First, Second, Third....

The Differences in  Your Third Pregnancy Compared to Your First



With your first suspected pregnancy you take a test before you actually miss your period and take a billion just to confirm that it's positive.



With your third you remember a week after that you're late and that you better take a test (maybe that will be a good excuse for how cranky and tired you are lately).



With your first . . . you plan each and every meal with organic and safe ingredients to make sure your new unborn little one is getting proper nutrition.



With your third . . . you're just glad if you manage to get food on the table for your family and scarf down whatever leftover PB & J's or mac n' cheese your kids left for you.



With your first . . . you read every pregnancy book you can get your hands on, spending every waking moment  thinking about being pregnant and having a new baby.



With your third . . . you forget you're pregnant amidst the wiping runny noses and dirty bottoms, cleaning, laundry, playing, schooling, cuddling just until you have time to run to the toilet and puke up that last food you managed to scarf down and then get right back to the hard business of being a wife and Mommy.



TheFirst . . . you call the Dr. and schedule an appointment the day you find out you're pregnant and wait in anxiety until that day because it seems so far away.



Third . . . you forget to schedule an appointment, and when you finally call they want to see you that week, "Can you come tomorrow?"



First . . . you take your time getting properly groomed and arrive at your appointment early in time to sit down and relax before you go into the examination room.



Third . . . shower?  I had one of those last week when I decided not to nap during my kids' naptime.  I'm clean enough.  Relax?  I'm just trying to keep my kids from jumping off the walls in the waiting room.



First . . . you try not to get uncomfortable and nauseated and pass out during your exam and lab work.



Third . . . you're just trying to keep your kids at the head of the exam bed and tell them you'll explain later why Mommy has to wear a sheet only.  In the lab you're just trying to keep them away from playing with the needles while keeping one arm totally still - that takes major skills!



Though the differences are vast.  I still treasure each one of my little ones just the same.  It's just nice to know I can relax a little more with my third.  I feel I've stepped into the veteran mom status just a bit more.   Guess I'll just have to wait and see.



What else can you think of that changes with each consecutive pregnancy or childbirth?





Erin

(who is expecting Baby Simms #3 around Nov. 6, 2009)

Dear Robin

Dear Robin,

What do I say, instruct, teach a child who is insistent that his siblings are "ruining his life"?  Suggestions?  Ideas?  How do I show compassion but also get the point across that he is NOT a victim? That having siblings is part of life.

 

(This child is seven and the oldest of four children.) 

 

OK - help this mom out. Have some suggestions for her?

 

 Be sure to tell us your own birth-order...it will be interesting to hear your different perspectives.



 

Robin

Gardening in...the winter?

What?  A freeze and snow this late in March?  Well, it's not so unusual.  The average last frost date for our zone 7 in Oklahoma is April 12 and the last recorded frost is April 28! 

 

So?  What will we do about those plants we've already put out?  Well, if they're in pots, bring them inside, or at least into the garage.

Remember these?  They'll be coming indoors this weekend.

 

The lettuce

spinach

carrot seeds  we recently planted

the parsley (which has been in the ground about a week)

as well as the peas, potatoes and onions (which are all peeking through the soil) should be okay, even with a freeze, snow or ice.

Now these itty-bitty pears? 

We'll see...but whatever the frost doesn't get, the squirrels probably will :)

The shrubs, rosebushes, and perennials that have already started coming up should all be safe.  But, if you planted flowers, herbs, or plants recently, you may want to cover them during this cold snap with a towel, sheet,  or even a box, just to be safe. 

Now, for a suggestion I think you'll appreciate.  Go purchase this plant!



 

 

This  is rosemary.  If this was "smellavision", oh my!  You would love this fragrance!  I purchased this plant at Wal-Mart for $3.50, and I'm sure you can find it at Lowe's, Home Depot, and any nursery.  I use it in hummus (recipe to come next week), chopped and added to olive oil for grilling vegetables, chicken, etc.  and several other recipes.  It adds the most wonderful flavor to your dishes....your family will think you're a gourmet cook!  And they might just be right!

 

So, probably no gardening this weekend. What will your family do during the "Big Spring Blizzard"?  Looks like game night and either potato soup or white chicken chili for us.  Stay safe, stay warm!



 

Robin

Biggest Loser Cookbook

I don't know about you guys but I love watching The Biggest Loser. When I saw they came out with a new cookbook that was all about being budget friendly, I couldn't wait to get it from the library. It shows us how we CAN stop using the excuse that it costs too much to eat healthy. Here is a sneak peek at one of the recipes I tried this week.  It's really good...like Potatoes O'Brien.

Breakfast Sweet Potatoes

1 lb. Sweet Potatoes, cubed
1/2 c. Green pepper, chopped
3/4 c. Onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Garlic
1 1/2 tsp. Olive oil
1/4 tsp. Paprika
1/8 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Mix ingredients and arrange in single layer on pan. Bake 20 min, turn and bake 20-25 more min.

