All Bets Are On!

Since we are edging ever closer to the big day, it is time to get family and friends involved in the excitement. A great way to do this is by starting a big day baby betting score sheet. Baby betting has become fairly popular over the years so there are many websites (some listed below) that offer free services to log and keep track of baby bets. A great feature about this is that friends and family can sign on themselves and you don’t have to mark down and keep track of everyone’s individual bets. Although if you are like me you enjoy hearing all of the different ideas and being able to look over them so it may be best to do a combination of a hard copy betting sheet ( templates are available online or you can make your own) as well as an online source.

It is easy to do a small betting pool just for friends and close family with only a few categories such as date of birth and sex of the baby (if not already known). When you want to do a large betting to pool to raise the stakes and have big cash winnings it is lots of fun to get friends, family, coworkers, neighbors and anyone else who wants in on the winnings involved (just make sure you have their contact info in case they are the big winner!). When doing a large pool it is best to include many categories to guess on so there can only be one winner in the end. These categories can include what date, time of day, birth weight, length, sex, and even hours of labor.

When if comes to the winners compensation you can simply make it free and treat the winner to a nice dinner, have them put in $1 or $2, or you can really get everyone’s blood pumping and have the bet in be $5 which can lead to winnings of hundreds of dollars! Doing a betting pool can also be a good way to raise money (for instance at the baby shower) for items you need for the baby. You can keep half of the money in the betting pool and give the other half to the pool winner.

Here are some sites to get you started on your pool:

About.com

Baby Center Reader Pools

Downloadable Templates

Online Pool

Preparing for Baby

I believe that an expecting mother can never start preparing for baby too early from eating healthier to getting plenty of exercise there are so many things to be done. Perhaps one of the most fun things to do is to shop for the things your little love will need when they come into the world. Although I still have 16 weeks before the big due date, I have been thinking a lot about what items I can put on the baby registry.

When you go to your favorite store it can be very easy to get carried away selecting all of the items you want and need for your baby shower. It is important to consider what items you will need immediately after the birth of your baby. For this reason I have put together a list of necessities to have ready for the arrival and homecoming of baby.

• clothing- including plenty of onesies, hats (for cool weather), and booties. Be sure to wash prior to wearing.
  

  For Baby

• blankets- receiving blankets and thicker blankets for carrying baby out of the hospital (note that it is important to learn how to properly wrap a baby snugly in a blanket). Be sure to wash beforehand.
• Infant car seat properly hooked up and checked (can be done at your local fire department) for safety and window shade
• A crib (set to the proper height for an infant) and mattress or a bassinet
• Baby monitor
• Diaper Bag
• Plenty of infant sized diapers and wipes-you don’t want to have to be running to the store when you are exhausted from lack of sleep. Don’t forget a transportable changing pad.
• Nursing pillow and bras to make feeding baby easier
• Infant bath tub, proper soap, washcloths, and hooded towel
• Medical needs-thermometer, bulb syringe, rubbing alcohol, Vaseline, medicine (for emergencies), and creams
• Baby Book and camera to be sure to catch every precious moment
• Bottles, brush, and formula if needed

Ninja Time!

Last Sunday organized the first at home birthday party I have ever done for Kaydin. In the past, I have always thrown him a super fun birthday bash but it has always been somewhere that includes all the entertainment and they take care of the clean up. For example, last year we took a group of six kids to Casa Bonita in Denver where they watched a dive show and played arcade games. The year before we went to the Denver Zoo where we spent a great day with all of the animals.This year for the first time I had a group of 10 kids over and entertained them with a ninja themed party requested by Kaydin.

I had the most difficulty finding decorations for the party. I had originally planned to trow the party outside which wouldn’t have required much in the way of decor but when Sunday morning came and I woke up to a chilly 30 degrees with some high gust of winds I knew that we would have to shift indoors. I had searched high and low at all of the local party stores to find the proper ninja decorations (my son had forbidden me from getting anything that was “karate”, ninja turtles, or kung fu panda) so I decided to start searching online. After days of very little success, I found the Karate Mart website which had the best selection I had found of decorations and party favors (not to mention fair prices). I ordered a package that included drinks, cups, napkins,a birthday banner, and more for only $20. On Sunday morning I had arranged to pick up the cake and helium filled balloons but also made a quick run to the hardware store to grab some streamers. Overall I think the decorations turned out great!

The finished room decorations

My Little Man

So Handsome!

