Safe And Successful Delivery

I am very thankful to God that my delivery was successful. Although I had complications with my pregnancy and problems came up during labor, my baby had given me the inner strength I need. My honey and parents-in-law were there for support. Me, my family, and friends prayed for our safety.

I have no complain with my health care provider. She handled a high-risk patient like me with proper, absolute care. Everything was well-managed. And she had my cooperation. For a very satisfactory woman's health care, I recommend my health care provider.

Focused On The Baby

We are going out-of-town on Christmas eve. The family will have gifts exchange with a game but we haven't bought anything yet. Our attention is focused on the baby, and I am still in postpartum recovery. The house is a mess. I know everything will be organized soon. We'll be fine.

Major Operation

I am recovering but I am still in pain. It is more than two weeks since I gave birth to a healthy baby girl through CS (Cesarean). She weighs 6.8 lbs...tiny but she is healthy.

I was in labor for 26 hours in the hospital. I thought I can deliver normally but my baby is still high in my uterus and a problem occurred, so my doctor suggested a C-Section. That was the first time in my life to have had a major operation. But there's no regrets at all.

Thank God all went well. My high appreciation to my OB/GYN, to the nurses in the labor and delivery, postpartum/recovery, and nursery.

Today's Humor: Signs You're "All Grown-Up Now"

-- You keep more food than beer in the fridge.

-- 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.

-- You hear your favorite song on an elevator.

-- You watch the Weather Channel.

-- Your friends marry and divorce instead of hook up and break up.

-- You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.

-- Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."

-- You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won't turn down the stereo.

-- You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

-- Your car insurance goes down and your payments go up.

-- Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

-- You no longer take naps from noon to 6 PM.

-- Dinner and a movie is the whole date, instead of the beginning of one.

-- A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good stuff."

-- You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.

-- 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.

-- You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.

-- You read this entire list, looking desperately for one sign that doesn't apply to you, but, can't find one to save your life.

Thanks to Arcamax.com

Dads And Moms Hard-wired to Love Babies Differently

Researchers studying bonding between parents and babies recently mad a discovery. Oxytocin levels reached their peak during the times mothers were caressing, hugging or simply gazing in their babies' faces. Dads, however, had bursts of the hormone (known as the "love hormone" by scientists) during playful interaction, such as rolling around with the baby encouraging him or her to explore, lightly tossing the child in the air causing laughter, or encouraging the child to sit up. The study also found infants were more likely to prefer their fathers for positive playful interaction while preferring mothers' comfort for distress.

Suburban Parent North Dallas, November 2010

Lockers For Safekeeping

It's my sister's second semester this school year. As I was talking to her this evening, she is enjoying her course so far. Though some of her classes this semester require more laboratory time, she feels tired but she is learning a lot.

It's good to know that her school provides lockers for students. With all the heavy nursing books she has to carry, school lockers are the best place to keep them during classes. Imagine carrying those thick heavy books everyday? You will get exhausted and skinny in days!

I am very thankful that my sister have her own locker. She learns how to become independent and takes care of her privacy.

Weekend Snapshot: Herb Stew Chicken

What's for dinner? My honey made some Herb Stew Chicken for supper.

When we were at the Asian Market this afternoon, we were kinda talking about what to get. He asked me what do I want for dinner? I said Herb Stew Chicken. We haven't had that for a while. It is really good with rice. So here it is!

Twinkling Lights Of Christmas

Guest post written by Marty Ford

It doesn't officially feel like it's the Christmas season until our whole family is standing in our front yard and watching me flip the switch to turn on all of our Christmas lights. My wife always makes the joke that it's like the National Lampoons Christmas Vacation where Chevy Chase flips the switch and knocks out power to the rest of the town. Well that doesn't happen, but I do like to make sure that my family gets to see all of my hard work's result.

I was online a few weeks ago, ordering some of the last Christmas lights for our house, when I came across some DIRECT TV INTERNET BUNDLE specials, read a little more about them and signed our family up for one of them.

I'm especially excited about some new Christmas lights decorations that I put up this year, like a huge inflatable snow globe in the shape of a snowman that has fake snow blowing inside of it. It looks so neat! I have a spotlight on it so that you can see it at night even better, although it lights up itself.

No Holiday Wish List Yet

While I was putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher after dinner last night, my honey asked what do I want for Christmas. "We haven't thought of Christmas shopping yet," he added.

