*Announcement* Baby # 3 Arriving Sometime Around June 10th.. and it’s a…..

January 15, 2012 – 3:51 pm

 

Little girl.  She was confirmed by Amnio just last month.   Yes, I’ve been hiding this for quite some time. I surprised even myself. I’m already 19 weeks.

 

Because Aidan, my 16 month old son was born with the cord around his neck, a true knot (which only happens in 1% of pregnancies), merconium…. and especially because I’m now past the age of 35 I decided to get Amnio and wait until the results to announce my pregnancy,  Everything looks good so far and all the tests came back fine.

 

So I can’t believe it…  I just can’t believe I’ll have a baby girl!  I am the only blood girl on my Dad’s side of the family in the past 50 years or so.. no joke. Ironically my sister-in-law is due with a baby girl in May so that poo poo’s my Dad’s saying of “It’s a boys club only”.

 

Overall guys.. I just can’t believe I have a baby girl on the way after spending the past almost 4 yrs with 2 little boys!! I’m so freaked out!

 

So now you know why I’ve been so quiet these past few months on my blog. I suffered from horrible morning sickness (better known as ALL DAY sickness) up until just a few weeks ago.  Hope you’ll forgive me.

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Weight Watchers Ice Cream Bars–A Better Way To Indulge

January 31, 2012 – 10:25 pm

 

When I was pregnant with my first son I gained over 50lbs. I kept on a good 20 after birth. When I was pregnant with my second son I wised up. I only gained a bit more than 35lbs and I lost 30 of it immediately after birth… then I gained a little again and I stayed there not gaining or losing 1 single pound for an entire year.  Now here I am pregnant with my third and final baby and my starting weight? way too high. In fact I’m currently 5lbs away from my ending weight with my first son! O.M.G.

 

Although I hadn’t gained any weight at all in the year prior to me getting pregnant I have now gained 10lbs and I’m 21 weeks. I’m trying desperately not to go overboard because in all actuality I don’t need to gain any weight at all in order to carry this baby.  I have made some serious changes over the past year that helped me to not gain. I was breastfeeding at the time so I didn’t want to diet. I didn’t feel it was healthy but I also watched what I ate. I made better choices in foods. I’m still continuing to do that.

 

One of those better choices, Weight Watchers ice cream bars. Thanks to Mom Select I was able to sample their ice creams over the past month or so. I never would have bought these ice creams myself because probably like you I associate Weight Watchers with dieting.  However now that I’ve been enlightened I wanted to share my experience with you.  Their ice creams are fantastic!

 

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Listerine Total Care Zero –Less Intense, Zero Alcohol, Just as Effective

January 31, 2012 – 9:03 pm

I’ve always been a fan of mouth wash. Oral care in general actually. I try to take very good care of my teeth and set a good example for my children. My almost 4 year old has been brushing his teeth since he could and my 16 month old now does the same. I have never heard as much as one complaint from them, they actually ask to brush, which makes me one proud mom.

 

Thing is, I keep mouth wash in the house but my boys aren’t quite old enough for it yet. They have seen me using it and my oldest knows what it’s for so I have had to be careful at times and actually hide it. As we all know, kids love to imitate. A lot of mouthwashes have an enormous amount of alcohol in them, which of course can be dangerous to children.

 

I’ve been experimenting with various mouthwashes for the past year or so, trying to find one that I really love. I tend to go for those like Listerine (my favorite) that actually burn your mouth when you use it. I love the burn, always makes me feel like my mouth is super clean. But once again, a lot of that burn has to do with alcohol. I tried all the alcohol free varieties and I didn’t like them at all. They always have a weird aftertaste. I even tried a natural aloe type and I keep that as backup but it just don’t have that sweet burn of freshness! 

 

20120131_15A couple of weeks ago Crowdtap  (Want to join? Click here to learn more) sent some members a bottle of Listerine Total Care Zero. I was completely skeptical and figured it would taste the exact same as all the other non-alcohol mouthwashes. I was wrong! I like being wrong sometimes because in this case Total Care Zero is actually pretty great. It had that awesome burn of freshness I keep talking about, with absolutely no alcohol believe it or not.  This meant that if I forgot to hide the bottle one day or my son was accidently able to get it open and take a swig I didn’t have to worry about him getting a big gulp of alcohol!

