Common Fears of Labor and Deliery: My Story on How I Overcame Them

*In Dedication to my Lizzy: Happy 6 Month Birthday Today! Daddy and I love you!

When I was pregnant with my daughter I had many concerns and worries. My worries only increased as my due date loomed ahead of me. My main concerns were: Do I have everything in my bag? Do I have everything Lizzy will need in her bag? Did Kyle (my husband) have his bag ready? Are they accessible and ready to be taken at a moments notice? I also checked and rechecked the supplies in the nursery, constantly reading about products and their ratings, how other mothers experiences were with this products, and on and on and on. I drove myself crazy until my husband literally stopped me by taking away my computer and threatened to lock the nursery door if I didn't stop. It was so funny that he had to do that. But let me give you readers my advice that will save you putting an unnecessary wrinkle on your forehead and give your boyfriend/husband a piece of mind. Stop worrying! Easier said than done but it is necessary. Especially if you don't want to cause premature labor. Your body and growing baby don't need the stress.

During the early stages of my labor I continued about my regular routine until the pain became too much. When the pain grew I rested in my bed while timing my contractions.Two days of hospital visits and Lizzy finally came on the third. The first day my body was practicing. My husband drove me to the hospital was October 28th, 2014 around 8:30pm. The nurses told me that my body was 'practicing' and preparing. "They are just intense Braxton Hicks Contractions." the doctor said. They sent me home and said to keep an eye on how the contractions went. So we did.

We were watching a movie when my contractions intensified. My husband and I timed them and they were 7 minutes apart and about 1 minute long. Keep in mind at my last visit the nurse practitioners and the doctor that was on call told me to come in when they were seven minutes apart. I came in and they said that I was only 4 centimeter dilated and about 50 percent effaced. They said they couldn't admit me to the hospital yet due to over crowding, so they gave me a shot of morphine for the pain and told me to come back at 5am on October 30th. So we went home, I got some rest and woke up around 7am. The contractions were still there and at the same intensity so I said no I'm not going to go back in just to get sent home again.

As the day progressed my contractions were getting to the point where I kind of doubled over in pain. Come about 6pm the contractions were 6 minutes apart and 2 minutes long. They were excruciating. So called my doctor, told her what was going on and she said to get to the hospital quickly. So my mother in law grabs my bags and puts them in the car, I walk out to the car, open the door, lift my leg to climb in the car and my water breaks. Looking back now it is really funny. Earlier that week my doctor told me that if my water breaks to get to the hospital with in 40 minutes because she could feel my daughters head through my cervix. My mother in law got me to the hospital in about 30 minutes. When I arrived I was rushed to trauma and evaluated. At 9:30pm I was 100% effected and 6 centimeters dilated. I was admitted in at 9:30pm and gave birth to my daughter at 10:55pm on October 30th, 2014.

So here is my advice to all of you close to your due date:

1) Do what your doctor and nurses tell you too. They know what they are doing.
2) If you worry or stress really close to your due date it is not beneficial to you or your baby.
3) Make sure everything is ready, relax and wait.
4) Have an ipod or something to listen to. It really helped me calm down and focus on delivering my baby. My husband kept telling me to "Trust the doctors. They know what they are doing. You'll be okay and taken care of.
5) Have your husband with you to talk you through it. He may not feel like he is doing much but it will make calm and more adept to focus.

Our bodies are amazing vessels. When my water broke the only worry that I had was getting to the hospital in time. After I arrived at the hospital and situated in my room I didn't even think about all of my worries. My brain automatically went into "Okay. Let's do this." mode. This experience was, by far, the most rewarding and amazing chapter of my life. I grew more as a person. My husband and I grew stronger as a couple. Our Lizzy was the best thing that could have ever happened to us.

So take this time to really communicate with each other and evaluate what you want as a couple. Get all of those uncomfortable conversations over with before the baby comes. I know you can't be prepared for everything and I definitely know that plans never go the way you want them but just try. There is no harm in trying.

Good luck to all of those expectant mothers out there that are reading this. You'll do great and everything will work out the way that it is supposed.

Until Tomorrow Then!

Benefits of Mommy and Me Classes: Investigative Piece

Happy Saturday Everyone!

Yesterday was my first investigative piece that I was researching. Funny thing was nobody was the wiser. I asked lots of questions to the moms and nannies and received some great advice and feedback. Lizzy and I attended our first Mommy and Me classes. She had fun being around other kids. Granted she was the youngest there but she still had a blast. She made three new friends and mommy was able to have good conversation with other women my age. It was some much needed conversation with other people other than family. It was nice. The women that ran this program held the Mommy and Me Classes in a martial arts studio. The name of the studio is Higher Learning Martial Arts of North Bend WA. (They do teach kid classes) The name of the mommy and me class is called North Bend Play Time.