I told him that we were busy, and we have a baby coming. "And I haven't done my wish list yet." He laughed. Then he said, "So I will be expecting a wish list hanging in the Christmas tree one of these days."

"You bet," I replied.

Holiday Parties, Galore

Guest post written by Ben Sanders

I always feel blessed around the holidays. Maybe even more-so now that I'm retired with my wife living the good life! But really, this time of year gives us a chance to get back to what's really important: family, and fellowship. We make it a point to have two big parties each year: one amongst our family members, where we spend the evening together eating, watching movies and exchanging gifts, and another amongst our friends and neighbors, where everyone brings a dish and we hold a holiday pot-luck. And this year? No different.

I'm looking forward to this more than ever (and not just because I've been craving my wife's amazing baked lasagna she makes for it every year!). I've really had the urge to get back to what's important and fix the things in my life I sometimes let fall by the wayside, like the relationships that are most important. In preparation, my wife and I are trying to spruce up the place with www.homeproimprovement.com to make it as nice as can be. These are, after all, the memories we keep the longest!

Wordless Wednesday: Yellow Fish

Traditional Christmas Flower

Did You Know...

Today poinsettias are the most popular Christmas plant and are the number one flowering potted plant in the United States.

Courtesy to Home Depot

The poinsettia, a traditional Christmas flower, originally grew in Mexico, where it is also know as the 'Flower of the Holy Night'. Joel Poinsett first brought it to America in 1829.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

I really can't wait till Thanksgiving. I'm sitting here counting the days waiting for the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade. I love to sit and watch the new floats every year. They always seem to get better every year. It's really amazing if you look back at the past years and look at how far the technology has come I was looking at pictures from back in about the 60s today of the Macy's parade then and looking at some pictures from the present day. It really amazes me how far technology has come and how much brighter the colors are and how much more detail is put into them.

I like to watch every year also to see which new singers and celebrities are there. Always seems to be somebody new and exciting, and also your old favorites. And let's not forget the marching bands and mummers. I always love to watch them.

It would definitely be more fun to actually go to New York and watch it live. But luckily I have good Satellite TV specials to watch it on with a crystal-clear image, and never seem to miss a beat. It's really great when you pump in the surround sound. Almost feels like you're right there with the bass. So even though I don't get to go and see it in person. I can still really enjoy it right from the comfort of my own home.

Author: Miles King

Discount On Baby Registry Items

Thank God we're done decorating the nursery room. My honey painted it and he did a great job. We already arranged the furniture in the places we wanted them to be, and the wall decorations and accessories as well. My baby's clothes (except those bigger sizes) are washed too. We bought a couple boxes of diapers and stacked them in the drawer.

Now I am checking my registry list and figuring out things I still need. Well, there are few more. I wonder if the store will give me discount for the items left in my registry.

The Boots You'll Love

The weather hasn't been nice lately. It was raining with gusty winds. I have had to go accomplish some errands. It's difficult to drive on rainy days. Still I managed to go to the post office, the grocery store, and the bank.

I hate getting wet in the rain. I easily get colds. My newly bought rain boots helped a lot. The rainwater on the road did not bother me at all because my feet was covered all the way to my calves. I got compliments from other customers in the grocery store. Women's rain boots are great to wear on unpredictable weather this Fall season.

If you want to invest on good women's accessories to protect you on rainy days, get yourself a nice pair of boots.

Weekend Snapshot: Love Roses

One of the things I really love the most is when somebody gives me flowers, especially when it comes from a very loving person. My honey never forgets to show me his love and affection even in little simple ways. And he knows I love roses.

Major Purchases on Black Friday

Guest post by Sally Gates

While most people are intent on doing their Christmas Shopping on Black Friday, I always spend the day shopping for expensive items like computers or television sets and whatnot because that's the only way you can save real money. I mean if you're saving 70% or whatever on an item that costs under $20, it's just not worth staying up all night lining up in front of a store in the freezing cold. That's like making $14 over 10 hours or something like that. If I'm going to go through the hassle of taking a day off from work and setting up camp, it better be for a major purchase that saves me tons and tons of money. Since I leave my home unattended all night long, I also have to make sure to set my home security alarm from Securitychoice.com/ before I go out to shop.

So anytime I have to make a major purchase, I hold out till Black Friday rolls around. Sometimes it takes some researching to find specific items that I'm looking for. Kitchen appliances are the number one thing I have difficulty finding. As I've found that most of the appliances available are fairly generic and not worth the cost. Basically, there is a reason why these items are on clearance. This year I'm probably going to be looking for a microwave as my current one appears to be on the fritz.

