I heard the baby's heartbeat today- it was so fast & strong. I've been feeling movement for a little while now but hearing the heartbeat at the doctor's office makes it seem more real to me. I love every second I have with him/her & can't wait until we can interact face to face. To many of you this is nothing new- but to me it means the world & is a BIG thing to be able to experience this with my husband beside me.
Hearing jellybean's heartbeat makes it feel more real to me. I can't wait to cuddle with my baby & see this tiny person who has been having tons of fun on the inside of my stomach.
I'm over the moon!
~Mommy Dearest~
Monday, February 13, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Principles of Practical Christianity- When Applied to Marriage
Today I want to share with you three secrets I had written in my 'The Bride Wore White' journal. This journal was a place I came to as a young adult to discuss my thoughts of what a good marriage needed to entail. I had such a journal during the years before my marriage because I believe to be a great wife & mother you should prepare as you would prepare for a college degree. Marriage should last much longer than a career, so for seven years I prepared internally.
Normally I wrote under the post if I got it from a book or author but I'm not sure if this was something I came up with after lots of book reading or was from a certain book. If you know the book its from let me know please- I don't want to take any credit for something that is not mine. I hope you enjoy it as it has made me really think about me as a married individual.
Date: 6th June, 2008
Text: Matthew 7:3-5
1.) An individual can either make or destroy his own happiness. Happiness is a by product of life. It comes as the result of living actively and unselfishly. It comes as one learns to spend his/her energies in the interests and for the benefit of someone else. It comes from focusing the attention on those things which are wholesome and desirable rather than looking for the things which are unpleasant & disappointing.
2.) The marriage vows are sacred. Marriage is a divinely appointed & sanctioned institution. The vows which a young man & a young woman take at the time they pledge their absolute fidelity to each other in the presence of a minister of the gospel, represent the most solemn and binding obligation which human beings can assume. The parties agree to accept each other "for better or for worse" as long as life shall last. And for a husband or a wife to lightly cast aside this sacred obligation for any reason other than that mentioned in the New Testament, is the equivalent of removing himself from the sphere of the Lord's blessing.
3.) We need to be able to become reconciled to disappointment at the earliest moment. Persons who are able to make a healthy adjustment to a bereavement, to a financial loss, or to any other major disappointment, are much better able to extract from life the best that it has to offer than are those individuals whose personalities are crippled as a result of some unexpected tragedy.
Those are the principles I have to share with you. As I leave I hope you remember this quote:
"Real LOVE is always fated. It has been arranged before time. It is the most meticulously prepared of coincidences. And fate, of course, is simply a secular term for the will of God, and coincidence for His grace. "
-The Mystery of Marriage, Mike Mason.
Until next time keep your home amazingly beautiful & safe!
~Mommy Dearest~
Normally I wrote under the post if I got it from a book or author but I'm not sure if this was something I came up with after lots of book reading or was from a certain book. If you know the book its from let me know please- I don't want to take any credit for something that is not mine. I hope you enjoy it as it has made me really think about me as a married individual.
Date: 6th June, 2008
Text: Matthew 7:3-5
1.) An individual can either make or destroy his own happiness. Happiness is a by product of life. It comes as the result of living actively and unselfishly. It comes as one learns to spend his/her energies in the interests and for the benefit of someone else. It comes from focusing the attention on those things which are wholesome and desirable rather than looking for the things which are unpleasant & disappointing.
2.) The marriage vows are sacred. Marriage is a divinely appointed & sanctioned institution. The vows which a young man & a young woman take at the time they pledge their absolute fidelity to each other in the presence of a minister of the gospel, represent the most solemn and binding obligation which human beings can assume. The parties agree to accept each other "for better or for worse" as long as life shall last. And for a husband or a wife to lightly cast aside this sacred obligation for any reason other than that mentioned in the New Testament, is the equivalent of removing himself from the sphere of the Lord's blessing.
3.) We need to be able to become reconciled to disappointment at the earliest moment. Persons who are able to make a healthy adjustment to a bereavement, to a financial loss, or to any other major disappointment, are much better able to extract from life the best that it has to offer than are those individuals whose personalities are crippled as a result of some unexpected tragedy.