In honor of my son’s birthday I thought I would share a little bit about my amazing and energetic little guy. Tomorrow Kaydin turns seven years old and I don’t know how the years have gone by so fast! It seems like just yesterday. Through the good times and the bad I have watched him grow into an incredible young man. Up until now : ) Kaydin has lived the admittedly somewhat spoiled life of an only child but as he told me when he found out he is going to be an older brother, “I can’t wait to teach the baby everything I know!” Which I thought was a great indication of what a fantastic older brother he will be! I was a little worried about the wide age gap between the two but I think the two will actually be very close because of it. I have two little sisters who are 12 and 15 years younger then I am and I love both of them with all of my heart. I think that Kaydin will have the same relationship with his new little sister.

Kaydin with Great Grandma & Pa

For his entire life Kaydin has been able to spend a lot of time with his immediate and extended family which I think is a very important part of the childhood experience. He has always had his Grandmas & Pas, Aunts, and cousins available to him less then one hour away and he frequently gets to visit with his Great Grandma & Pa who come to town a few times each year. Just like his momma, family is very important to him and I know it will be that way forever.

This past year we have had to move around a lot which can be a little difficult for the little guys. After purchasing our home we had to move Kaydin to a new school in the middle of his first grade year. It was a difficult transition, but he has been able to make wonderful new friends and his school work is coming along well. We are told that he has some of the best handwriting in the class! The new school offers swimming which has been very important for us since Kaydin has not been exposed to the water very much, as well as many other great after school activities to get the heart pumping and the brain thinking such as Kids Fit and dance classes.

Kaydin is very big into soccer and he participated in every spring and fall season since before kindergarten started. Just this week he started the outdoor soccer program at his new school and seems to be enjoying it very much. The first day he came home he couldn’t wait to tell me all about how much fun he had! He is a great kicker and moves around the field very fast. We can’t wait to try him out in some other sports such as football which starts in second grade. Kaydin absolutely loves to hike! on any given weekend you can find us out on the trails which surround our mountain home and he is always 20 steps ahead of us blazing the the way.

Getting ready for a big kick!

Mom & Kaydin hiking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of Kaydin’s favorite movies of all time is Cars (and Cars 2 of course). When we first got the movie he watched it so much in the first few months that it was so used it wouldn’t play anymore and we had to buy him a new one. I have seen the movie so much by default that I can recite every line for the duration of the entire movie, sad I know. Although that has come in very useful for me since he has every car from both movies and we play with them constantly. No matter where he goes you can always find a car in his hand with a few stashed in his pockets too!

Check out kaydin’s favorite baby video from you tube, he laughs so hard everytime he sees it. I love it! The video has gotten over 34 million hits…so cute!

Mommy’s nose is scary

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET LITTLE BOY! I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!

Aquatic Baby

We are now officially halfway through the long nine month road that leads to the arrival of our sweet little baby girl! For nineteen months now we have been eagerly waiting to see the first glimpse of our little one and to find out if we should be decorating with blue or pink. Early this morning we traveled to our long awaited ultrasound to watch a very cute little body on the screen squirm, turn, kick and punch. Our quite active baby twisted into every position possible to keep us from getting a good view but after an hour and a half the technician gave us an educated guess that we will be expecting a baby girl late this summer. She reminded us that while it was not by any means a 100% guarantee, she did not see any evidence that suggested otherwise. She also informed us that our baby was what the doctors like to refer to as an “aquatic baby”. I know what your thinking but no I am not talking talking about a little one with webbed feet and the ability to breath underwater. The term simply refers to the baby being extremely mobile as opposed to more the more typical preference a postpartum baby has to stay in one position.

Our baby girl

Baby waves hello

Although it may be what parents look forward to the most, determining the sex of the baby is not the only reason for the 20 week ultrasound during pregnancy. There are many reassuring and important things the experienced technician will look for to make sure that the baby is developing properly.

So what do they check for during the ultrasound?

• Baby’s heart for four distinct chambers and the number of beats per second.
• Two arms and two legs with ten cute little fingers and toes.
• They also like to see an open hand with the fingers all spread out.
• Baby’s facial features including the eyes, nose, and lips.
• The spine and many different parts of baby’s brain.
• Baby’s bladder, kidneys, stomach and other internal organs.
• Umbilical cord, blood flow and amniotic fluid.
• Accurate measurements of the baby’s head, leg bone and more which may call for adjustment of the due date.
• Finally they check on mama’s placenta and cervix to make sure everything is adjusting properly.