The schedule for this class is Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30am to 11:30am. The price if this class is free and it offers a chance for mommy and baby to make new friends in a fun environment. The toys that were available were slides, play houses, tunnels to crawl through and ginormous blocks to build with. It was a great learning experience for Lizzy.

In the picture above you see my daughter playing with another little girl. This girl came over to Lizzy and took the toy that you see from her. "Did that upset her?" you may be asking but even surprising to me she didn't cry. Being surrounded by other toys she just grabbed another one of her toys, that I brought from home, and started playing with it. I giggled at my little girl. She is five and a half months old and is already sharing. AHAHA! The arm of the woman in the picture was the nanny of the little girl and told her to return the toy to Lizzy. After that little act of kindness it started a friendship between this little girl and my daughter. It also showed a little boy near by that he could come and play with Lizzy. For a good forty-five minutes the two girls and the little boy played and cooed together. The ages of the little girl and boy is seventeen months and fifteen months.

As a mother, it was good to see my daughter be such a social butterfly. The benefits of mommy and me classes, that I came to discover, were a change of scenery of  playing area for my daughter, interaction with babies her own age, receiving more encouragement from other kids to try to talk and be motivated to attempt to keep up with them motion and activity wise and a good source of stimulation that mommy couldn't provide.

When we got home from her classes she attempted crawling for the first time. Usually I am putting her on her hands and knees at home but usually falls back to her tummy. It was so awesome to see.

The benefits for mommy was some fun conversations with other mommies and nannies and a chance to start some new friendships. Lizzy and I walked away with two play dates and some new friends.We enjoyed ourselves immensely. At first, I was not one for doing the mommy and me classes. I said I was more than happy to stay at home with Lizzy and just play with her there but I noticed all I was saying was "I". I was being selfish. My daughter is more important to me and that is what motivated me to try it. I have become a slight hermit since I have had my daughter and I noticed that she had been trying to tell me for a while that she wanted something new to do. I am so glad I went and feel better about taking her. She had a great time exploring a new place. We will be returning to mommy and me class.

So here is my advise to other mommies that have the same thought process as I had. You may be comfortable being at home and doing the same routine day to day but your baby may be wanting to do something more. Plus it is a great self esteem booster seeing your child interacting with other kids. It was for me.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Until Tomorrow Then!

Congratulations to...

JAIMIE KENNEDY!

I will be emailing you with the details of the sizes of everything so that I can send you the right size of everything for you baby and to finalize the details of everything! Thank you everyone for participating! Another contest will be announced soon!

Again Congratulations to Jaimie Kennedy!

Who's Who?

Happy Wednesday To Everyone!

So today I thought we would do something fun. A few weeks ago my mother sent me a picture of me when I was a baby and she had me compare my baby picture to that of my daughters picture at the same age. Both of these pictures were taken when she and I were 3 months old. So here is the activity.

Compare both pictures and let me know which one is my daughter and which one is me.

Here are the rules:

1. My closest friends and family can not participate in this game.
2. Email me who you think is who. (Picture 1 is the baby sitting in the boppie, Picture 2 is the baby in the dress.)
3. No collaborating on answers.

Why do this? The first person who guesses correctly will win a box with baby supplies in it. This prize will have diapers, formula, clothes, burp clothes and baby bathroom needs. This will go on for the next 24 HOURS to give everyone a fair chance to see this post. I will announce the winner Thursday April 17th, 2015 at Noon Pacific Standard Time. I will be paying close attention to the time and date stamps on the emails I receive so I know who was right first.

Happy Playing!

Send which picture you think is me and which picture is my daughter to ferguson.sabrina15@gmail.com.

Until Tomorrow Then!

Teething and Its Signs

 

Welcome Back Everyone!

DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed physician so please check with your doctor before you try any of the remedies or advice in this article. 

My daughter has been having a rough time with teething. About a week and a half ago she was fussy for three days straight. At first my husband and I thought it was gas or her constipation had some back. So we started doing our usual check list. We changed her diaper, we checked her tracking sheet for when she ate last, when her last nap was, and gave her 3oz of pear juice mixed with 1oz of water. She was still crying. We also noticed that she was wanting to be held a lot more than usual and her naps were becoming shorter and shorter. We called the doctor's office and they asked us how much is she sleeping? How much she is eating? Peepee Diaper? Poopy diaper? the whole nine yards. We answered she was still eating her normal amount but not wanting to breast feed. The on call nurse told us to take her temperature and it was normal. 

