence!!
5. Meet a friend for coffee or lunch.  I love getting together with a good girlfriend and catching up!
6. Paint your finger/toe nails.  May sound simple and silly, but I can't tell you how much better I feel about wearing a pair of flip flops after my toes are painted!
7. Take a half day from work and catch a movie!  This would be a perfect time for you to watch one of those chick flicks that you could never drag hubby to!
8. Take a long hot bubble bath.  Try including a nice glass of wine and some candles!  Tell hubby that the kids are his for an hour and lock the door!  Then add something that smells really nice to the bath water, enjoy the ambiance and relax!!
9. Ask your husband to take the kids out for a bit (maybe to the park or to eat) and stay behind to catch up on your shows that you DVR'd during the week, but haven't had a chance to watch!
10. Buy something for yourself!  It doesn't matter what or how little you might spend.  I could spend $10 on something for myself, but yet I am still excited just to have something new that I will be able to use.  A good one for me is health and beauty products.  There are no second chances with our skin so I really enjoy buying new things to help take care of myself and my skin.

As mothers (or even just as women period), we spend a lot of time taking care of others.  We really do forget about ourselves a lot of the time but I have learned that taking care of ourselves is just as important as anything else that we do.  So don't forget to indulge yourself!!!!

PREGNANCY WEEK BY WEEK - WEEK 11

What is happening with your baby:
Your baby is just over 1 1/2 inches long and is now almost fully formed.  The hands will soon be able to open and close into fists.  Little tooth buds are beginning to appear under the gums.  Some of the bones are beginning to harden as well.

She is stretching and kicking like crazy!  These movements will become more and more frequent as the body grows, develops and becomes more functional.  You won't feel all of the movements for another couple of months though.  The diaphragm is also forming so very soon, your baby will be hiccupping as well!

What is happening with you:
You might be getting a little bit of your energy back.  You may also notice your nausea slowly going away, but if you don't, try not to worry.  For many women, it is still a few more weeks before the nausea has gone away completely.

You may also be suffering from constipation and/or heartburn.  (The hormonal changes your body is going through slow down digestion and relax the valve between your stomach and esophagus). 

Note:  Don't worry if you haven't been able to eat too much during this time.  The average weight gain for the first trimester is only 2 to 5 pounds.  Some women don't gain any weight at all during the first trimester.  (Talk to your doctor if you are losing weight.)  The baby will get what it needs from you.  You are the one that will suffer unfortunately.  But in the end, it will all be worth it!!!

HEALTHY EATING HABITS/SNACKS FOR KIDS

Sometimes getting our children to practice healthy eating habits, can be a bit of a challenge.  There are ways to incorporate healthy eating and still have your children enjoy it!

I believe the key to teaching your children how to eat the foods that are good for them, is to start them early on.  If kids start out eating healthy from the start, they will most likely continue that trend for the rest of their lives.  And what could be more important than the health of our children?

Here are some healthy snack ideas for your kiddos:

