Friday, December 17, 2010

Babies Change EVERYTHING!

Who doesn't LOVE a new baby? They are soft and sweet, and sleep quite a bit! I remember when my youngest was just a few weeks old, a lady saw me holding my sleeping boy while walking down the cereal aisle at a local store. She said, "Don't you just love that age? They are so easy to care for!" I nodded my head and smiled, but inside I was thinking, "Are you crazy woman?!?!? I haven't slept more than 3 hrs in a row for weeks, my baby constantly wants to nurse, and the reason I'm carrying him is because he screams in his carseat the whole time I'm trying to shop!" Now, I know she meant well, but taking care of a baby is HARD work. Probably the hardest work I've ever done!

I decided to write a bit about this because I know at least eight ladies who are due to have babies in the near future. Some of them will be first time moms, others will be adding to their clan. Some will be having a new baby spaced closely to the ones they already have. In any situation, having a baby changes EVERYTHING! :)

Now, to keep your sanity, remember these key things:

1) Be prepared to lose your mind (otherwise referred to as "mommy brain"). Not that you will literally go insane, but I always had a terrible time thinking clearly during pregnancy and my children's infanthood.

2) Don't be discouraged if your house is a mess! I always prided myself in having an organized and tidy house, but shortly after having my son, I realized he took priority. You could ask a teenager to vacuum or fold laundry for you OR ask someone to hold the baby so you can vacuum or fold laundry.

3) Tell your husband or friends what you need! I had a hard time with this, but nobody knows how hard it is for you except for YOU! Tell them you need a nap, or 15 min for a shower, or some time by yourself shopping. Those who love you want you to be happy and healthy :)

4) If you have a baby that needs to nurse to go to sleep, or will only sleep in the swing, or takes a pacifier, DON'T FEEL GUILTY! Sometimes, well meaning people will tell you all these things are "bad," but you need to help your baby feel safe and secure, even if THEY don't approve.

5) Don't compare your baby with other babies (for good or bad). It's ok if your baby doesn't smile exactly at 6 wks old or walk on their first birthday. As long as you and your doctor are sure your baby is healthy, these milestones vary greatly from child to child.

6) Read books and ask others about taking care of baby. I probably bothered people, but I was always asking questions like, "When do I give him solid food?" "How did you relieve baby's gas?" "WHEN WILL HE SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT?" lol

7) Above all, take time to appreciate your little one because they will not stay little forever! :)

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Making My Dollars Streeeeeeetch

I've always been the type of person who likes to get a good deal. When I was a teenager, my father showed me where to find the "unit price" on the store shelf tags so that I could find the best deal for HIS money - LOL! Well, that information came in handy! He set me on the path to getting the most for my money. I'm pretty sure that even if I had money "to spare," I would still look for bargains!

Now, I know that I'm not alone because there are TONS of blogs about store deals, website deals, and even search engines that provide points to redeem for various items! And I don't think it's the slow economy that has led to all this. I personally think it's the fact that people feel good when they get a bargain - whether it's for soap or a new car!

Since "Black Friday" a few weeks ago, it seems that stores are just cranking out all sorts of deals in order to drum up business. Well, since my husband was laid off just before Thanksgiving, I have been doing everything in my power to take advantage of these great deals. I wanted to share a few with you.

*Walgreens had two specials for FREE 8x10 collages when you ordered online. I used mine and my husband's emails and ordered 4 (3 for Christmas gifts).

*Restaurant.com had some deals on gift certificates. I ordered some $25 certificates for $2 and you could give a $10 certificate for FREE with their "pay it forward" promotion!




*JCPenney had a coupon code for $10 off an order for $10 or more. I used mine and my husband's emails again and placed two orders and received 4 blouses (I had to pay a balance of $2.08).

*Groupon has had some good deals as well. Every year I try to make a photo book of family photos. Their deal cost me $6 for a hard cover, 16 page photo book with FREE SHIPPING!


*I also ordered a FREE photo calendar from Vista Print which only cost me about $4 for shipping. It's a gift for my dad :)


*Our family photo collage from Sears was FREE and I often go to Picture People to get their FREE 8X10 or 10x13 (just because I like to see pics of my boys)!


*Now Kohls is my favorite store for clothing, so I LOVE those $5 off coupons I get in the mail (most times I buy something on clearance and end up paying next to nothing!). Just after Thanksgiving I also found a great offer on a new coffee pot. The retail value was $40, but it was on sale for $17.99 on Black Friday. I ordered online and got free shipping and just sent in a $10 rebate form. My total will be $8 for a new, programmable coffee maker!