So the nurse told us to look for a bump on her bottom gums where two of her teeth would be. There was a huge bump. She said that she was teething. You could imagine how stupid we felt. Of all the things that we were looking for we never thought that she could be teething. She is old enough. It completely skipped our minds. 

Some signs of your baby teething are drooling, irritability, tooth visible below gum, swollen or bulging gums, trying to bite, chew or suck on anything and everything, rubber his/her face, difficulty sleeping, turning food away or grabbing his/her ears. These are typical signs so keep an eye out.   

 There are very simple way to treat or ease the pain of teething which include:

1. Cold Things.

In the same way that ice works on a sprained ankle to numb pain and reduce swelling, cold compresses and food soothe sore gums. Try a refrigerated pacifier or teether. (Don't store the teether in the freezer because when frozen it can get hard enough to damage a baby's gums.)There are a variety of refrigerated teethers, including some with plastic handles so your baby's hands won't get cold. Liquid-filled teethers work well, but watch for leaks. Firm rubber teething rings are a good alternative. Whichever kind you choose, keep an eye on your baby to make sure she doesn't choke as she gnaws away on it. If your baby has started solids, offer her chilled (not frozen) fruit in a mesh pacifier.

2. Pressure. Teething babies love to feel pressure on their gums because it helps distract their brain from the sensation of teething pain. If your baby rejects cold items, chewing on a teether at room temperature may do the trick. Some teethers even vibrate. If one type doesn't work for your child, just try another until you find one that helps. Or give this strategy a go: Gently rub your baby's gums with a clean pinky finger.

3. Pain Killers.
If nothing  is working and your baby needs relief, your doctor might recommend trying an over-the-counter painkiller like baby tylenol. (Note: Don't give new medicines to a baby without first checking with a doctor. Ask the doctor for the proper dosage whenever giving acetaminophen to a child younger than two years of age.) For babies at least 6 months old, baby motrin is an another option for reducing inflammation in your baby's gums. But bear in mind that the drug can irritate the stomach, which may be problematic if your baby's already refusing to eat (which some teething babies do).
Aspirin is off-limits for anyone under 19 years old. Don't give it to your baby or even rub it on her gums. Fever, vomiting (other than spitup), and diarrhea aren't normal symptoms of teething. If your baby has a persistent fever, gets worse, or seems sick, call the doctor.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

How To: Make Homemade Baby Food

 

Happy Sunday to All My Readers!

My baby is five months and our next appointment with her doctor we are going to talk about Lizzy being able to integrate solid foods into her diet. I was reading the ingredients on the bottles of my baby's containers and didn't like some of the levels of sugar and preservatives in her food. That is what sparked my research into this subject. My husband and I have started our food storage and have bottles and containers for her I was looking for ways to make baby food from home and came across some great information.

Benefits of making homemade baby food are parents know exactly what they’re feeding their baby, it’s more economical and cheaper than buying pre-packaged foods, parents can choose their own fruits, vegetables, and other foods for purees, instead of relying on the flavors chosen by manufacturers and it gets the baby used to eating the same food as the rest of the family -- just in puree form. 

Resources for more research:

- http://babyparenting.about.com/cs/formulafeeding/ht/babyfood.htm?utm_term=how%20to%20make%20homemade%20baby%20food&utm_content=p1-main-4-title&utm_medium=sem&utm_source=msn&utm_campaign=adid-ba3c7d1f-56cc-4d6b-a1d4-7e0441f371d5-0-ab_msp_ocode-28798&ad=semD&an=msn_s&am=phrase&q=how%20to%20make%20homemade%20baby%20food&dqi=&o=28798&l=sem&qsrc=999&askid=ba3c7d1f-56cc-4d6b-a1d4-7e0441f371d5-0-ab_msp

- http://homecooking.about.com/video/baby-food-fruit.htm?utm_term=how%20to%20make%20homemade%20baby%20food&utm_content=p1-main-1-title&utm_medium=sem&utm_source=msn&utm_campaign=adid-ba3c7d1f-56cc-4d6b-a1d4-7e0441f371d5-0-ab_msp_ocode-28798&ad=semD&an=msn_s&am=phrase&q=how%20to%20make%20homemade%20baby%20food&dqi=&o=28798&l=sem&qsrc=999&askid=ba3c7d1f-56cc-4d6b-a1d4-7e0441f371d5-0-ab_msp

Thank you for visiting my blog. My email and my forum are available for comments and questions.