His Usual Dessert

Besides the big delicious turkey and main course food on Thanksgiving Day, desserts will never be out of place. Those of you who have sweet tooth like me, I bet you look at the dessert table first huh? 'Always do.

Even at home, we never ran out of desserts. I love sweets. My honey? Not much. He likes eating chocolate bars, only, after supper. That is why we stock chocolates in the fridge. I like fruits or cakes. But sometimes I eat sweets as a snack. My favorite is a cake made of chocolate. I can't get enough of that.

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

"There are many things to be thankful for."

That's my honey always tells me. I agree. For good things and bad things, we should always give thanks to God for we are still breathing.

We were at my sister-in-law's home yesterday to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. The temperature dropped. It was a bit chilly. The family gathered at her home at noon (we arrived a little late). She prepared lots of delicious food. It was great! Though I watched my diet, I couldn't resist to eat a lot. Glad I still maintained a balanced diet yesterday. Hahaha! It's nice to get together with family. We had fun talking about stuff. We're full too. Ah.

How about you? How's your Thanksgiving Day?

Unique Home Address Signs

I went to visit a friend two weeks ago. It was my very first time to be in the town where she lives. I drove in the back roads because that's the route my gadget guided me. The drive was pretty smooth except in the areas where road works are on going.

Looking for her house did not took me so long. Their address sign is very clear to see from hundreds of feet away. While I was looking around to find a parking spot, I noticed that her neighbors' home have the same wall address plaque as hers. Uniformed. Which, I think, is cool.

I saw her husband walking towards me and teased, "I see, looks like you have a big basketball in there," pointing at my big belly. "She's waiting for you," and he led me to their house. We were laughing because I told my friend that her husband teased me about my baby bump. I also complimented about how unique their home address plaques are.

It was a nice visit. My friend gave me a bag full of infant clothing. She has a little girl too. I think that's sweet.

Avoid Out-Of-The-Area Travels

Hhmm...what did I do today as far as Thanksgiving preparation is concerned? Nothing. Though we are back in our house in the country, we are not hosting the Thanksgiving dinner for now.

We will go to my sister-in-law's home tomorrow for Thanksgiving. I was asked if I am still okay to travel. Now that I am in the full term of my pregnancy, my doctor asked me to avoid out-of-the-area travels for signs of labor might start at any time. But this one will be fine...I think.

Free Prepared Childbirth And Newborn Care Classes

We finished the Newborn Care and Prepared Childbirth classes this week. Both are informative and essential to pregnant women, and couples like us. These classes are offered free by the hospital and birthing center where I will deliver my baby.

The Newborn Care class basically tackles infant care after delivery which include: feeding (breast or bottle feeding), bathing, infant safety, and others. Then the Prepared Childbirth tackles topics on: stages of labor (proper breathing techniques, relaxation, positioning, focal point...), false and true labor, delivery (normal, Cesarean, medication and non-medication), postpartum recovery, postpartum depression, and others. There are also labor and delivery films to watch.

My honey and I were happy that we attended these classes. I just hope I will be able to remember the techniques to ease labor pains. Labor pain is a pain with a purpose. Nature only knows when I will be in labor. And when the time comes, I should be ready to let my beautiful baby out to see the world.

Lunch Break Potluck

Thanks to Danny Mays

I love spending my lunch break with friends at work because we have a great break room with cable television specials that we watch to catch up on our stories. We all love the soap operas that are on everyday and we would miss many of them or have to watch prerecorded shows if we didn't have this perk at work.

Our break room is very comfortable with a couch, tables and chairs. We also have a refrigerator, microwave, toaster and more at our disposal provided by our wonderful employer. So if I choose to bring my lunch from home of leftovers from dinner the night before or a sandwich, I can store it in the refrigerator until lunchtime arrives.

Sometimes one of us will make a run to the store or a restaurant to pick up a food order we placed by phone, and then we can enjoy the meal while watching our shows. We also occasionally take turns making a large amount of food to bring in to share with each other. My favorite meal to make is spaghetti because it tastes so good and serves many, usually with leftovers for the next day too. One of my co workers usually brings chicken wings when it is her turn; she got the recipe from her mother in law and it is delicious.

Whatever we have to eat, my lunch break has been made to be something I look forward to each work day.