Then it is on to the fun part of telling all your friends and family the exciting news about your baby girl or boy! Or if you decide to keep it a surprise it is still lots of fun to tell them about the very neat things you saw during the ultrasound and show off all the neat pictures you were sent home with.

Starting with a Seed

The weather here in Colorado has been unusually amazing for the past few weeks suggesting that spring is on the way. Many gardeners are brimming with anticipation at the thought of planting their tomatoes and peppers, but as a native I remain skeptical knowing that another freeze is ahead of us before summer comes along. However, it is time to start vegetable seeds indoors which can be a great activity to do with your little one(s).

Last week my son and I took a trip to the local garden shop to pick up our seed starting supplies. We began with the necessities: a

Seed starting supplies

seed plug tray, soil, and a spray bottle. Then Kaydin and I discussed what kinds of veggies we wanted to grow this year. I happily looked on as he ran through the shelves of seeds picking out pumpkins, cherry tomatoes, carrots, and a variety of colorful melons with interesting patterns. After I had added some spinach and peppers to the mix, we left the store with a bag filled to the top with seed packages ready to start our garden.

When we got home Kaydin immediately set off to work sorting out what seeds we would plant and pouring the soil into the seed trays. He then ever so gently poked a hole in each cell and placed a single seed in each one. After covering lightly packing the soil over the seed he grabbed the spray bottle and gave them all a good soaking. He asked me why we had to use a spray bottle instead of a watering can and I told him that it was very important to keep the humidity high for the baby seedlings (particularly in our dry climate).

For now, we are keeping the seed tray on a chair in front of a sunny window so Kaydin can easily reach it. Every morning Kaydin wakes up and runs over to the seeds to spray them down, it is wonderful to watch how he has become such a caretaker of his seeds. During the past week, he has been keeping a daily inventory on how many new seedlings have emerged and is so excited each time a new bud starts to peek its head through the soil. We are both looking forward to transplanting our veggies in the garden after the last frost (around mid to late may) and munching on all of the home grown goodies!

Kaydin and the seed tray he planted.

Starting the seeds himself has been very important to Kaydin as he has taken it on as his very own little project. I am absolutely loving the time we have been spending together working on it and I know it something we will get to enjoy together for many months. Not only is he going to gain valuable lessons on patience, nurturing, and responsibility but I will enjoy the advantage of Kaydin wanting to eat his veggies voluntarily. I will also reap the benefits of the garden as an expecting mother by having instant access to organic and very healthy fresh vegetables. Even if you have only a small space or just containers to garden with, it is certainly worth the effort to have a heart healthy meal at your fingertips!

Check out my blog roll for some great kids gardening sites!

Allowance vs. Rewards

A few days ago we had an all out family cleaning day to give the house a good spring cleaning. It is always a challenge to persuade my son to help out in any way weather it is cleaning his own room or helping with the dishes. As he was half cleaning and half playing in his room that day I heard him yell out across the hall, “You know I get money for this!” My husband and I couldn’t help but giggle at the very seriously delivered statement from our little guy. When it comes to doing chores we have tried many different rewards ranging from those of monetary value to fun days out at the park or an adventure center. James and I had to ask ourselves, what is the best compensation to give a seven year old for a good days worth of helping out?

Giving a child an allowance has dated back many, many years for some families. I have found that the best way to do this is by making a set list (or chart) of chores that each member of the family is expected to do each week and even on certain days. Now, the parents obviously won’t pay themselves out of their own pocket for their own To Do list, but it will make the kiddo feel less like they are being ordered to do everything around the house and more like a joint effort. Then a monetary amount must be agreed upon by all. This can range from a smaller amount for younger children (perhaps $2-5 a week) to older children ($5-10/week) in accordance with the level of work expected. I am a fan of the allowance rewards simply because if the child can make a goal for themselves (like saving up for a special toy) and begin to understand how to manage finances.

Another great way to reward a child is by taking them to do a fun activity after the housework or other goals have been completed. When the child knows they will be awarded in a certain way for doing something special, they tend to work harder to complete the task in anticipation of what is to follow. We have found that this is the best method of reward for Kaydin since he is younger and doesn’t have much in the way of monetary aspirations in mind. For our last round of housecleaning we took him to go see the new Dr.Seuss movie, The Lorax. Because of all of his great help that morning we let him get his own bag of popcorn and even let him pick out a $6 box of candy to share. Overall he was very happy about his accomplishments that day and we were glad to have his help!