Until Tomorrow Then!

Benefits of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy

Happy Saturday to All My Readers!

I love chiropractic care. I have been going to a chiropractor since I was eight years old. I get funny looks from some of my friends and my extended family. Most of them complain about shoulder, knee, back and neck pains and how massaging only works to relieve their pain momentarily. They ask me how I minimize my
pain and I say by going to the chiropractor. Some of them say that it is scary or they don't believe that their pain can be fixed through chiropractic. I say "Ok. It's your body. But how to do you know if you have never been?" Then I change the subject. I can tell you chiropractic care is not for everyone but definately worth a shot. Chiropractors may be scary but some of them are the nicest people I have ever met and go out of their way to make you feel comfortable. I wish I knew how beneficial it would have been while I was pregnant. It wasn't until I recently went to my new chiropractor, that he told me that I should have gone during my pregnancy. This is what he told me.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed physician. Please ask your doctor before you try this for your pregnancy.

Benefits of Regular Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy- include but are not limited to:

1. Relieve neck and back pains caused by weight gain and altered biomechanics
2. Maintains and improves balance and alignment in the spine and pelvis
3. Helps your baby assume his/her optimal birthing position
4. Reduce the risk of having a breech baby (Breech means the baby is feet down rather than head down) 
5. Provides more comfortable pregnancy and delivery for both mommy and baby
6. Stimulates the nervous system to enable proper functioning of your reproductive organs
7. Supporting the needs of your baby throughout pregnancy and delivery

 The technique that he told me about is called the Webster Technique. The Webster Technique is specialized only for pregnant women. It is non-invasive technique that is done on the mothers side to avoid the growing baby. This technique reduces interference to the nervous system, helps balance the pelvis, muscles and ligaments. Webster Technique can prevent, and even convert, breech positions. Babies can be turned after 35 weeks along but the chances are reduced due to limited mobility for the baby and should be implemented as soon as you find out that your baby is in breech position. You may be asking how do I find a chiropractor that is trained in this technique.

Finding a qualified chiropractor is definitely a must. For me, I have to trust my chiropractor first and for most. Also you want to look for a chiropractor that has been trained through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. The chiropractors that have been though this completed additional training are trained in perinatal and pediatric chiropractic care. There are ways to keep yourself in decent alignment at home.

To Improve Posture at Home:

1. Avoid one-sided positions and repetitive motions to one side.
2. Avoid carrying older siblings on your hips.
3. When sitting rock your pelvis forward and backward to stimulate proper circulation.
4. Avoid long periods of time in seni reclining positions such as car seats and lazy boys.
5. Knees should never be higher than your hips.
6. Avoid crossing your legs.
7. Avoid wearing high heels.

Resources for Further Research:
-  http://birthwithoutfearblog.com/2012/07/10/how-the-webster-technique-can-help-you-birth-without-fear/
- http://icpa4kids.com/about/webster_technique.htm

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have comments or want to share your experience on how it helped you please make a comment on my forum page. I'm available by email at ferguson.sabrina15@gmail.com.

Until Tomorrow Then!

Changing Back to My Old Ways...

Happy Friday to All My Readers!

I just wanted to let you all know that I am going to get rid of my weekly catagories. I have recieved some feedback from some of my readers and they say they love the old stuff more than my new stuff. I'm going to focus my time on bringing back my 'How To' articles you all love. Today I am going to spend time on redoing my WHOLE article calendar tonight and drafting articles you all will love. If you have article ideas or topics you would like to see me publish on my blog please comment or email me at ferguson.sabrina15@gmail.com. I'll put them on my calendar and email you back to tell you when you should see it. I'm really excited, so expect my new article tomorrow! Thank you for all of your support as I experiment with my blog!

Thank you All! Until Tomorrow Then!

Sabrina

"Triple T Thursdays": Pamper Yourself While Pregnant

Happy Thursday to All My Readers!

For me, I was getting tired of people babying me while I was pregnant. At work, at home, even when I went out people treated me differently because of my big belly. It was annoying. It's needed sometimes, don't get me wrong but all I did was grin and bear it. But there was a time where I felt less like a woman and more like a balloon. I voiced my concern to my doctor and she gave me many great ideas. She even went into a few stories, when she was pregnant with her first, what she did. My doctor suggested getting out for a girls day, but listen to my body while I did it.