 

Of course the bottle is child-proof but I know for a fact that nothing is 100% child-proof. We forget to put on the cap, the cap goes on the wrong way, we’re in a hurry, we leave it out.. there are just so many opportunities for accidents. It does still have fluoride in it and you have to be careful about that, but really for me it’s one less thing you know? and I like that. Also, when my 3 year old is a bit older I can try to introduce him to this mouthwash without having to spend ridiculous amounts on special mouthwash for kids and have multiple bottles laying around.

 

Listerine Total Care Zero boasts 6 benefits in 1:

  • Helps prevent cavities
  • Restores enamel
  • Strengthens teeth
  • Kills bad breath germs
  • Cleans the whole mouth
  • Alcohol Free

I tried the fresh mint flavor, which ironically comes in a light purplish color. My only complaint would be that I’d love to see it colorless but I think that might be another type of danger to children who could mistake it for water. The only active ingredient is 0.02% Sodium fluoride so if you like to use non-fluoride products it wouldn’t be for you. I’m personally not against them.

 

It really is the first non-alcohol mouthwash that that I actually see myself using the full bottle of. Usually the rest end up in the garbage (along with my money). I think you’ll be presently surprised, just as I was!

 

Just remember, modeling good oral health habits for your children is just as important as any other lessons you can teach your child in life. Children always learn by example. They’re  looking to you to practice what you preach. Oral health is a big part of overall health and starting them young is your best bet to help them develop great oral health habits!

 

Disclosure: I received the above product in order to facilitate this review. Want to join Crowdtap and review products too? Click here to read all about it!

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Trop50 True Resolutions For 2012–Share Yours & You Could Win

January 31, 2012 – 11:46 am

top50post

 

Every year, just like most of you, I make a New Years resolution. Sometimes it works out and sometimes I give up before I’ve even started. This year I’ve contemplated A LOT about what I really want to accomplish this year. I have had a lot of drama in my life lately. 2011 was not a good year to say the least. I kept taking in the positive though and moving forward. I actually accomplished my goals these last few years and this year I want it to be the same, except my main goal is very different, and maybe some might think a tad bit selfish.

 

This year, as a New Years resolution I want to put me first just a little more. I give a lot to others and I don’t take much. In fact some people might find it crazy to know that I haven’t had my hair cut at a salon in more than 21 years. I’ve never had a manicure or a pedicure. I’ve never been to a spa. Up until last year I was literally wearing the same pair of Nike’s that my mom had bought me for Christmas over 10 years ago! They were still in great shape believe it or not and it took A LOT of effort on my part to lift my fingers to the keyboard and order a new pair of sneakers. I hate spending money on myself. Hate it.

 

In the past year I took up smoking again, and quit again, for GOOD even though the odds were against me. I didn’t gain 1 single pound the entire year. I managed to keep this blog somewhat together and build an amazing following of women on Facebook. I ditched the negative friends who weren’t headed in the right place and I reconnected with an old friend who is, and together we forgave our problems of the past. I fixed up my house to make it a little more of my own, and I worked worked worked in my spare time on giveaways and reviews just for that little bit extra that might help my own family and any other needy families…… but… I stopped my personal posts.. I forgot about me.. my feelings, my needs.. I didn’t even post Xmas pictures of my kids!! on my own blog… I kept it all inside, I internalized it.

 

Now, it’s time to work on ME. Just a little bit at a time. This year will be great. I’m going to give birth to a baby girl, my last baby.. my last chance to live in that miraculous moment that every woman should get to experience. I’m going to get myself together, and I’m going to continue to rid myself of any negative in my life. I’m going to continue to move forward and strive for all that I want for myself and my children. I’m going to be happy with the little things. I am going to be me again. The real me. Why? Because when you feel good about yourself inside and out and acknowledge all that you can accomplish in life, you give your own self strength to continue on your journey, whatever journey that may be. It’s great when other people lift you up and help you along, but it’s even greater when you can accept yourself and all that you are worth. When you truly love yourself and are true to yourself. I want that!

