So this year I'm in a predicament. I want to take my son out for his first Halloween (to friends and family) So I probably won't bother putting that cob webbed stuff all over the trees and I'll forgo the caution tape, BUT I will still be carving the pumpkins i got at the corn maze! (all 4 of them)
Hubby and I are working on two pumpkins tonight (I'll post pictures later this evening) and two tomorrow with our son.
I've decided to enter our little on in a Halloween costume contest! So if you feel like voting for him please please do! Click here!
I had always been a very regular woman in terms of my monthly period, so it wasn't rocket science for a program to figure out when I was supposedly ovulating. But I needed an "in your face" reminder of the event.
Things you should do before actively trying to conceive:
- Take folic acid
- Get healthy with exercise and vitamins
- Drink lots of water
- Avoid excessive amounts of Caffeine and Alcohol
- Quit doing any recreational drugs and stop smoking.
- Tell your partner to get rid of his tighty whities. Opt for boxers.
- Try to relax and enjoy baby making time, don't focus on getting a job done!
Ovulation Calendar - an ovulation prediction program that uses menstrual cycle information to generate your personal fertility calendar, and lets you choose the gender of your baby.
It's a user friendly package that tracks your cycle, no matter how many days long it is, and it tells you the days to make love if you want to increase our chances of conceiving a boy or a girl. If you are at all hesitant please download the free trial.
Every day a pop up comes up on my computer telling me my fertility chances today, whether they're good or bad.
There are other alternatives or accompaniments to this chart, you can buy a basal body temperature reader so that you can see when your body is ovulating and also by taking note in your body's reaction to ovulation.
Also you can use this chart to avoid pregnancy based on your ovulation cycle.
Best of luck!
How many of you would have applied to be a parent if this was the job description?
PARENT - Job Description
This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way,
I don't believe any of us would have done it!!!!
POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop
JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging,
permanent work in an often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to
primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments
in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES :
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from
the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges,
such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets
and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and
coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for
the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and
janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :
None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without
complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because
of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS :
While no health or dental insurance, no pension,
no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth,
unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.
NOTE--THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!!
Thanks Hollie for sending this!
Gone are the days where I was someone interesting to talk to. Now my idea of a good conversation is not one that is intellectually stimulating but one that revolves around children.
I told myself that I was not going to be one of those parents who talk non stop about their children, I mean who really cares how many bowel movements your child had yesterday... no one, well maybe your pediatrician.
I remember being part of the "non mom" group one Christmas party a few years back and being bored senseless while women all around me talked about their children. It's not that I didn't like my friends or their kids, I just couldn't relate and I'm sure I had this glazed over look in my eyes.
So now, I try to only talk about my son with other mommies. I do talk about him if my non mommy friends ask, but I usually follow it up with, you probably don't want to hear about that, and change the subject. Some of my friends who are on the brink of mommyhood will interrogate me for answers and then I'm more then happy to share my two cents.
For example, I was at a friend's birthday dinner the other day and there were women asking about childbirth. I'm pretty sure I was the only mom there (it was a large group so I might not have been) but one girl asked me what sex was like after a baby, "was it all stretched out." And I'm an honest type of person who doesn't get offended or insulted by honest questions, cause let's face it we all have that fear when we have children.
For me, it wasn't. Now mind you I've only had one child and was stitched up afterwards, so I'm sure that helps but honestly it was like being a virgin all over again. And now that I've shared that Too Much Information note, I'll move on. But rest assured ladies, you'll be fine, there will be no hotdog down the tunnel happening LOL
Now back to my point, having nothing to talk about. Aside from my blog; which is mostly about being a mom, very little is new in my life. I have come to dread the question, "so what's new?" To be honest, nothing is new. Aside from the new food I just fed him, the last time he pooped, how many bibs I changed today and how long I got him to nap for... nothing is new.
Tired of looking like an Idiot when people asked me these questions at social gatherings, I came up with a make shift way to divert the question.
So here is what I do, I get the "what's new question" and then I say, "not much, yes Dom is doing great, have you heard about ______?"