1. Get a Manicure and a Pedicure. I usually go to Gene Juarez in Redmond, WA. I know many of the staff there and always get my moneys worth. It's a little pricey but well worth it to help you relax. They treat you like royalty. They bring you your choice of water, tea, or coffee. Be aware of where they press on your feet as some acupressure places have been known to induce labor. Depending on how far along you are ask for more of the massaging to be on your calves and ankles and light massaging on your feet.

2. Make It a Day For Retail Therapy. I always found that exploring Seattle and doing fun things helped made me feel better. I rode the monorail in Downtown Seattle or wandered Bellevue Square and Redmond Town Center. I always went with a budget. Sitting and reading a good book for some uninterrupted time was wonderful for me. My guilty pleasure way of spending my money is getting some good books. While wandering listen to your body and if you start feeling tired or light headed drink water and sit down for a good half an hour in the food court with your feet elevated.

3. Have a Girls Night Out. Whether you plan a dinner party in or a night out on the town, make your food light but still delicious and the drinks with no alcohol. A good rule of thumb for me was when I was out or in after I always balanced out one surgery drink with a big glass of water. Now if you have gestational diabetes stick with sugar free drinks to avoid a sugar spike in your blood.

4. Treat Yourself To A Movie. I went to the movies in my third trimester and the bass and the rumbling made my baby uncomfortable which in turn made it so I couldn't enjoy my movie.

5. Have a BBQ with a Bond Fire. If whether permits invite some friends over and talk. Make dinner together, play some games on the patio, and make s'mores. Again though be careful of the kinds of food you eat and the amount. Remember while you are pregnant your body digests slower than it used to while not pregnant.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have any stories to share or comments to make you can do so in the comment box or on my forum page. I'm also available by email at ferguson.sabrina15@gmail.com.

Until Tomorrow Then!

Wellness Wednesdays: Eating Healthy While Pregnant and During Postpartum

Happy Wednesday to All My Readers!

You'll hear this a lot during and after your pregnancy but your diet will not only affect your baby but you as well. My doctor stressed a healthy diet almost every visit I made to her office. So with the help and support of the hospital dietian, my ob/gyn, my husband and my immediate friends and family I found myself getting overwhelmed with a plethora of information. I'm sure you are feeling the same way so let me help you put some of that anxiety aside.


DISCLAIMER: I am not a licesenced physician so please follow up with your doctor before you eat any of these foods and trying these tips.

Oftentimes, the focus of weight gain during pregnancy is targeted at the potential problems related to gaining TOO much weight. More times often than not, weight gain scare many pregnant women into eating too little, in an effort to limit or prevent excess weight gain. It is equally as important that woman gain enough weight. It is very important that your baby get proper nutrition from the foods you eat. Dieting or limiting food intake during pregnancy is not a wise idea. The best way I found that helped me was eating 8 small meals a day every two hours.

My doctor told me for a healthy weight gain during pregnancy are based on your weight before you became pregnant. Women who are at "normal" weight (Body Mass Index of 19.8 - 26) when they become pregnant are advised to gain 25 - 35 pounds during their pregnancies. Likewise, experts advise women who are "underweight" (Body Mass Index less than 19.8) when they become pregnant to gain 28-40 pounds during their pregnancies.

Healthy eating and healthy weight gain result in many positive pregnancy benefits. Gaining a healthy amount of weight:

1. Counteracts your baby's susceptibility to infection and birth defects caused by low birth weight
2. Decreases your risk for complications such as anemia and pre-eclampsia
3. Reduces the risk of pre-term labor and delivery
4. Helps to ensure a healthy birth weight for your baby, which decreases his/her risk of delayed development, disease, and mortality during the first few months of life.

Eating healthy during pregnancy is important, but a well-balanced diet is equally important postpartum. The biggest complaints of women postpartum are exhaustion and changes in mood. Fortunately, eating the right foods can combat these conditions. Superfoods that fight depression and fatigue are the best foods for new moms.

Feeling Tired?: Food to counteract this-

 The best mini-meals are those that combine complex carbohydrates and protein:

• High fiber cereal with milk
• Yogurt with sliced fruit topped with almonds, walnuts, or pecans
• Chicken salad on whole wheat toast
• Hummus and whole wheat pita bread
• Oatmeal with raisins 
• Vitamin B3 
• Niacin, also known as B3, is a water-soluble vitamin that plays an essential role in energy metabolism. Increase your intake of foods like beef, pork, died beans, chicken, and fish like mackerel or salmon to get vitamin B3 in your diet. 
• Vitamin E - increases energy and stamina. Fill up on almonds, asparagus, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and olives.