1. Cheese - Cheese is very healthy as a snack and my kids just love it.  I like to buy the string cheese made with part skim milk.  This cuts down on the fat content a bit, but still has all of the benefits that cheese has to offer.  Cheese is loaded with protein and calcium.  So this snack also helps contribute to your child's daily calcium intake.
2. Yogurt - Yogurt is another snack that is packed with calcium, and depending which one you buy, also has vitamins as well.  I like to buy the fruit yogurts.  You can also sprinkle in a little granola for added texture, flavor, and vitamins/protein/fiber.
3. Peanut Butter - Peanut butter is very versatile.  You can use it to make a sandwich, top crackers, use it as a dip for fruit, etc.  It too is loaded with protein and is a good source of fiber.
4. Eggs - Eggs are also a great source of protein.
5. Sweet Potatoes - Sweet potato fries seem to be getting more popular every day!  You could also make sweet potato chips.  Sweet potatoes are packed full of Vitamin A, and are also a great source of Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and folate.
6. Baked Breads - There are so many varieties of breads you can make with fresh fruits and/or vegetables.  Try making some banana, zucchini, or pumpkin bread.  You could also make muffins to make them more fun for the kids!
7. Whole Grain Cereals - There are so many whole grain cereals out there today that make a great snack for kids.  Honey Nut Cheerios are one of my all time favorite snacks for toddlers.  They are also a great on the go snack!
8. Hummus - Hummus comes in a variety of flavors and is packed with nutrients.  I like to get pita chips and use the hummus as a dip.
9. Fruit - I always buy a variety of fruit from the store.  Different fruits have different nutrients/vitamins but they are ALL good for you and your kids.  Kids can never have too much fruit.  Some of our favorites are apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, and bananas.  Now that summer is well on its way, melons will be coming into season.  The whole family loves cantaloupe and watermelon.
10. Smoothies - This is just another way to enjoy fruit.  There are so many varieties of smoothies that you can make.  It is completely up to you and what you like.  Take your favorite variety of fruit and simply mix it with some ice and/or yogurt.  Just put it in the blender and you have the perfect snack (or even a meal) for at home or on the go.  I have even seen prepackaged smoothie kits.  At my local grocery store they have some in the freezer section where the fruit and smoothie mix come in the bag.  The fruit is frozen so no need to add ice.  You simply put the amount you want into the blender, add the smoothie mix and some water/juice and blend.  It is done in a matter of seconds and there is plenty for me and my kids.
11. Trail Mix - You can buy trail mix already made or you can also make your own.  Trail mix is full of a variety of nuts and dried fruits and it is packed with nutrients.  This is another on the go snack and will help keep you and/or the kids energized.
12. Raisins - Raisins are a great source of fiber and potassium.  My kids are not too big on just going for a hand full of raisins so I like to buy the cereals that have raisins in them.  But you can also add raisins to your trail mix, baked breads, or even dips (such as peanut butter).
13. Salad - All of my kids like salad to some degree.  They love the lettuce with low fat ranch dressing.  I am slowly but surely beginning to incorporate adding other vegetables as we go along.  I personally love a great salad full of vegetables!
14. Carrots and Ranch - My kids LOVE baby carrots with low fat ranch dressing.  Carrots are a great source of beta-carotene and are very good for the eyes.

There are many ways for children to eat the things that are good for them and to also enjoy what they are eating.  Instilling healthy eating habits now will help ensure your kids have a long and healthy life.

FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT ON A BUDGET

Are you racking your brain, trying to figure out ways to keep the kids busy over the summer break?  Are you concerned about how you will do just that, without breaking the bank?  There are so many free, or nearly free, forms of entertainment out there.  It may take a bit of looking and doing a little bit of research, but rest assured, there are many inexpensive entertainment activities no matter where you live.

Below, I have listed some of the things that we do to keep the kids busy.  As a family of 8 with only one income, I am constantly looking for inexpensive ways for  us to do things  together as a family.  I hope this will be of great use to all!