Those are the principles I have to share with you. As I leave I hope you remember this quote:
"Real LOVE is always fated. It has been arranged before time. It is the most meticulously prepared of coincidences. And fate, of course, is simply a secular term for the will of God, and coincidence for His grace. "
-The Mystery of Marriage, Mike Mason.
Until next time keep your home amazingly beautiful & safe!
~Mommy Dearest~
Friday, January 27, 2012
The Growing Pains
I have one more day to go until I am officially in my second trimester- yay! As I am looking forward to week fourteen (and hopefully a respite from the nausea etc) I am beginning to feel sharp aches in my lover right pelvic area that don't last long but are very painful nonetheless. Me being the neurotic that I am went & researched what this pain could possibly be- & guess what I found out? It's the pain of my uterus expanding and the stretching that has to occur to my round ligament (ligaments are tough bands of tissue) causes this pain. What a relief but what a pain in the abdomen!
Many women experience this pain in pregnancy. It is quite normal from week thirteen on as the round ligament (the ligament that actually helps your uterus to stay suspended where it is in your pelvic area) has to stretch to accommodate the growth & movement of your baby. Round ligament pain however, should not persist. Ways that you can tell the difference between round ligament pain from other problems include: vomiting, cramping or bleeding accompanying your symptoms. These can be signs that something else can be wrong with you- from appendicitis to inguinal hernias and other problems. Any extra symptoms and you need to call your healthcare provider. Below is a diagram that should better help you see how your uterus is changing.
For me right now all I have experienced are the cramps from time to time. I'm happy to know that all it is would be that my baby is growing & that pretty soon I will be able to look at my stomach & say "Yup- I'm pregnant!"
If you have any questions please feel free to ask & I'll try to help you get the best response possible. Gotta go- but until next time keep your hubby, your jellybean(s) & yourself safe, nourished & protected.
~Mommy Dearest~
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Babygear
For the last two years I have been secretly going into baby stores to look at baby items. I have wanted jellybean for so much longer than I admit to most persons. I would get sad in the stores when we began to TTC & every month I got a BFN. I am so excited that now with a baby on board, I can look at babygear in the hopes that six months from now I will have my jellybean.
Even though I love baby shopping I am also very money conscious. I want my child to have nice things- but not at the expense of me & DH's financial well-being. If there is one thing I will admit is that I am a frugal momma. I love bargains that are quality over quantity. My hubby finds it funny how I will comb each receipt to ensure I am not being overcharged for nothing. I love saving.
As apart of a baby community I have begun researching things for my jellybean's arrival. The items I thought were way to go momma you're not being too cheap I realized didn't come up on most other mom's lists. But looking around my home country the items I chose are actually pretty good- tested & true in the humid Bahamian weather. Just want to share with you some of the key items on my list below:
This is what I fell in love with when I was looking for something to be used as a bassinet & a play yard.
BabyTrend Deluxe Playard- Provence
Travel System Car Seat & Stroller
Breast Pump (I work so there is no way I will be doing the manual thing everyday):
Bottles for Breast Pump & in general:
Baby Care Timer (I thought this was so cute- great way to be organized):
Baby Items Organizer (You can see a theme with me- I want to be as prepared as possible & a part of that is having things/items organized):
The items listed & pictured above are the items we will buy before the baby comes (with the exception of clothes, diapers & other essentials)- anything else people think we need they can gift to us [which is why I love having six sisters ;-)] Until next time I hope that you continue to nurture, care & support your families!
~Mommy Dearest~
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
End of First Trimester
It is coming to an end- the first trimester and hopefully the end of the scariest part of pregnancy for me so far. I'm thanking God for the end of this stage & hopefully I'll be less exhausted next trimester cause I have a beach excursion to go to & I'm excited to go! Also we're planning a baby-moon to Florida for Easter. I am so excited!
Be blessed & keep your family safe, nurtured & cared for!
~Mommy Dearest~
Be blessed & keep your family safe, nurtured & cared for!
~Mommy Dearest~
Friday, January 13, 2012
Signature...