Feeling Depressed?: Great sources prevent this-

• Zinc- this is important for assisting the processes of the brain and body. Lack of Zinc can lead to irritability and depression. Good sources - eggs, fish, turkey, oysters, beef and yogurt
• Vitamin C- Here in Seattle we don't see much of the sun so many Seattleites take a little extra of that a day. Good sources- citrus fruits, broccoli, green leafy veggies, tomato puree, peas and turnips. But keep in mind most doctors will tell you to stay away from broccoli - if you are breastfeeding it will make your baby gassy. My doctor told me to stay away from it. 
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids
• Calcium
• Folic Acid

To avoid feeling your life is run by food and eating right to get all of the nutrients that you and your baby need you can still take your prenatals to keep up the nutrients intake especially if you are breastfeeding. 

Resources:

What to Expect Eating Well When You're Expecting - This book also has some great recipes for foods to eat while pregnant and postpartum. Make sure it is the latest edition. This book is updated every year. 

Thank you for visiting my blog. You can leave comments, tips that worked for you and your baby or questions you may have on my forum page. Or I am also available by email at ferguson.sabrina15@gmail.com.

Until Tomorrow Then!

Tuesday Tips: Games and Dinner Ideas

Happy Tuesday to my readers!

Family is so important to me. I grew up in a big family. I am the third oldest of six kids. There were times, I'll admit, that we all didn't get along. Fighting over where the line is splitting the room in half would be, fighting over who's turn it was to play on the Nintendo, who's turn it was in the bathroom, all the way down to who's turn it was to use the car on Friday nights. My parents came up with some genius ideas about keeping the peace between all of us and that was 'monday nights'.  The reason for the quotation marks is due to the fact that all of us would have very different schedules on monday nights so our family nights would be friday nights. When everyone came home from their friday night obligations my mom and dad planned time for t.v. and games with our choices of our favorite munchies (as my family calls them) for dessert. My mom or dad would go around to each child and ask what they wanted, bring them all home and we would share them. Our munchies ranged from ice cream, to mini chocolate doughnuts, I had two favorite munchies and they are oreo cookies and the mini chocolate doughnuts.

Some of my favorite family night memories are:

1. Sitting down at the dinner table while dad and mom took turns reading aloud from a book. Then after dinner we mom would serve dessert while dad continued to read. We all sat in silence listening to our parents. We all loved it. After dessert we would all pitch in to clean the kitchen them we would all agree on a game and play until all hours of the night.

2. Having an Indoor Picnic. My parents would order pizza, grab paper plates and cups and lay a sheet down on the floor and watch either our favorite t.v. show during that time or watch movies into the night. We would have marathons. Our favorite series are White Collar, Stargate SG-1,  Stargate Atlantis, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Or if we wanted to watch movies for marathons we would pick the classics. Those are The original Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings,  or watch the classic Disney movies.

Other Ideas for Family Outings:

1. Aquarium
2. Park - My siblings and I loved to go play flashlight tag at the park after dark.

*Rules of Flashlight Tag: Just as it sounds. It is a game of hide-and-go-seek in the dark.
A- Make sure to set boundries for people to hide.
B- Person that is seeking stands in the middle of the field or area and moves in slow circles or can actually go find people with their flashlight.
C- If the flashlight falls on a person they are out and stands in the middle of the designated area.
D-Last person standing is it. 'Rinse and Repeat' the rules.

3. Art Museums
4. Community Activities
5. Historical Tours. I have lived in Washington State for 14 years now and last year I took my husband on Seattle's Underground Tour last year for his birthday. It was so much fun. It was a little intimidating being underground in such an old area but it was so much fun. It was both of our first time going and he has lived in Washington State longer than I have.

Dinner Ideas: My favorites are:

1. My mothers homemade lasagna
2. My dad's homemade wonton soup
3. Asian Styled Fondue
4. Italian Styled Fondue
5. My Family's Homemade Southern Feast: Garlic Mashed Potatos, Mouth-watering Steaks, Green-bean Casserole or fresh garden salad then finished with a decadent bowl of ice cream.

Hope this is helpful for all of you. If you want to know the recipes or how-to's for these dishes please email me at ferguson.sabrina15@gmail.com or comment on my forum page which is located on the right hand side of my blog under "Pages"

Until Tomorrow Then!

Fun Friday: 5 Fun & Romantic Ideas for You & Hubby

Happy Friday To All My Readers!