 

 

Share Your Resolution For a Coupon & Chance to Win $1000 – Ends 1/31/2012

Trop50 True Resolutions celebrates the real reasons behind New Year’s resolutions. Share your secret motivation behind your resolutions and you’ll earn a coupon for $1 off Trop50 for yourself and 50¢ off coupons for up to 50 of your friends. You can even submit incognito with a fierce disguise. Bonus: Whether you submit a resolution or not, you can also enter a sweepstakes to win a $1000 gift card.  ENDS 1/31/2012!!!! so hurry!

 

Connect Online:

 


About Trop50

Tropicana Trop50 offers fruit juice goodness with 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners.

 

 

Disclosure: This is a monetarily compensated post from Trop50. All resolutions & opinions are my own.

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Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace 3D Prize pack Big G Cereals Giveaway #MyBlogSpark!

January 31, 2012 – 2:27 am

 

What’s better than watching the epic first episode of the Star Wars Saga? Watching it in 3D with your fellow Jedis, of course! From the thrilling Pod races to the final lightsaber battle, you can enjoy Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace like you never have before in theaters February 10, 2012

 

General Mills Big G cereals want to help celebrate the 3D launch by featuring collectable Star Wars pens in participating cereals this February. Collect all eight exclusive Star Wars pens that feature iconic Episode I characters including:

  • Anakin Skywalker
  • Obi Wan Kenobi
  • Queen Amidala
  • Yoda
  • R2D2
  • C3PO
  • Jar Jar Binks
  • Darth Maul

Participating Big G cereals include:

  • Cinnamon Toast Crunch® (12.8 oz.)
  • Lucky Charms®(11.5 oz.)
  • Reese’s® Puffs (13 oz.)
  • Cheerios® (14 oz.)
  • and Cookie Crisp® (11.25 oz)

 

You won’t have to go to a galaxy far, far away to bring the force to your breakfast table. Simply purchase any participating Big G cereal and begin your search for all eight collectable pens! Each Big G cereal is made with whole grain and is an excellent source of calcium, so your younglings will have everything they need to start the day off right!

 

Connect Online:

Win your own Big G cereal and Star Wars Prize pack courtesy of General Mills by scrolling down or clicking “read more”. Good Luck!

 

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Please Read – Help Protect Infants From Deadly Meningococcal Meningitis

January 30, 2012 – 9:12 pm

 

Making an Informed Decision When It Comes To Vaccinating Your Children

When I had my first child in 2008 there were a lot of questions regarding childhood vaccinations. A lot of accusations and speculation regarding some vaccines that people thought were connected to Autism. After my niece on my in-laws side was diagnosed with Asperger’s I got caught up reading a lot of the debates and to be honest, it scared me. However, in order to make my decision for vaccines in regards to my own child I called upon my experiences and memories in life as a child with the chicken pox. I had an especially rough time with it, and actually still bear the physical scars of my outbreak to this day. I also researched and read every possible bit of information I could, and then I made an informed decision.

 

Debunked Research

Since that time in 2008 I’ve learned a lot. First of all, not to believe everything I read on the internet (which I already knew but let my guard down). We all know now that the man responsible for the research into the MMR/Autism connection was proven to have manipulated evidence, among other things. He was barred from practicing medicine and the research was declared fraudulent. 

 

To Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate – It’s Your Choice

Even since those findings you will still find a large number of parents that don’t want to vaccinate their children. I’m not one of those people. I firmly believe in vaccinations. As much as it hurts to see your child receive that first shot (I cry too you know!) it hurts much more when they come down with a deadly communicable disease that could have been prevented. That’s not a risk I’m willing to take with my children but I fully support a parents decision to make the choice for their children themselves. However, I will still always highly encourage vaccines. That’s why I want to present some very important information to you today.