We loved the movie, it was one of my absolute favorites when I was young. Click the following link to check out the official movie page for The Lorax.

At the Butterfly Pavilion

Some other great ways we have rewarded Kaydin are:

• Taking him to the playground
• Going on a family hike/picnic
• Taking him to the Aquarium
• Taking him to the Butterfly Pavilion
• Eating out for dinner or breakfast
• Ice cream parlor on a warm day
• Taking him to the Zoo
• Family game night
• Go carts and miniature golf

 

 

 

Although I am sure that an allowance will be more important as he gets older, we have found that activity rewards are much better for us at this point. Kaydin has so much fun and we get to let loose a bit too. I have to admit that we feel like kids ourselves again when racing around the go cart track or trying to catch the ice cream dripping off our chins.

Bumper boats

At the Zoo

Food for Thought

When it comes to what foods are safe to eat during pregnancy, it is easy to feel like there are almost everything is off-limits. It seems like your body is playing one big trick on you by giving you compulsory cravings and then restricting what foods you can actually enjoy. I, for example, have been craving all types of seafood dishes-trout, shrimp, fried cod, crab legs, calamari…you name it, I want to eat it. I now have a daily struggle to try to keep my seafood consumption to the suggested amount of only two servings a week due to the possibly dangerous of mercury. As an avid sushi lover, life has been hard.

Click here for a link that breaks down mercury content in different fish and shellfish.

During the past few years, the list of “no-no’s” is growing by leaps and bounds because of developing research. Here is my modified list of the latest foods to avoid during pregnancy:

• Raw or undercooked eggs and meats (danger of food poisoning)
  

  Mr.Tomato (from our garden)

• Cookie dough, homemade ice cream and salad dressings (may contain raw egg)
• Unwashed raw fruits and veggies (bacteria)
• Unpasteurized milk, juices, and fruit shakes
• Soft Cheeses (bacteria-include brie, roquefort, etc.)
• More than two servings of seafood (mercury)
• Shark, swordfish, tuna steaks (high levels of mercury)
• Lunch meat, smoked meats, and hot dogs (nitrates and exposure to raw meats)
• Foods that are allergenic (peanuts, gluten, etc.)
• High sugar foods (may cause gestational diabetes)
• Sprouts (high occurrence of bacteria)

Ok, you’ve taken away all the good stuff. So then what the heck can I eat?

My suggestion is to take it all lightly. Some things, like avoiding raw meat, is a given but don’t let your new diet consume your life. Just pay more attention to what you do eat and do your best to make most of your dishes at home to ensure food handling safety. Take it one step further by picking fresh (and organic) vegetables from your own home grown garden. My son is always eager to help me plant the trays with all the unique seeds, (a great project to do with the kids to get them excited for spring) and he loves to watch as the plants sprout and continue to grow over time. Check back soon for project ideas and seed starting instructions!

 

 

Putting on the pounds

Last night when I got home from work, I had barely walked through the door and my husband started laughing like I had just told the funniest joke ever.

“What?” I dared to ask.

“You are so pregnant!” he responded giving my noticeable round pooch a loving rub.

I can admit at only 14 weeks, I have yet to come to terms with the impending weight gain I will face over the next six months. Everyday I get on the scale hoping it will read out the same number I saw the day before and everyday I watch the needle edge slightly clockwise assuring the inevitable. During my first pregnancy I gained an outrageous 70 pounds and I vowed to myself that I would not repeat the past. In the beginning, I was eating an impressive diet of all fruits, veggies, and carefully planned healthy meals. As the days progressed, I started my 14 credit spring semester at CSU as a ( hour and a half one-way) commuter student and took on 5 nights a week at work to in order to pay my part of the mortgage. I watched my diet crash and burn. I no longer had the time or energy to create delicious and nutritious meals to take with me everywhere I went. During my long days full of classes and my busy nights at work I was limited to deep-fried fat bombs, greasy slabs of meat, and the drive through latte that was keeping me awake during the daily drive. Then the Girl Scouts were selling their delicious cookies in front of Safeway and I fully caved. Who could possibly avoid the chocolate goodness of a Thin Mint or that perfect layer of peanut butter in the Tagalongs? There was just no way.