Makes 4 Servings

Calories 125
Fat 2g
Fiber 4g

2 points per serving







Ali

An Entrepreneurial Spirit

When I was 7 or so, I was determined to get RICH! Kool-Aid stands, "baby-sitting" my little cousins, raking leaves, collecting golf balls from the ditch by the fairgrounds and washing them for resale...I was just sure I was going to make it big someday! Let me tell you that selling used golf balls is no way to get rich quick. But then, few ventures are.

One of the most rewarding things to me about being a designer/creator/brain-storming machine with some technical skills is this: Creativity is what you make of it. A couple years ago, I began a side business I call "Z as in Zebra". I create handmade books and designer cakes and although it's nice to make some extra money, that's not the main reason behind what I do. Whether I make a dime or not, whether someone loves my wares or not, whether my baked goods look more like biscuits or bricks, all that really matters to me is the process of creating. It's liberating.

So liberating, in fact, that I'm taking steps to improve my business and get my name out there more. I'm being more intentional about building a strong base now so that my dreams are easier to reach in the future. My #1 dream is to someday be a stay-at-home mom (perhaps even a homeschoolin' one!) who still finds joy in creating handmade things that bless other people.

By now, you're probably wanting me to put my money where my mouth is. :) So...to satisfy your curious minds, here are some snapshots of some of the work I've done.











If you want to see more (or if you want details on how you can get your very own custom journal or cake!), check out Z as in Zebra. Through the process of building my business, I've learned that my dreams may not necessarily make me rich, but chasing them does make me happy! And that makes it all worth it!

Do you enjoy making things? What do you create? Why do you love it?

ABBI

Tweaking Tricks for Baking

Use these tweaking tricks to help you squeeze out the fat and calories in your baking and in turn help you squeeze into your cute jeans.  ;-)



Most basic baking recipes call for dry ingredients, wet ingredients, fat ingredients, and sweet ingredients.



For dry ingredients such as flour you can pretty much substitute any whole grain type flour and/or whole grain cereal (oatmeal, cream of wheat) or mix and match.  I use a scant less than it calls for when baking with whole grains to keep my baked goods moist.



For the wet ingredients you can make any substitute of skim, lowfat, reduced fat, etc. in place of whole fats.  (in place of whole milk, sour cream, yogurt, etc.)



For fat ingredients you can substitute no-sugar added applesauce cup for cup with little or no change in taste for any oil, margarine or butter that the recipe calls for.  I use a bit more applesauce to oil to help with the moistness.  For things where the flavor would be appropriate bananas, pumpkin, and plain non-fat yogurt can be substituted for the fat.



To tweak the sweet ingredients choose from these lower calorie and/or healthy substitutes :

Splenda

Molasses

Honey

Sunette

Sugar-free maple syrup

Go here for specific details on using these substitutes in your baking.



So to take this recipe I just randomly looked up, check out how I would tweak it in the parenthesis that follow each ingredient:



To Die For Blueberry Muffins





1 -1/2 c. all-purpose flour (slightly less of a mixture of whole wheat flour, little wheat germ, little oat bran)

3/4 c. white sugar (splenda, or other tweaks from above)

1/2 t. salt

 2 t. baking powder

 1/3 c. vegetable oil (applesauce or banana - or a little of both)

 1 egg

1/3 c. milk (skim)

1 c. fresh blueberries



I'm going to bake these at 375 (25 degrees less than it calls for) and check them way earlier than the original baking time (about 12 minutes) all to keep moist.  Using high fiber and sugar substitutes makes things drier and causes things to cook faster so I work real hard to keep my baked goods moist.



So, find a recipe or use one of those favorites you've had to put away because it is too fattening and get to experimenting.  Now you can enjoy those baked goods a little more often since you have some new baking tricks up your sleeve.

 



Erin

The Best is Yet to Come

My husband recently said one of the nicest things he's ever said to me...and this from a man who frequently says some pretty nice things. 

"I think the best years of our marriage are yet to come".

 

Wow!  This is after 35....count them....35 years (this July) of  what has been an already great marriage. 

 

And yet, we know so many instances where friends and acquaintances have ended their marriage relationship about the time their kids are leaving home.  

Why does this happen?  Why after all those years of staying together?

 

We discussed these very questions after he said those endearing words. 

 

We decided it is because married couples lose their focus along the way.  Rather than being focused on each other they are focused on:

Kids

Jobs

Service outside the home

Hobbies and other interests

Outside activities

Other relationships

 

(This is, of course, besides your relationship to Christ.   And that is for another discussion).

 

It takes work, hard work,  to keep your focus on each other.  The world will offer many opportunities to get us off-track, to take our interests away from each other. 

I'm really not asking for your personal answers, but I want to leave you with a couple of questions to ask yourself: 

Is your focus on your mate?  Really on your mate?  What are you doing today that will ensure many tomorrows and "'til death do us part?"



 

 

Robin