Growth Spurt!

At long last my shopping addiction has served me well. For many years my husband has complained of my excessive shopping habit and I always find a way to rationalize my purchases...

My daughter Kayla will be 20 months within the next couple of days; however she has had 24mos, 2T and 3T items in her closet since as long as I could remember. Up until recently, I had to endure the constant questions like "Why are you buying all these clothes she cant fit yet ?" or dealing with the I told you so's when she skips a size and we have a ton of unworn clothes.

Recently, he was finally able to feel my pain as he tried to squeeze her into some 18-24month pants that should have been loose and ended up looking like jeggings. So being the wonderful shopaholic wife that I am, I happily went over to Kayla's closet and pulled out a 2T outfit which fit just fine, I was even able to explain to him the importance of having a few items in a size up just in case she has a growth spurt and seemingly jumps into the next size overnight so that we are prepared.

Oh it felt so good to finally use one of my Shopaholic excuses and it be 100% true and get this, I think I may actually be able to get away with shopping for another day or so without curious looks from the spouse!

Let the Eating Season Begin!

Its November which means the start of one of my favorite seasons... The "eating season". Thanksgiving is right around the corner and like so many others I can't wait for the fantastic food! For those of you who are pregnant, trying to conceive or currently in the process of shedding that baby weight, it may be difficult to eat healthy when there is so much food in front of you.

I would like to hear how you mamas out there balance eating right during pregnancy with the "eating season".

Do you have a fantastic healthy recipe to share? Advise or tips on how to control your cravings? Lets all help one another enjoy this season the right way. Post your comments here and invite other mamas to join in on the conversation.

Having a Baby!

Check out this months Columbus Parent Magazine, it's all about having a baby. You will love the pull out Maternity Resources Section.

Prenatal Exercise Questions Answered

I found this article about prenatal exercise to be very informative. I can attest that I wasn't exactly an exercise buff before my pregnancy, but I really wanted to try to do the right thing about staying healthy during my pregnancy; however my fears about "hurting" the baby hindered my ability to establish a healthy workout routine. Check it out and let me know what you think.

The Truth About Prenatal Exercise - Now that you’re pregnant, are you afraid to start or keep exercising? This myth-busting information will help you get the activity you need. - Fit Pregnancy

New Cutie Alert!

Congratulations to the Patel family on your new baby boy, I can't wait to find out what you decided to name him...

Baby "Anil" (The name I gave him and his mother secretly LOVES) Patel, born Tuesday October 4, 2011. HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Sun Safety

This year on Memorial Day, I had the bright idea of bringing out the baby pool for Kayla to have some splash time fun, I enlisted my husband and sister to make sure everything was set up and perfect for Kayla's first backyard pool experience.

Swimsuit.... check
Pool....check
Toys... check
Camera.... check
Towels... check
Sunblock... Huh? We are Black (African American) do we need sunblock?

For many years I operated under the assumption that being African American I didn't need sunblock because my darker skin would protect me from UVA and UVB rays, so it never dawned on me to pick any up for my daughter, but once I felt the heat of the sun and looked at her little face, I knew I needed to make sure she was protected. I now know that my assumption was incorrect and African Americans do need sunscreen/sunblock to protect our skin from sun damage and prevent skin cancer. I have learned from my experience and want to pass on some summer sun safety to all you mamas out there that are important regardless of your ethnicity.

According to The American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.aap.org/ , The Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/ and The Center For Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/ here are the best ways to ensure proper sun safety for you and your little ones:

Keep babies 6 months and under out of direct sun exposure, this can be achieved by using the shade of a tree, canopy, hat or umbrella.

Wear cool comfortable lightweight clothing

Use a broad spectrum sunscreen/sunblock as this will protect against UVA and UVB rays.

Use a sunscreen/sunblock with a minimum of SPF15, the greater the SPF or the "star" rating the more sun protection.

For sensitive areas such as the nose, cheek, top of ears and shoulders use a sunscreen/ sunblock containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

For small babies under 6 months sunscreen/sunblock should be applied to small areas like the face and back of hands; for all others sunscreen/sunblock should be applied to ALL exposed areas of skin 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapplied every 2 hours ( more if swimming).
There are organic sunscreens/sunblocks available for pregnant women or others concerned with some of the chemicals found in sun block products.

Skin Cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Sun damage is a preventable risk factor for ALL skin cancers. Please keep your self and your family safe!

10 (surprising!) Prenatal Power Foods | Pregnancy Information, Pregnancy Calendar Week by Week, Tools at Fit Pregnancy

I recently had a great conversation with an expectant father about his wife and her dietary needs during pregnancy. In this conversation we discussed how she is unable to take a prenatal vitamin with iron and is looking to foods rich with nutrients to supplement her needs.

I found this related article on http://www.fitpregnancy.com/ and wanted to share!

10 (surprising!) Prenatal Power Foods Pregnancy Information, Pregnancy Calendar Week by Week, Tools at Fit Pregnancy