What I Wish I Had Known As A First Time Mom

Do you see that picture? That sure is a cute baby. Okay, so I am totally biased because I’m his mom, but that picture reminds me of something that I did not really pay any attention to before I had a baby. I am not sure what I was expecting to see when I welcomed my first newborn three years ago, but I probably thought that he would look something like the baby in the picture. I was wrong. Newborns don’t look like babies. They look like newborns, and when your newborn baby is placed in your arms, you will … Continue reading

Dress Your Baby Bump For Halloween

  There were a couple of things that I forgot to do during both of my pregnancies that I later wished that I had done. One of them is taking maternity photos, and the other is dressing up for Halloween. Pregnant bellies lend themselves to all kinds of interesting costumes from gorgeous to gory. Since there’s only about a month left before Halloween, it’s time to get started on your costume. Need a little inspiration? If you want something comfortable, you can go for an athletic look with a tank top (or sports bra) and basketball shorts and paint your … Continue reading

Saving Money In The Nursery

Ever since you started dreaming about having a baby, you have been dreaming about creating the perfect nursery for your little bundle of joy. Unfortunately, your budget is rather tight, as many expectant parents’ budgets are. Don’t give up on your sweet nursery dreams. Roll up your sleeves and get creative, and you’ll have a nursery that looks great without breaking the bank. Choose furniture wisely. It’s expensive. You don’t have to buy a matching set that costs a fortune. Consider a convertible crib that turns into a toddler or full sized bed. For storage, you may be able to … Continue reading

Preparing For Labor

Like all good things, each pregnancy will come to an end. What awaits at the end of pregnancy? Labor and delivery. While I am a firm believer in not telling labor stories to anyone who is pregnant, I am also a firm believer in being prepared for the experience of labor. Preparedness for labor is less about which childbirth class you take or which technique you plan to use than it is about having made a plan for how you would like to proceed. At its most basic, preparing for labor includes talking to your health care provider and getting … Continue reading

Fun Apps For Your Pregnancy

Since there’s an app for almost everything these days, it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of apps out there that have been designed for pregnant women. There are the classic, practical apps like contraction timers and period trackers, but there are a few others out there that are a little more unique. I’ve looked around online and have come up with a few fun apps that you might like to try during your pregnancy. If you or your partner love fantasy sports, you are sure to enjoy Baby Pool. Even if you have never played fantasy … Continue reading

Get Ready For Baby – Fill Up That Freezer

As you near the end of your pregnancy, you have probably been thinking a lot about whether you have everything on hand that you will need once your baby comes home. Clothing, diapers, and other baby essentials are important and it is good that you have thought about what kinds of things you want to have at home in advance of baby’s arrival. There is one thing that many people may not think about, though. When you come home with a newborn baby, neither you nor your spouse or partner is likely to feel like cooking anything for the first … Continue reading

“Fast Food” for Moms-to-be

For some moms, pregnancy means an overhaul when it comes to diet. For others, it’s nothing new. Whether or not healthy foods are part of your regular diet, eating healthy on the go can be tricky, especially in a world where cheap, fast food is available everywhere. When your stomach is growling, fight the urge to pull into the drive through by keeping your purse and car stocked with healthy snacks. Prepare snacks ahead of time, storing them in zippered sandwich bags, ready to grab on your way out the door. Not sure what to bring along? Here are some … Continue reading

Preparing for a Powerful Snowstorm 2

The snow is falling, and we are all gearing up for a snowstorm that may leave us without power and without an easy way to get out of our driveway. If you missed the first post, click here: Preparing for a Powerful Snowstorm. We do have a generator (which is also gassed up and ready to go), but we can’t attach it to everything. If we will be without power for more than a few hours, we will attach it to the heat, the well pump and water treatment system, the upright freezer and the refrigerator. This will have our … Continue reading

Frugal Freezer Cooking: “Hot Pockets” 2

We are working on a freezer cooking idea–that of making “hot pockets.” You can make these pockets for pennies as opposed to buying the expensive ones in the grocery store. They are also much tastier than those other ones, I personally think. The hot pockets can be brought in for lunch or just heated for snacks. If you missed the first post that appeared earlier today, please click here. Frugal Freezer Cooking: “Hot Pockets” Now let’s continue. You can then form the pocket into a rectangle, if you want to more traditional shape. I do this by flatting the pocket … Continue reading

Appreciating Your Spouse’s Friendships

Last night as we sat down to dinner, the phone rang. We had a long day out wrapping up the Christmas shopping and doing a huge bulk session of grocery shopping to fill our freezer and be prepared for the coming winter months when getting out of the driveway is sometimes impossible. Needless to say, the kids were tired, hungry and cranky, and I had just dropped a box of organize shelf-stable chocolate milk on my toes, trying to get it down the basement stairs. So, my first instinct was to ignore the phone, but my husband got to it … Continue reading