Today makes two weeks since we said "I Do", and I have been practicing my new signature because it feels so foreign to me. Just twelve years ago I had to learn to use my dad's surname because most of my childhood I carried my mother's. It feels bittersweet. A big part of me wants to hyphen my name so that I never lose my dad's name but the other wants to embrace this new person I am fully.
For me the hardest part is that I loved the distinction I felt with my dad's surname. My hubby's name is a regular surname and even though I love it- I love my family name more. I think another hard part is that for so long I made a name for myself as a single person. Whoever knows me knows I am a "R----" and proud of it. I have so many awards for civil, church, community and other activities in that name. Now I have to in a way start over as a new person.
My hubby doesn't get my issues- because he has never had to change his signature. I have had to twice in my life. It feels like for each time I'm changing who I am. Where once I was my mother's daughter, then I became my father's outspoken daughter and now I am a wife (and soon to be mother). When I complete my degree I will receive it as a married woman. Not single. These are all things that have been hitting me as of late.
I have friends who did it in transitional phases- such as hyphened their name for a few months then moved into their new surname. I don't know if that is really what I want. I want to be known as my husband's wife, the mother of our children & I don't want any confusion on any of it.
How did you transition into your new role? Or did you just keep your maiden name? If you are not yet married what are your plans for when you get married?
I have to run- but until next time you keep your family safe, nourished & protected!
~Mommy Dearest~
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Prenatal Vitamins
Every morning at around the same time I take them- my prenatal vitamins. If you’re like me who suffers from nausea you probably have experienced an immediate upchuck effect. The more I advance into pregnancy- the less I upchuck but I still don’t like taking them. Why do I take something I don’t like? Because my jellybean needs them to develop properly so I have to suffer through the nastiness of taking the pills.
My prenatal cocktail consists of: a Materna® tablet, a Folic Acid tablet, a Fish Oil tablet, & an iron tablet. I normally like to take them right after breakfast so that they get digested with the other nutrients I am eating. I know you’re wondering why I take all those pills and I was wondering myself until I did some research (in my Nursing Assistant textbook & online.) One would think the Materna® (a ‘complete’ prenatal vitamin) would be enough but as I found out there is no such thing as a complete multi-vitamin.
Most doctors in the Bahamas prescribe to every antenatal client they receive folic acid tablets (whose ‘sibling’ folate is naturally found in leafy greens and other sources) because it is a water soluble B vitamin that protects both mother and child from many harmful effects. The most surprising things I found it helped with were that it has been found to lessen the risks of miscarriage and of your jellybean having/being born with birth defects such as spina bifida. I found that my doctor putting me on folic acid & maternal whilst I was on birth control was one of the best things he ever did for me- both help to protect any unplanned ‘oops’ to develop properly even with all that other gunk. But if you don’t want to take it while on b/c consider taking it for at least six weeks before you plan on trying to conceive. As folic acid works best in the first few weeks of pregnancy whilst the baby is developing.
I started taking the fish oil tablet mostly because my hair is natural (means I have an afro, my hair is not chemically altered in any way) and it is known to help with hair texture and softness. As I was researching its benefits I found that it also helps my jellybean’s eye and brain development- not to mention mine. Can anyone say this sister was over the moon? Only side effect for me was the nasty fish burps (cause I refuse to spend the extra for the burp less pills.)
My iron pill is mostly because the doctor’s don’t want me to start suffering from anemia. Another vitamin I have yet to add but know that I need is calcium with vitamin d- for the development of jellybean’s bones. I was born with curved legs- a result of a vitamin d deficiency in my mom’s pregnancy with me. Two years of corrective boots and twenty-six plus years later I still feel the results. I don’t want my child to have that issue.
Trust me vitamins are very important to your babies development. Don’t take them for granted. Suffer through the upchuck reflex because you want your jellybean to be born as healthy and normal as possible.
I hope this post helps & please remember to discuss with your doctor what vitamins you need for YOUR pregnancy. I am not a licensed professional so my statements are what I have learned through my research and are by no means the ultimate on this topic. Every woman’s body is different and what I drink may not be what you do. Until the next time you keep yourself, your spouse and your jellybean(s) safe & happy!
~Mommy Dearest~
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