*CVS has an "Extra Bucks" program that earns you "cash" for your next purchase. I've found a few good deals there.

*Walgreens is my all time favorite store for weekly deals. If something earns "Jingle Cash" that is equal to it's cost, I BUY IT. I have cough syrup and no cough, joint pain reliever and no joint pain, and PLENTY of bath products! This last week I also stocked up on stocking stuffers! And you would be surprised at how many grocery deals you can get there if you use coupons (I paid $.24 for 2 containers of liquid Coffee Mate creamer!) For all the products pictured in the bottom two photos, I think I paid about $3 out-of-pocket!

Now, I'm no "deal diva," but I do try my best. Each morning I glance at other money saving blogs and use their links to get coupons or other deals. Oh, and one more thing, if you do ANY ordering online, use EBATES! It will earn you a percentage of cash back for online orders for a variety of companies. Hope this helps give you some ideas on making YOUR dollars streeeeeeeeetch! :)

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Logan Lee Baugh - April 17, 2010


In April of this year, I delivered a stillborn baby boy at 20 weeks gestation. Though it was a difficult time, I was comforted from hearing about others who experienced similar situations. I decided to ask some ladies if they would contribute to a booklet I plan on publishing. So far, eight ladies have sent me their stories. I appreciate their honesty and encouragement. Though lengthy, I am sharing my story with you now. For some reason, I feel that the Lord would have me share it here on my blog. Please feel free to pass it on.

My history of pregnancies has been rocky, to say the least. I would like to share my journey in hopes of encouraging others. Let me start by giving a short history of my life since becoming married in 1998. My husband and I always knew we wanted children, but after seven years without becoming pregnant, I realized something must be wrong. My suspicions were warranted. A specialist confirmed my dread . . . we may never have children without medical intervention. I went home disheartened. Psalm 18:30a reads, “As for God, his way is perfect. . .” Instead of praying for God to give us a baby, I instead prayed for God to give me peace about NOT having a baby. God then did a miracle! Not 4 weeks later (and on Father’s Day), I realized I was expecting . . . and with NO medical intervention!

My first pregnancy was full of new feelings, emotions, and anxieties. Because everything was new to me, I didn’t realize how sick I was becoming. I developed serious preeclampsia (or pregnancy-induced hypertension) and was put on bed rest. I was induced at 36 weeks and delivered a healthy baby boy by emergency caesarean. After birth, my blood pressure did not go down and I was “ordered” to stay in bed for two more weeks and to have someone with me 24 hours a day to insure my safety in case I had seizures. Thankfully, the Lord protected me and I recovered within two weeks! My firstborn is now 4.

Having a baby after being told that I may never have children made every day special for us. My husband and I “spoiled” our boy with affection and love. We were content with our one “miracle baby,” and I had a sense of peace about not having any more children. God had other plans, however; and when our first was just 8 months old, I found out I was expecting again! My second pregnancy was fairly uneventful, but for some reason I went into labor early and delivered my second son at just 34 weeks. My health was great after delivery, but not so for my son. He spent 20 days in the NICU gaining strength and being tested for his various health problems. After he was released, we spent hours visiting specialists, including a respitory therapist, an endocrinologist and even an oncologist (that is a doctor that deals with cancer patients!). God showed himself real to us and at about 3 months of age, our baby was given a clean bill of health. My second son is now 3.
Now we had two handsome little boys and moved to another state to be near family. We were obviously SHOCKED when we found out I was expecting a third time (so much for us being infertile, right?). This time I experienced the high blood pressure again, but medication kept it under control. I lasted until 38 weeks before being induced with baby boy #3. He was a big boy and came out with a bruised face. After bringing him home, he developed severe jaundice and was readmitted to the hospital for three days. I prayed for my baby to be protected from any brain damage and God answered! He is now a healthy 2 year old.

Because of our “renewed fertility,” my husband and I decided to wait at least two years before trying for another baby. Well, I should not have to tell you what happened next. The Christmas after our third son turned one, we found out a fourth baby was on the way! No one could believe it . . . including me! I think I was in denial, because I didn’t tell anyone for the first ten weeks. This pregnancy was one of the worst. I was constantly nauseous and developed a terrible cold that lasted for weeks. For six days straight I also had a stomach virus and could not eat a bite. At about 14 weeks I had an ultrasound and everything looked great. At about 16 weeks I thought it seemed my belly had stopped growing and the nausea ended. When I was at 20 weeks I developed a fever that lasted three days. It was a Saturday when the fever went down and I felt a bit better, but around dinner time I felt a terrible cramp and started bleeding. I ran to the bathroom and called for my husband. I knew the baby was gone. An ambulance arrived to bring me to the hospital, and although I was upset, I was glad to see my boys so excited that paramedics were in our house. Thinking of my boys really helped me through the ordeal of delivering a stillborn and spending the night in a hospital were I could hear crying newborns. God gave me strength I didn’t think I had.

