Reason Enough to Get Together With Girlfriends

Okay, so after having kids, it seems even harder for a group of girlfriends to get together. Here is enough reason for me....

...Beautiful cocktails! Thanks, HostessBlog for sharing these great ideas from Brides.com. Even if you would prefer a non-alcoholic version, you can always use the cute garnishes displayed above. Check out the drinks & cocktails gallery to find these and many other fun drinks.

Reading to Your Unborn Child

During my first pregnancy, a great friend gave my husband and I a book to read to our unborn child. Every night before going to bed, we would take turns reading this book. Baby Oh Baby The Places You'll Go is still embedded in my memory. I flipped the pages just so that baby#1 could see the pictures. (I know, rediculous.)

But here is the cool part...when we read this book to my son when he was a day old, a calmness and recognition of the book came over him that words can't explain.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter what book you read, just read. Especially as the mom-to-be. Your baby-to-be hears everything you say...including all the things you say when you get cut off by another driver. Reading a book is not only soothing for your baby-to-be, but it can also be soothing to the parents-to-be.

Besides, what's it going to hurt?

A Boo Boo Gone Bad

Did you know that the chin is one of the most common areas for children to need stitches? My husband and I learned this the hard way yesterday from a doctor at urgent care who was painfully giving our 2-year old three stitches in his chin.

Who would have ever thought a Tonka dump truck could do so much damage? (That's what he hit his chin on.) But I am happy to report that our son was very brave and managed through the pain. Of course, he was rewarded with a lollipop and a toy after his act of bravery!

A find from this experience...the Nexcare Tattoo bandages are perfect to cover up the stitches. He left urgent care with a standard bandage on that he was able to rip off abotu 20 seconds after we got outside the building. But the Tattoo makes it virtually impossible for any child to take off. (Or so I hope!)

Build it Up, Knock it Down

This weekend was full of festivities for my son's 2nd birthday party. Our family and friends came through as they always do with amazing gifts.

One gift that has kept my son busy all day (meaning, time to myself!) is the Deluxe Jumbo Cardboard Boxes . They are a fun way to learn about balance and building, and of course, my son loves knocking it down. In true wrecking ball fashion, he says, "Ready, GO!" Then he knocks them down. Again, hours of fun!

The great news, these bocks, made by Melissa and Doug, are half off at the BabyCenter Sale & Clearance Center ($14.99).

Old Navy Baby Boutique

Old Navy has revamped their baby clothing line and released their Baby Boutique. Here are just a few of the cute new additions. (Hooded Animal Towel - $12.50; Tiered Lace-Trim Dress -$19.50; Animal-Pun Bodysuits - $9.50)

And, of course, Old Navy still has their fantastic styles at reasonable prices. (And don't forget, they have maternity clothes, too. I just ordered the Maternity Wrap Dress - $19.50, and am looking forward to wearing it for work.)

Fix Scratched CDs and DVDs

Here is my reality...my son is obsessed with DVDs and CDs. Of course, he only likes the ones with pictures on them, like Finding Nemo, The Wiggles, and Shrek.

The problem is, his little fingers have destroyed many of these DVDs because of all the lovely scratches.

Thanks to Live with Regis and Kelly, I have discovered a great way to save these DVDs and CDs.

There is no need to toss it away and buy a replacement one. Instead, look in your medicine cabinet for toothpaste and an old toothbrush. Cover the whole scratched side with creamy toothpaste (gel toothpastes won't work) and buff away the scratches with a toothbrush. Brush from the center out with an old toothbrush. Wash thoroughly with soapy water and gently towel dry. Repeat until the skips are gone.

Not only will this help save you money, but it will also help save the planet. How can you beat that?

Ginger...Good for Nausea

I would first like to thank everyone who sent me ideas for curing my lovely "Morning" sickness(which as Jenny McCarthy says in Belly Laughs was clearly named by a man who wanted to stop hearing pregnant women complain after 12 noon).

I love all of your ideas and hope that I don't have to resort to the anti-nausea medications, considering it sounded like they don't work all that often.

I must give major props to my husband. He went to Henry's market tonight, got on their computer (didn't even know they have a customer computer) and looked up morning sickness. He came home with a print out of ways to treat morning sickness, a bottle of ginger ale, and a bottle of ginger capsules. I took the ginger capsules...

...and am pleased to report that not only am I no longer cursing my husband for doing this to me, but I am also not feeling as nauseous. Yay! (I guess I should keep him around for awhile...until I become crazy pregnant psycho again. And who knows, that could be right around the corner!)

Morning Sickness, Really...I like to Call it All Day Sickness

Okay, this is going to be quick...does anyone know how to make nausea go away?

Congrats...pregnant....woo-hoo...but this nausea is killing me. I definitely didn't have it this bad the first go around. I have tried eating crackers, but the problem is I have to stop eventually because my stomach starts to hurt from being so full. And as soon as I stop eating, my nausea comes back.

I tried the Prego Pops that you can buy for five bucks at maternity stores...the only thing those helped to do is make the roof of my mouth sore from all the acid. (Total rip-off!)

So, the only other item that helps is sucking on Jolly Rancher candies, and after going through 5 of them in 35 minutes, I feel like I need a new plan.