So I had an idea from my blogging class for having a theme for Monday through Friday Articles. Don't worry my advice will not only continue to include tips and advice for you and your little one but also for your family as a whole. Mondays I'll be giving ideas for fun family games, activites and dinner ideas. Tuesday is for my Tips and advice for you and your baby. Wednesday I'll offer workout ideas for all of you and healthy snack and meal ideas to help you all boost your weight loss endeavors. Thursdays I'll write about ideas, just for the mommies, to find that alone time to pamper yourself weekly in affordable and fun ways. Lastly Fridays are articles specifically just for you and your husband/ significant other. I'm really excited about this change and I hope all of you will think so as well.

My husband and I love the simple ways of bonding. We love going for drives, walks, having picnics, nights in cooking together, gym workouts and classes and strolls around malls to window shop. So I am going to share with you our choices for our weekly date nights.

1. Dinner and a Movie: Sounds simple right? Our idea of dinner and a movie is cooking dinner together and watching our favorite or trying new movies in the living room. But as the weather gets nice we like turning the backyard into an outdoor theatre. Our next door neighbors have a movie projector that we borrow and we hang a white sheet over a tree branch. Its also a great idea for when we want to have a group date night with our friends. It turns into a dinner party.

2. Walks and Picnics. We use this date when a babysitter is not available. We pack a cooler with sandwiches, cupcakes for dessert and a ton of finger food and food for our little one. Our favorite park to go to is Marymoore Park in Redmond, WA. There are many wide open fields to lay down a blanket and play as a family.

3. Strolls Around the Mall with Window Shopping. It is exactly as it sounds. Our favorite mall to go walk around is Bellevue Square in Bellevue, WA. It has great restaurants for dinner but there is a wonderful theatre across the sky bridge to Lincoln Plaza. In this plaza there are more restaurants, a place to bowl, play pool, and dance. It is great for a night out on the town together. Another great place for dates is Crossroads Mall. Again great food, movie theatre but the best part is a GIANT chess game.

4. Take in your Community’s Festivals. Annually on North Bend, there is something called The Jazz Walk. Half the town is shut down. Many places around town host jazz bands and tell the history of the building that it is held it. There are lots of food trucks with great food, there is a bubble blower that blows bubbles down the sidewalk, art shows and places to get souvenirs. Tons of fun.

5. Take Your Kids to the Zoo. It provides a great learning opportunity for your little one to learn the names and sounds that animals make, also stimulating their senses.

Thank you for visiting my blog. My forum is available for comments, ideas or if you want to share your stories of how this helped you that would be great. My email is also available ferguson.sabrina15@gmail.com

Resources for More Date Night Ideas:

-  http://thechaosandtheclutter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Date-Night-Ideas.pdf
- http://thechaosandtheclutter.com/archives/inexpensive-date-night-ideas/
- http://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/advice/g559/cheap-date-ideas/

Recipes for Date Night:

-  https://www.plated.com/sf/lp2/s?Matchtype=e&cvo_campaign=core&cvo_crid=6725338746&cvosrc=ppc.bing.date+night+recipe&utm_campaign=core&utm_content={creative}&utm_medium=search&utm_source=bing_core&utm_term=date+night+recipe
- http://www.myrecipes.com/menus/date-night-dinner-menus
- http://www.delish.com/entertaining/wine/advice/a26243/date-night-food-wine-pairings/

Until Tomorrow Then!

Learning the Art of Couponing: A Beginners Guide

I don't know about the rest of you but I always love to have a chance to save money when and where I can. My older sister is the best at this coupon-ing, (If that is even a word. Hehehe), that I have ever known. Since my husband and I have been trying to save money for a new place, we looked at our budget and did some cutting back on some unnecessary costs.

Places that you can find coupons are:

1. Coupon Dispensers that are attached to the shelves at the grocery store. When you are doing your regular shopping grab some to add to your stash.

2. Newspapers. They constantly have a whole bushel of them stuffed into them on a daily basis but the best news paper to get your coupons is your Sunday paper. If you don't have your newspapers delivered you can always go to a newspaper stand, grocery or even Starbucks. Some of you may be thinking "What if I don't even read the paper? I'll end up with an ever growing stack of papers." A few solutions to that are"
a) Use it for fuel for a fire. Fireplace in the house, fire pit, or since some people like to go into the mountains this time of year for camping you can bring some of your unwanted newspapers for fuel for keeping yourselves warm.
b) Moving. Since my husband plan to be moving in 6 months we will be saving the papers for packing our fragile dishes and other supplies that need padding.
c) Art Projects. Are you artistically inclined? Newspaper is one of the best materials for paper mache.

3. Printable Coupons. You can either go to the website for your grocery store that you frequent and print them from the comfort of your own home.