During my hospital stay, one of the nurses was a true blessing to me. She told me what to expect, held my hand through the delivery, and spent the evening “checking up” on me. A few hours after giving birth, my baby was brought in for me to hold. It was another boy, but so tiny. His ears were not fully developed and his eyes were still closed. I wondered aloud how anyone could think a 20 week old fetus is not a baby. Pictures were taken and then a pseudo birth certificate was made. At the time it all made me feel a bit uncomfortable, but now I am glad I have something with which to remember my child. A few days later we had a burial service. My fourth son is in heaven with my mother, my brother, and countless others who knew the Lord as their Savior.

Four weeks after losing my son, I had my follow up visit with my OB. I was expecting to hear what many other ladies have heard . . . “We don’t know why you lost your baby.” However, this was not the case. My wonderful doctor had run 14 different tests on the 10 vials of blood that had been drawn. One of the tests came back positive. It showed that I have a rare blood clotting disorder that may have caused a blood clot in the umbilical cord. Most often, the few women who have this disorder have multiple pregnancy losses before they are tested. My doctor informed me that it was amazing that I had three successful pregnancies because it is a rarity for women with this blood disorder. It was GOD who gave me the three healthy boys that I have, and I feel truly blessed!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Confessions of a Control Freak

The term "control freak" is often used in a derogatory way, but a wise woman once told me, "It's okay to be a control freak, as long as you admit it" :) Well, I admit it. I am a control freak.
Now, I don't think I'm as bad as some, but nevertheless, I do tend to speak up more than the average woman and am not intimidated by telling people what to do. As a Christian woman, I really try to be careful about who I speak to and what I say. I don't want to be unsubmissive to those in authority (including my husband). And, by the way, he has the "final say" when we have decisions to make (even if I don't agree).
The thought of writing about this subject came to me as I was cooking dinner tonight. As my husband sat at the computer and my boys wreaked havoc, it crossed my mind that it doesn't bother me at all that my husband NEVER cooks. I realized that the reason for this is my "control freak" nature. If he did attempt to cook, I would probably be looking over his shoulder and "recommending" different ways to do things. It seems that my motto around the house is, "It'll be faster if I just do it myself!" I do the cooking, most of the cleaning, the ironing, and oversee most of my boy's activities. Although it is a lot to take on myself, I don't mind because. . . "It'll be faster if I just do it myself" :)
Now, because of my wanting to do everything, my husband now deals with teaching the boys "life skills" because I am too impatient. I did teach my 4 yr old to tie his shoes, but my husband taught my boys how to button/unbutton, zip, get dressed/undressed, make their beds, pick up toys/clothes, and turn on the coffee pot :) His motto is, "Why should I do it if you can do it yourself?" Wow! God knew what he was doing when he put us together, huh?
So, if you are a control freak, don't be too overbearing, but use your assets to get things done. And if you are married to a control freak, just take a deep breath and let them wait on you! LOL!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Countdown to Christmas


I love the Christmas holiday! I am especially glad this year, because my 4 yr old understands the REAL reason for the season! It's so enjoyable listening to him and his brother talk about Mary riding a donkey and baby Jesus having to sleep on the hay :) Because he understands that Jesus was the greatest gift of all, I figured I would have them "countdown to Christmas" by giving themselves to others this season.

There are many ideas online for advent calendars, but I came up with my own version and am hoping it works!

I listed 24 tasks for them to perform throughout the month (find a toy to give away, help bake cookies for a church member, etc.). Each day they will pick a task, and once it is performed, we will add the paper to our "paper chain." On Christmas Eve, we will hang the paper chain as a decoration and make a birthday cake for Jesus. On Christmas morning, my husband will read from Luke 2 and we'll sing "Happy Birthday" BEFORE opening any presents.

They are very excited about Christmas (and will probably be getting an extra special present this year), but I want them to know it is "more blessed to give than receive." And if any of you have special traditions you do with your family, please share! My children are young so I'm looking for some special traditions we can start with them :)