1) Read the news and then have an opinion on what's going on. Right now, there are two elections on this continent and lots of controversy. Perfect.
2) Stay connected with facebook or other social networking sites. What's new with mutual friends is great gossip a social occasions! Unless they all happen to be there, then you're screwed.
3) Talk about future plans about your house, your weight, your yard, your education. Most people can relate weight loss battles, renovation struggles and future prospects.
The bottom line
If all else fails you can play the "kid card" but if you can--avoid it, and unless someone really wants to know, stay away from it! While children that are yours are cute, and lovely, some people just don't care. I remember someone asking me if I did anything else (as in working) besides stay at home with Dominic. I was thinking, am I supposed to? Why should I divide this attention away from him if I don't need to? For those who don't have children, it's the hardest job one has to do, it's physically and emotionally draining. I had envisioned myself taking courses when I was "off" work, getting renovations done in my house and seriously?... not going to happen, maybe at night when he sleeps but during the day, my son power naps, that means only 30 minutes of rest in between. But I wouldn't change it for the world. My husband said to me that I grumble and wake him up when my son get's up at 5 or 6 am. When he's finally up for the day after his morning feed, my husband looks over at me and see's us laughing, smiling and playing together and part of him wishes that he got to stay home with our son. All of that "animosity" that I had at 5 am just melts away when he smiles at me, after all he doesn't care how much sleep mommy got last night, all he cares about is that I'm there to feed him, clothe him and give him hugs and kisses.
This week I had the privilege of attending a Power from Within conference. The keynote speaker of the event was Anthony Robbins. He was the actual reason that i bought the tickets in the first place, but I can actually say that all 6 speakers brought something important to the table. So I'll do a little blurb about a few that I found the most inspiring.
When Mitch Joel came out, I didn't really know what to think, I'm not in the business of marketing in the professional world-although after hearing him speak, you could argue that we are all in marketing, we all sell ourselves to every person we meet, even if it is unconsciously.
When Google wanted to explain online marketing to the top retailers in the United States (including Wal-Mart, Costo, Sears and Sephora), they brought Mitch Joel to the Googleplex in Mountain View, California. Marketing Magazine dubbed him the, "Rock Star of Digital Marketing" and in 2006 he was named one of the most influential authorities on Blog Marketing in the world. Mitch Joel is President of Twist Image - an award-winning Digital Marketing agency based in Montreal, Quebec. He is a marketing and communications visionary, interactive expert, community leader, Blogger, Podcaster and believer in doing the impossible. He is also a passionate entrepreneur and speaker who connects with people worldwide by sharing his marketing insights on digital marketing and personal branding.-From the Power Within Website.
I have to say I was impressed. He spoke a lot about the power of conversation and expanding your social network. One thing he said that I thought was neat was that as children we are taught to "never speak to strangers" and as adults it's so engrained in us that we tend to shy away from people. How many times do you look down when you're in an elevator so you avoid having a conversation with someone else?
He also played this video. It's interesting that the more "connected" we become (in terms of technology) the easier it is to be disconnected from each other. I'm sure some of you have seen this before, but for those who haven't, take a look!
He encouraged everyone to attend 3 social networking events by the end of this week, and as most people groaned he reminded us that it can be as simple as turning around behind you and introducing yourself.And no he wasn't giving out free hugs, that's Juan Mann's job!
The Bottom Line
Mitch's message was clear, stop being afraid to have a conversation with someone you don't know. There are so many free tools for us to use to market ourselves and our business, don't be afraid to use them.
With the advent of the internet, we all have the same ability to market ourselves to millions of people, without footing a huge PR bill. So with that being said, if you're into social networking sites and you want to hear more about my boring amazing life, follow me on twitter! Mitch also wants you to follow him scroll to the bottom of this page and find out where you can find him!
Even if you don't believe a word I'm saying in this post, you have to admit that this video is pretty amazing! Juan Mann is the man in this video, and has appeared on Oprah! So go out and hug some one, it's free.