The etiquette around a baby shower for baby #2 is kinda uncertain. Some say only a baby shower for the first baby. Some say a baby shower for #2 is okay if it’s a different sex. Personally, I think that every child deserves to be celebrated. Over the past few months, I was frequently hinting to my mother that it would be nice to have a sort celebration, like a Blessingway before baby girl arrives.
A Blessingway isn’t a baby shower. The term Blessingway is actually a Navajo term. Many people now use this term to mean a celebration of pregnancy and motherhood. No matter what you call this ceremony, the meaning is the same – to celebrate becoming a parent. I didn’t want gifts. Rather a time for the women I hold close to my heart to get together, share a life verse for baby girl, pray for baby girl, and of course…EAT! I even tried to help my mother plan the celebration…but without much enthusiasm on her end…I just let it slide.
Little did I know that her and my sister were instrumenting a surprise celebration for me and baby girl. I thought I was going to a Pampered Chief party…only to walk in on a room full of women that are very near and dear to me! It was a huge reminder of how much love and support I have surrounding baby girl, Kolt, and me. I am so lucky to have such wonderful women in my life.
One of the very special activities was the beautiful necklace that was made for me by all of the women at the celebration. My mother orchestrated the making of a necklace for me to wear in labor to remind me of everyone thinking and praying for me. This is incredibly special to me. It is made out of amethyst beads. Amethyst is February’s birthstone. Amethyst has been known to bring peace, courage, inner strength, to ease stress, and assist in meditation/visualization. Perfect for labor, right? I am so excited to wear this during baby girl’s labor and delivery!
There have been many challenging time throughout this pregnancy but this beautiful celebration reminded me how blessed I truly am!
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Just another wonderful thing about breastfeeding is that you do not need to maintain a perfect diet in order to provide quality milk for your baby. In fact, research tells us that the quality of a mother’s diet has little influence on her milk. However, healthy eating habits will make you feel better and be healthier. It’s always best for anyone to eat a variety of foods, in close to their naturally-occurring state.
The following are the main groups of foods that should be included in the daily diet.
Here are a few of my favorite breastfeeding snacks…
Studies have shown that most healthy breastfeeding women maintain an abundant milk supply while taking in 1800-2200 (or more) calories per day. That’s the equivalent of adding 1-2 healthy snacks per day.
This post was written as part of the weekly Breastfeeding Blog Hop, hosted by Slacker Mom, The Gnome’s Mom, and ME! Want to join in? Read the rules here and link up below!
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Kristin Wells is a recent college graduate from The University of Georgia and an aspiring writer. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives through her writing. Kristin also likes competitive cycling, running, and traveling as much as possible. She blogs over at Musings of a Curious Mind.
Getting kids to consume healthy meals and snacks can sometimes be a challenge. The stigma children have attached to fruits and vegetables is that they taste bad and are boring. Adults know the truth: fruits and vegetables have the potential to be quite delicious with the right seasonings (some healthier
choices: pepper, kosher salt, rosemary, ginger and cinnamon) or even on their own. However, getting a child to believe that isn’t always easy. So, how can we get children to eat healthier foods and even enjoy them?
A smoothie is an excellent choice for children and adults, as you have the ability to put whatever you want into them and therefore control over how nutritious it is. Fruit smoothies can be incredibly tasty, tangy and filling. Berries are classified as being towards the top of the healthy fruit list and are
perfect for blending into smoothies. Blueberries, in particular, are noted for being immensely rich in antioxidants, fiber, nutrients and vitamins. Blueberries are nutritious and tasty, which is great for both kids and adults. According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, blueberries are the healthiest fruit and are a stellar anti-aging product. Blueberries also have the potential to ward off cancer and are low-calorie. Many hospitals make similar smoothies for patients undergoing chemotherapy for Pleural Mesothelioma because it is easily digestible and helps boost their immune system. Smoothies that contain blueberries and other types of fruit are guaranteed to be delicious and healthy.
Other options include pairing fruits and veggies with healthy dips such as natural peanut butter, which is high in protein. To make snacks appealing to kids, just use your imagination. Try placing the peanut butter in the center of celery sticks or as a smiley face on a plate with fruit. Kids and adults can still enjoy some of their favorite meals such as pasta and pizza by simply choosing the whole wheat options. Blending extra vegetables into any dinner dish (pasta, rice, stew, chili) boosts the vitamin and nutrient intake and adds a nice flavor. Experts stress the importance of being honest with your kids and getting them used to healthy foods, not tricking them into eating them.
Ultimately, maintaining a healthy diet is easy for both kids and adults with a little research and creativity. There are plenty of options out there to add a healthy kick to anything. Whether it’s adding some extra fruits and veggies or simply substituting some recipe ingredients with low-fat or whole
wheat products, getting kids to eat healthier can be easy and fun.
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I need to get this off my chest. I just need to say it.
I’m trying to put the past in the past. I’m trying to move forward and start a new journey…but part of me is stuck holding on.
Holding onto you. Holding onto us.
Honestly, I’m still in love with you. I still dream about a future together…all four of us. I still picture us working all of this out. I still wish I knew exactly where things went wrong and could go back and change them. I avoid thinking about all things related to our separation because it’s just TOO hard. I still long to be the only woman for you. I still cry at night thinking about how much my heart aches over loosing you. I still try to convince myself this is some horrible nightmare.
I can’t help but think that all of this would be so much easier if I could just stop loving you.
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I’ve blogged about my decision to night wean and what “method” I planned to use for night weaning, but I never shared what ended up working for us. Kolt has successfully been night weaned for about 5 months. Was it easy? No. It was down right tiring and challenging. But, was it the best choice for Kolt and I? Absolutely, yes.
I really wanted to use Dr. Gordon’s method for night weaning. But after trying if for a few nights, I realized it just wasn’t going to work for my munchkin. More than anything, it just confused him. Since he really has no sense of time, he didn’t understand why he could nurse when he woke up one time, but not the next. I guess you could say, I kind of modified Gordon’s method. I quickly learned that is was easier for Kolt to understand that he was able to nurse when it was light out. He understood when I told him it was nighttime out and we could nurse in the morning. Did he go along with it at first? No freakin way!
He cried. He screamed. He kicked. He objected this change of routine with pretty much everything inside of him. Most of the time not even fully awake. I’ve always been against letting Kolt cry it out. But had to keep reminding myself that I wasn’t letting him alone in a room to cry until pure exhaustion. I was with him every step of the way. Holding him. Rocking him. Rubbing his back. Giving him something else to “love on” during the night. Telling him it was okay. Reminding him that he could have milk in the morning. Reassuring him that I knew it was hard, but I was there for him.
And eventually…it got better. At first, his protests lasted 30-45 minutes and he needed rocked to go back to sleep. Eventually, it was just 5 minutes and a simple pat on the back. It was a difficult process, but well worth it for both of it in the end. He sleeps better and so do I!
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My name is Marah. I am a recently single, twenty-four year old, stay at home mom and aspiring photographer. I’m a breastfeeding, cloth diapering, baby wearing, attachment parenting, co-sleeping, semi-crunchy kind of mama to Kolt, born December 6, 2009. I’m now knocked up with baby #2, a girl, due to arrive around February 27, 2012, and still nursing Kolt.