1. Local Parks - I see more and more parks being built in my area all the time.  Most communities have parks at no cost.  Parks are great for getting the kids out of the house and letting them burn off that extra energy that we wish we still had!  You can even take your own homemade picnic lunch and eat it at the park before playing.  Sometimes I will just stop and buy an ice cream on the way to the park.  My kids love that.
2. Bike Trails -  Often times, we load up the bikes and take the kids to the bike trails.  This is another free activity, and boy does it wear my kiddos out!  We usually pack a snack, such as fruit, chips, crackers, along with water, juice or even soft drinks.  
3. Library - With modern technology and the internet, many people have forgotten that libraries even exist.  I recently rediscovered the library when I figured out it was too noisy to study at home!  I have one close to me that was recently rebuilt.  There is an area, with comfy chairs, where you can sit and read to your kids.  Here are just a few things my public library offers:  Mystery Group, Baby Bounce (reading for infants 3 mos. to 18 mos.), Teen Room Open (teens have an open space to use laptops, watch a movie, eat snacks, play games, do a craft and BE LOUD), Toddler Time, Preschool Story Time, Computer classes, Knitting Club, Bilingual Story Time, etc.  My point here is that the library is a GREAT way to have fun with your kids and to add some educational fun learning to the mix.  I plan to use my library a lot this summer.
4. Movies - Now normally, going to the movies is not free.  But there are ways to make it more affordable.  First, go to a matinee (afternoon) showing.  Matinees are normally at least half the price, than if you were to go at night.  Second, instead of buying your snacks at the theater, try stopping by the local dollar store and stocking up.  Most dollars stores have the name brands that the theaters do and just think of all the money you save.  Moms, just smuggle it in with your purse!  You can even pop your popcorn at home and put it in a freezer bag and smuggle that in as well.  OR, eat before you go to the movies and skip the snack all together!
5. Potluck - Inviting friends over for dinner doesn't have to hurt your pocket book.  Try having a potluck, where everyone brings something!  It is a lot less expensive for you, not to mention less to have to clean up afterward!  Potlucks have always been a lot of fun to me, and you get to spend more time visiting and less time fussing over the meal.
6. Swimming - Many communities have pools that you can swim in for free.  We have one at one of our free parks I talked about.  It is nice and well maintained.  It is open all year and they have scheduled times when you can do free swim.  They also offer swim lessons by the Red Cross during the summer.  Those aren't free, but are very reasonably priced.  You may also have a pool in your neighborhood.
7. Movie Option #2 - Instead of going out to a movie, stay in and watch a family movie together.  We love to just pop some popcorn, break out the chocolate and curl up together to a good movie.  My kids really look forward to doing that.  This is the only time they get to eat in the living room!
8. Movie Option #3 - Do you have a netflix subscription?  Check out http://www.netflix.com.  Many people might already have this but we pay about $12 a month and can even download movies on the spot.  I do try to limit TV watching with the kids, but this is an inexpensive way to have a good movie on hand at all times.
9. Walking - Take a walk together in your neighborhood.
10. Walking your Pet - We actually have a dog walking park near my house, but if you don't, you can always give your dog a walk, in your neighborhood, and get some exercise at the same time!
11. Eating Out - We also try limiting this, but we all know that there are those crazy nights where you just don't have time to cook.  You had ever intention but something has come up and you just can't tonight.  So what do you do?  Check out all of the local restaurants close to you; whether fast food or dine in.  MANY of these restaurants have one night a week where kids either eat free, or at very low cost.  Some places near me that offer this are Sonic, Chick-fil-A, Luby's, James Coney Island, Denny's, just to name a few.  I know McDonald's (in my area) are offering any size fountain drinks for $1, all summer long.  We have taken advantage of that deal a time or two!  I also take full advantage of the $1 menu that most fast food restaurants offer.  In a pinch, you can really save money using this.
12. Free Magazine - My area offers a free magazine that you can pick up just about anywhere, that gives a schedule of all kinds of local entertainment.  Most of the entertainment is free or at very low cost.  There are all kinds of festivals and other activities all year long.  If you have one of these magazines for your area, I highly recommend checking it out.  You will find a wealth of information in them.
13. Zoo - The Zoo is fairly inexpensive as far as admission goes.  You can bring in your own food at my local zoo.  If you have that same option, I recommend that as food almost anywhere can get pretty pricey.  You may even want to look into buying a family season pass.  Here is would cost about $80 for my whole family for an entire year.  Not bad with having such a large family.  Within one trip, this would end up paying for itself already.
14. Family Game Night - Break out the board games and make a night of it!
15. Reading - Read a good book!  I often have my kids read.  It is a good way to keep them away from the TV and game systems, and to make them use their imagination.

Cheap entertainment is out there.  All it takes is a little imagination and some digging.  You don't have to have a lot of money to have fun!

GLIDING ROCKER - ANOTHER MUST HAVE!!!!

A gliding rocker is another "must have" item of mine.  I am sure many moms have gotten along just find without rocking chairs, but I personally could not live without mine!

After my first child was born, he was in intensive care for a few days.  I remember going into the NICU to visit him, for the first time.  The NICU had gliding rockers next to each baby bed.  They must have been a pretty new thing back then, as I had never seen them before.  But I was in heaven sitting in this chair and just knew I had to have one.  That gliding rocker is still in my living room; almost seventeen years later.  It still glides beautifully. 

Gliding rockers are a wonderful place for bonding with your baby, feeding your baby, putting your baby to sleep, etc.  I have spent countless nights and hours in my gliders, so comfort is key.  Be sure to choose a glider that has thick cushions and sufficient distance between arm rests.  (If the arms rests are too close together, and you plan to breastfeed, it may be more difficult and uncomfortable) 

Gliders range greatly in price.  I have seen them as low as $70 and as high as several hundred dollars.  I recommend meeting in the middle somewhere.  These are just one of those items that I recommend making an investment in.  It is a great piece of furniture for any nursery, but can also be used for years to come!