4. On Products. Most stores, like Costco, always have loyalty coupons attached to some of their items. Beit can goods, boxes of cereals, even some brands of diapers have them. So when you are shopping for groceries look closely at the products you buy and see if you can have the coupons.

5. Magazines. My mother-in-law constantly has magazines mailed to her almost every day. There are some great coupons in them sometimes. Another good place to look. Who said you can't have coupons for things other than groceries. I love to shop at Ikea, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Fred Meyer.

Ways to Organize: The way that my sister told me that is easy is by buying a big 3 ring binder, some clear inserts for holding cards and a pack for dividers. Other options are boxes with labeled envelopes, ziplock bags, or some people include a grocery folder in their filing cabinets for their coupons like my parents. But me, I like the binder idea.

A. Make a list of stores you frequent and order them from most shopped at to least shopped at.
B. Write on the divider tabs the name of the store in that exact order that you wrote them down. Most shopped at the front of the binder and least shopped at the back of the binder.
C. Then organize all of your cut coupons in the available slots of the clear sheets
D. And you're done.

You can apply this same step by step way of organizing for all the options that I gave you. Just keep in mind that coupons do have expiration dates so schedule a time weekly to thumb through your coupons and throw the expired ones out.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you guys want to share ideas or leave comments I have a forum available for you to leave comments or you can email me at ferguson.sabrina15@gmail.com. I'll respond to you as soon as I get a chance.

Resources for more coupon help:

- http://frugalliving.about.com/od/bargainshopping/a/Coupon_Guide.htm
- www.coupons.com
- http://frugalliving.about.com/od/bargainshopping/tp/Find_Coupons_Online.htm
- http://frugalliving.about.com/od/couponsandrebates/tp/How-To-Get-Coupons-For-Healthy-Foods.htm

Exercises During Pregnancy: Simple Daily Home Routines

I know that it is difficult to have the motivation to workout. Let alone when you are pregnant. I grew up with a reward system so for every week that I workout on my scheduled days I reward myself with either getting my nails done or something along those lines. Just think of goals or hobbies that you have to keep you motivated.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed physican. Please talk to your doctor before attempting.

Simple Routines to do at home:

1. Walk Around the Neighborhood. If you were not a person to workout on a daily basis then walking is a great way to start out working out. Go for 30 to 40 minute walks. The body benefits that you'll recieve is a cardiovascular workout without all the stress on your knees and ankles and you can do it anywhere at anytime throughout your nine months.

Safety Tip: As your nine months progress you want to walk as you are comfortable and pay attention to how your balance and coordination are. Keep in mind the further along your are the more likely your ankles are to swell. When you are done walking elevate your feet and put ice packs on your ankles to reduce the selling. Where comfortable yet supportive walking shoes and stay on even surfaces as much as possible.

2. Swimming. It is a great way to relax and take all the pressure off your joints. This is the most encouraged for of exercise during pregnancy. The benefits that you get from swimming are no risk of falling on your stomach and gives you a better range of motion.

Safety Tip: Find a stroke that does not hurt your neck, shoulders or back.

3. Doing Yoga. Buy some up to date yoga videos. This is a great way to keep your joints limber, you maintain your flexibility, strengthens your muscle system, stimulates blood flow, is relaxing and the yoga classes provide practice for when your labor starts. It teaches you how to breath, stay calm and provide a little more control over your emotions.

Safety Tip: As your pregnancy goes along, stay away from positions that challenges your balance. In your second trimester stay clear of positions that require you to lay flat on your back to avoid having your uterus put weight on major arteries and veins that in turn severely diminishes blood flow to your heart. Also do not over stretch.

4. Resistance Bands. Sit on the edge of a stable chair. Put a resistance band or a bathrobe tie under one foot; grab each end. Take a breath, then exhale, slowly leaning back until you feel your abs contract. Hold for five counts. Return to starting position; repeat 10 times. Switch feet. Again this benefits your joints to keep their mobility.

Safety Tip: Be aware of sitting too close to the edge of the chair and prevent falling.

Here are some resources that I came across in my research that I believe will benefit all kinds of workouts for women that don't workout very often to those who do workout often. There are some great routines for each trimester and how to create a workout routine that is great for you.

http://www.thebump.com/a/tool-pregnancy-workout-plan

http://www.fitpregnancy.com/exercise/prenatal-workouts

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Until Tomorrow Then!

Today is the Day!

My first forum is up and running. I'm available from 10am to 11:00am PST. Find my Forum page on the right side of my blog under "Pages". Have fun getting to know each other. Starting Right Now.

See Ya'll There!