Fortunately, I have time to sort out my downward spiraling eating habits and get back on the right track before it’s too late. I keep reminding myself that 70 pounds is absolutely not ok and I must stick to the 30-35 pounds prescribed by my prenatal doctor. New information has surfaced about the dangers to you and your baby such as premature birth and childhood diabetes. If a mother too much weight during pregnancy it can be very difficult to shed the pounds after giving birth and getting back to your pre-preganancy weight can be almost impossible. After my son was born it took some time for me to get back to a healthy weight but I could never seem to shed that last 10 pounds no matter how hard I tried.

There are ways to determine exactly how many pounds one should gain throughout the course of their pregnancy, for example: a mother who was somewhat underweight prior to conceiving needs to gain a few more pounds than one who was at an average weight. Likewise, a mother who started out overweight should gain less weight. In any case, it important to have a diet rich with whole grains, protein, fiber, omega-3, and many other nutrients that are good for the developing baby. It may be useful to layout small meals including at least one of each of these elements in the morning to take with you for munching on throughout the day. For instance, I am now packing myself a yogurt, an apple (or other fruit), and a bag of mixed nuts and dried fruit. This keeps my appetite satisfied and curbs the urge to gorge on a fattening fast-food lunch. However I always eat a hearty breakfast (for energy) and a well-rounded dinner so I am sure to keep up on the proper calorie count which is a normal days calories (approximately 1200) plus 100 more.

Here are some great sites that really breakdown pregnancy weight gain and describe some very baby friendly foods to include in your daily diet:

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/eatingfortwo.html

http://www.thebabycorner.com/tools/pregnancy/calculators/weightcalculator.php

http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-ten-best-foods-for-pregnancy_10320506.bc

And like my first prenatal doctor told me 7 years ago “You’re not actually eating for two, you are eating for one and one-third.” So out with the old saying and in with the new!

Spilling the Beans!

One of the first decisions a mother-to-be must make after finding out the good news herself is how, when, and to whom she will tell. Towards the beginning of my own pregnancy I was told that first time expecting moms can hardly contain their excitement and want to tell each and every person they come in to contact with. On the other hand moms who are expecting their second (third, etc.) child are more conservative about who they tell and when. I was certainly no exception to this theory. When pregnant with my son seven years ago I told my family, friends, and coworkers all within the first month. This time around I was certainly more cautious, waiting to tell anyone at all until I was well into the third month. I also gave a specific order to the people I told beginning with my (and my husbands) parents, followed by my son, then extended family, and finally coworkers and friends. By the time we had “spilled the beans” to everyone, I felt very comfortable with the news and my clearly bulging belly. Those I would consider professionals suggest to wait to tell until at least after the first trimester because of the risks of complications early on in the pregnancy that can be physically and emotionally stressful which can be difficult to share with others. After having waited so long myself, I was glad with the results since my husband and I had built up our own joyful connection with the pregnancy and I was very comfortable with my now growing belly.

It was so wonderful to see the smile grow on my mother in laws face as she heard about the future arrival of her long awaited first grandchild, but nothing could compare to my son’s awesome reaction when he heard the news. Kaydin had been asking for a younger sibling for the past few years, so I deliberated for days on the best way to tell him what he had been so anxious to hear. After some extensive research I decided to do it in my own special way by baking him a cake with his favorite frosting and spelled out on top was “Congratulations Big Brother!” in blue frosting. I waited for him to get home the day from school and waited with the video camera in hand for him to walk through the door to the kitchen table where I had the surprise waiting. At first he had a hard time reading it (my frosting penmanship is not the best) and I had  to help him along with the word “congratulations”. He then looked up at me and asked “Whose big brother?”, I laughed and said happily “You are going to be a big brother!”. It took only a minute for the thrilled look to come over his face and he told me how he would finally have someone to teach things to followed by a very serious note that he would not be changing diapers.

                                                                       All in all it was a truly magical moment for both of us.

Some other good ideas on how to spill the beans to a soon to be older sibling are:

•  Giving them a custom t-shirt for the big day at the hospital that says “Big Brother/sister”.
•  Creating a fun video for them to watch that tells the big news.
•  A handmade picture frame that is decorated with baby stickers and/or says “My baby brother/sister” for them to hang in their own room.
•  Give them a big brother/sister book and read it with them giving the good news at the end.
•  If you have an extra room ready for the nursery, have a decorating party with your kiddo to help them feel involved right away.

Please feel free to share any of your great ideas on how to “spill the beans” to an older sibling!