REVIEW FOR MATERNITY CLOTHES

Well, if you haven't already gone out to buy that first maternity outfit, you will probably be doing that very soon! 

Summer is well on its way.  The summer months can make anyone miserable and uncomfortable, but no one more than a pregnant woman right?  I put together a list of reviews for different stores, where you can purchase maternity clothes.

Target - At Target you can find Liz Lange maternity clothes.  They have a great selection and I find Liz Lange to by stylish, comfortable and affordable.  You can find tops for around $20, but I have seen them for even less when they are on sale or on clearance.  The jeans run about $30 per pair but denim does go with everything, so I recommend investing in at least one pair.  I've seen pants for as little as $20.  They also have crop pants that run from about $15 to $20.  (I bought a pair at the end of my last pregnancy and just lived in them.  They were so comfortable)  Target has a pretty good return policy, but you might want to keep your receipt, just in case.  I have never had any problems returning maternity clothes or anything else at Target.  Target  is also a great one stop shop!

Motherhood Maternity - You can find some reasonable prices at Motherhood, but their return policy is awful.  The tags still have to be on the clothes, and you only have 10 days from the receipt of purchase date.  So, if you wore something once and the seam tore, you would not be able to return it.  If you bought something for someone else, you would need to give it to them immediately so they would have time to return it if they needed to.  You definitely want to think twice about shopping where you have very limited return options.

JC Penney - You can find some great prices at JC Penney, and it seems as though they have sales all year long, BUT they don't have a very big maternity selection.  If you are at JC Penney for something else, or have one close by, it may be worth a look.  Don't forget to look online too!

KOHL'S -  Kohl's does have a maternity section, but there isn't much of one.  There might be 2 or 3 racks.  I like Kohl's as a store, but I wouldn't make a special trip just for maternity clothes.  I did look online and didn't see that they had much more of a selection there.

There are many places where you can get maternity clothes, whether it be online or you physically go out and shop.  The stores that I mentioned are probably the most common, affordable, and easily accessible to all.

When you do start shopping, have fun!!  Looking for deals can be really exciting.  Good luck on "the big hunt"!! 

PREGNANCY WEEK BY WEEK - WEEK 10

What is happening with your baby:
Even though your baby is just over an inch long, (crown to bottom), and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most important part of its development.  This is a time, referred to as the fetal period, where the tissue and organs in his/her body are growing very quickly.

Your baby is swallowing fluid and kicking like crazy.  The vital organs (kidneys, intestines, brain and liver) are now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac.  All of the vital organs are in place and beginning to function.  They will continue to grow and mature throughout your pregnancy.

Your baby's limbs now have the ability to bend.  The hands are flexed and meet over the heart.  The feet may be long enough to meet in front of the body.  The outline of the spine is visible through the translucent skin.  The baby's forehead has a bulge (but only temporarily), for the developing brain.  In the next few weeks, your baby will double in size.

How things are changing for mom:
When you go to your next prenatal visit, you may be able to hear your baby's heartbeat with a doppler.  (A doppler is a hand held device used by your doctor to hear the ultrasonic activity)  Your health care provider does this by simply placing the dopper on your belly.

The size of your pre-pregnancy uterus was approximately the size of a small apple.  By this week, it is now the size of a large grapefruit!

You may be feeling those regular size clothes are getting to be a bit snug.  If you have not done it yet, now would be the time to go ahead and get a good pair of maternity jeans and a new bra (this is probably the places you notice expanding the most).  There are many maternity jeans that you can wear throughout pregnancy and even right after you have the baby.  You can't even tell they are maternity jeans and it is great to have something comfortable both before and after your baby is born.  It buys you some extra time to get back into that favorite pair of jeans, once you have had your baby!   And denim goes with everything!

Make sure when you buy a bra, to get one that will grow with you; especially if you are planning on breastfeeding.  Your chest will probably expand more throughout your pregnancy and your cup size will most likely go up if you do breastfeed.  Also, if you do plan to breastfeed, you may want to consider buying a nursing bra and just using it throughout your pregnancy (instead of just a regular maternity bra).  The recommended number of nursing bras to have is three.  One you are wearing, one that is clean (ready for a quick change if necessary), and one that may be in the dirty clothes.

By simply buying that new pair of pants and getting a more comfortable bra, you will be surprised at how much more comfort that will give you!