Search Results for: blog what kind of birth do you want

Should You Create A Birth Plan?

Should you create a birth plan?  It can be a helpful tool for making your wishes known both to your healthcare provider and the labor & delivery staff, but it also seems a little silly to plan something like one’s labor: after all, if we could control it, we would all have easy births. When I first heard about birth plans, I decided that they weren’t for me.  I’m a very Type A person; I get stressed if even my silliest of plans get messed up, if they’re ones I’m excited about.  Trying to plan my baby’s birth, and everything … Continue reading →

It’s Crayola’s Birthday!

Happy Birthday Crayola! Crayola makes me smile.  I know it may sound a bit silly but bringing out a new box of Crayola crayons is one of my favorite things to do with my kids.  Afternoons spent with a new set of crayons, plenty of paper, and giggling kids, will always be some of my favorite memories. And yes, it must be Crayola.  We are crayon snobs in my home and only Crayola will do.  When my son was little he thought crayons equaled Crayola and was surprised to learn other crayon companies existed.  My oldest daughter used to organize … Continue reading →

Your Presence is the Best Present

Forget about the fancy triple chocolate cookie pops, the pricey heart covered Build-a-Bear, and the massive red and white mylar balloon bouquet you were planning to gift your child with this Valentine’s Day.  Save your money and present your son or daughter with your presence on February 14th and in the days, weeks and months that follow. While candy, stuffed animals and shiny inflatables typically rank high on a child’s Valentine’s Day gift wish list, most kids would likely trade in the treats for one-on-one time with mom and dad. Life is hard enough for youngsters, so knowing that they … Continue reading →

Considering Your Spouse’s Point of View

The difference between knowing and really knowing, or feeling, something is amazing. I’m the first person to tell others that a key to any relationship, but especially a marriage, is trying to think from the other person’s point of view. It’s absolutely essential in a marriage, because we are spending the rest of our lives living with this person. The more we try to understand how our spouse thinks, the better off we’ll be. I know this, and yet it’s so hard for me to act on it. For example: once in a while my husband has to work the … Continue reading →

Pack Your Bag It’s Time To Go

If you are getting close to your delivery date, it is time to pack your bag for the trip of a lifetime. Before you drag out your suitcase and start tossing in your sunscreen and beach blanket, I should tell you that it’s a different kind of trip. That all important trip to the hospital (if you are planning to give birth at a hospital) where you will give birth to your baby. In the interest of full disclosure, I must say that with both pregnancies I did not pack my bag for the hospital until right before I left. … Continue reading →

Loving Your Toddler On His Terms

Did you know that even though you do many things every day that express your love towards your toddler, he may not always perceive himself as being loved? Things like home – cooked meals, nice clothes, and fun toys are some of the things that we strive to provide for our children out of love, in addition to hugs and kisses. Our toddlers are unique individuals, and each of them needs us to express our love to them not only on our terms, but on their terms as well. How are we to know what kinds of things will show … Continue reading →

Teen Summer Reading: Birthday Suit

I don’t know if you have the same problem as I do, but finding good reading material for teens over the summer can be a challenge. In fact, just getting teens to read at all can be difficult. I was recently sent a copy of the “Birthday Suit” written by Tyler Durman. I decided to preview the book before handing it off to one of my teens. Well it didn’t take long before I was laughing out loud. He takes the long lost art of storytelling and brings it alive again. It is comprised of nine short stories that take … Continue reading →

Preschool Primer Part 1 – Is Your Child Ready?

Recently, it dawned on me that at some point in the future Dylan will not be spending all of his days at home with me. Preschool is a topic that I have not yet given much thought, so it is time for me to learn what it is all about. Today I decided to start at the beginning, with the question of determining when a child is ready to begin preschool. Dylan will be two and a half years old this month. That is the age at which many preschools begin accepting children into their programs. For some reason, I … Continue reading →

Birthday Parties to Remember

The countdown to my daughter’s birthday party is on. However, unlike in years past when she decided on a theme for her shindig two weeks after Christmas, this time around the jury is still out. With time ticking I came up with a list of potential themes that I could probably pull off without enlisting Martha Stewart or Colin Cowie’s help. Here are just some of the fun, fun, fun suggestions my daughter will be choosing from: Bugs: My mom is a ladybug fanatic and has all kinds of decorations we could use for the party. Granted, my daughter is … Continue reading →

Special Needs Blog Week in Review – April 15 – 21, 2012

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At the end of the week, it is nice to do a quick review of all the blogs that appeared in the past seven days. The Special Needs Blog Week in Review is a great way to catch up on the blogs that you missed, but wanted to read. It gives you a brief description of each one, and a link that will take you directly to it. The Special Needs Podcast Roundup went up on April 16, 2012. This time, I’d like to point out an episode from The Coffee Klatch which was called “National Autism Association”. It features … Continue reading →