Some people have suggested ginger granules in herbal tea, but the thought of that makes me sick. And oh yeah, did I mention that laying down makes me feel worse...

...suggestions, please! Oh, and thanks for let me vent!

The Phillips Photoframe

Thanks to Something Old, Something New, a great blog featuring products and inspirations for weddings and big to-do's, I discovered a fantastic way to display your most important photos..without ever having to print them.

The Phillips Photoframe is a fantastic way to display photos from your wedding, your honeymoon, your kids, or your family and friends. (Perfect for those who have never had a chance to get a wedding album made, but who would love to see the pictures.)

With this frame, you can program it to change the photo every minute, every hour, every month, or every year. You don't even need a connection to a computer to load the photos. You can simply load the photos through a portable flash drive, memory stick, or multi media cards.

Check out the Phillips Photoframe at Amazon.com ($189.00).

Babystyle Spring Sale

Babystyle.com is having another sale!

This Bugs tee and pant set for baby (was $38, now $19.99) is a comfy outfit that is as softy and jammies, but cute enough that grandma will love it!

The Superstar Velour Set (was $58, now $22.99) is a sporty option that will look adorable on your daughter, or can make a great gift.

Check out Babystyle before these great deals are gone! Enter EASYFREE to get free shipping on purchases of $50 or more.

My Brest Friend

Yes, you read correctly, My Brest Friend is a device that I couldn't have lived without during the first several months of breastfeeding my son.

No offense to Boppy lovers, but the Brest Friend puts the Boppy to shame. When I started breastfeeding with the Boppy, my son kept sliding in between me and the pillow, and I had to constantly pull the Boppy around my waist.

The Brest Friend is a cushioned-platform that fastens around your waist so that the sliding doesn't occur and allows you to maintain slightly better posture (although, let's face it, breast feeding doesn't really allow you to have great posture when you are sitting up!)

The Brest Friend also comes with a handy pocket that you can use to store your TV remote, a book, a spit up cloth, or even a bottle of water.

You can purchase My Brest Friend along with Baby Feeding & Nursing Essentials at BabyCenter ($39.95).

Hostess With the Mostess is Coming Next Week!

For those of you who need great ideas for parties, decorating or just having fun...then you are in for a real treat! The Hostess with the Mostess website will be officially up and running this Monday, April 9.

In preparation for the website going live, the HipHostess has been hosting giveaways all week...and the good news, you can enter any and all of the giveaways until Sunday.

Check out HostessBlog now, and on Monday, be sure to check out HostessWiththeMostess.com.

Congrats HipHostess, you are doing such an amazing job!

Start Spreading the News

Getting engaged, buying a new car, having a baby...friends and family have always found clever ways to share the news.

So here is my clever way of sharing some news...

...Baby#2 is on the way! He or she is due around November 19. Don't be surprised if some of my future posts are about pregnancy - it's on the brain more than ever!

P.S. The baby is the white dot in the bottom right corner of the black blur in the top left hand corner.

Safe at Home: 5 Ways to Protect Your Family and Friends

I read in the Spring 2007 USAA Magazine that Americans seek medical care more than 20 million times each year as a result of injuries in their homes. How can you prevent this from happening to your loved ones?

Here are five simple ways to reduce your risk:

1. Set your water heater's temperature to no more than 120 degrees (prevent burns)
   


2. Use night lights to illuminate stairs, hallways and bathrooms (prevent tripping/falls)



3. Keep shredders away from children, never let a child operate one (prevent loss of skin, limbs, etc)



4. Use a nonslip mat or safety strips in the showers and tubs (prevent falls)



5. Don't place items on stairways - even temporarily (prevents falls)

If you find that you already do these five things, give yourself a pat on the back. If not, try to incorporate these changes ASAP. Check out HomeSafetyCouncil.org for more information.

Photos courtesy of HomeSafetyCouncil.org

Bandages that REALLY Stick!

If you have a toddler, you know how hard it is to keep a bandage on your child's "boo boo." You may have tried the Elmo or Dora bandages on your child, only to find they have been removed a few minutes later. There is a great bandage out there that your child will love and that they won't be able to pull off.

Nexcare makes a bandage called the Tattoo that is waterproof and has a seal to keep out dirt and germs. These Tattoos come in some of your child's favorite characters, including Disney Cars and Disney Princesses.

You can find the Nexcare Tattoo at drugstore.com.

Easter Egg Hunting Made More Fun

With Easter less than a week away, I read a really great tip for Easter egg hunting from Parents magazine. For many years I have seen kids of all ages on an Easter egg hunt and the older kids always manage to find all the eggs, and the younger kids don't end up with many. If this tends to happen on your Easter egg hunts, try this instead:

Place 2 or 3 egg colors (ex. blue and pink) in harder to find places and tell the older children they are to only find the blue and pink eggs.

Place 2 or three egg colors (ex. green and yellow) in easier to find places and your younger children will have a much easier and enjoyable time find eggs.

Of course, don't forget about the "golden egg." Kids love hunting for this highly coveted egg that can be redeemed for another prize (or perhaps the bragging rights of possessing the "golden egg" will be good enough!).

Photo courtesy of PotteryBarnKids.com