 

Protect Infants Now! Ask CDC to Recommend Infant Meningococcal Vaccines

As a parent that believes in vaccinations & as someone who watched unwittingly in my early 20’s  a former roommate suffer from this horrible infection, never knowing it was anything more than flu, I wanted to take a moment to introduce you the dangers of Meningitis and to a petition for a Meningitis vaccine that I’d love you to consider signing after you have informed yourself. I’m going to provide you with some basic information and then links where you can educate yourself on this deadly disease for the safety of your loved ones.

 

What is Meningococcal Disease?

  • Meningococcal Disease is a leading cause of Meningitis (an infection of the membrane around the brain & spinal cord) and sepsis (a life-threatening bloodstream infection).
  • There are five groups of meningococcal bacteria that are responsible for causing most of the disease. They are: C, A, Y, B and W135. Four of these groups are vaccine preventable. (C, A, Y & W135)
  • Each year approximately 1 in 7 people who contract meningococcal disease will die from it.
  • The disease starts with non-specific flu-like symptoms, progresses rapidly and aggressively and can kill in as few as four hours, making it a very difficult disease to diagnose and treat.
  • Of those who survive, 1 in 6 will suffer limb amputations, paralysis, seizures, strokes, hearing loss, blindness, organ damage, severe scarring, brain damage, and more.

There is an FDA Approved Vaccine Right Now

The CDC has already taken huge steps in preventing this disease in teens and young adults. Now they have an opportunity to prevent the same meningococcal disease in infants.

 

“Recently a vaccine was approved by the FDA to prevent meningococcal disease in infants as  young as 9 months. Pending FDA review and approval there are more vaccines for infants as young as 2 months on the horizon. In order for infants to receive these vaccines the CDC must make a recommendation for their use in infants. This vaccine and recommendation bring us one step closer to eliminating this fast moving deadly disease that kills and maims children.”

“Right now, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is traveling around the country seeking public input on whether infants two years and younger should be immunized against meningitis.” “The CDC is in the process of gathering public opinion on this issue and in the near months ahead making the important decision of whether to recommend that all infants receive this life-saving vaccine, and others, as they become available.”

Educate Yourself!

You can find out more information  at protectinfantsnow.org & tons of information at http://www.meningitis-angels.org/. You can read testimonials from real people like you and I who’s children contracted this deadly disease, some whom did not survive. You can also read up on the symptoms and educate yourself for the sake of your children. 

 

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Sign The Petition

After you’ve made an informed decision if you would like, I encourage you to sign the following petition to let the CDC know you’d like them to recommend meningococcal vaccines for infants:      http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/protectinfantsnow

 

If you do nothing else today to inform yourself, please at least watch the following video! Thank you!

 

 

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central and Meningitis Angels. This campaign was made possible in part through support provided by Novartis Vaccines. A small donation to a charity of my choice was made in my name from Mom Central as a thank-you for participating. All opinions in this posting are 100% my own.

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Bake your way into your family’s hearts this February with new Valentine’s Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies *Giveaway* #Myblogspark

January 30, 2012 – 7:08 pm

Cookies around our house are a treat. I usually make them homemade because my younger son is sensitive to some foods and has an allergy to bananas, as well as a mysterious allergy that involves palm kernel oil, and of course because we make an honest attempt to eat healthy.  I get really excited when I find products that I already love that don’t contain the ingredients I talked about above and don’t contain a lot of ingredients in general because it means I can share them with both my kids. Even though they’re sweet and I limit my kids intake of sweets, my philosophy is still everything in moderation. Plus, this Mom really loves them and well.. we all deserve a treat now and then. Right? Especially us Moms!

 

Pillsbury sugar cookies taste just as great as homemade and they’re much simpler. When you don’t have a lot of time & you want a quick activity with the kids that is fun and you know they’ll love, you pull out the Pillsbury shapes and get to baking. You can let the kids join in and you don’t have to worry about making a huge mess. It can be as simple as letting them place the cookie on the sheet!  8-10 minutes later you’re sharing your creation and everyone is happy! I do this on special occasions with Pillsbury ready to bake holiday cookies to help get my kids involved and let them have a little fun without giving me the added stress. They love seeing the shapes and colors pop up on the cookies after they’re baked.

 


“With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to show those who are near and dear just how much you care with a treat straight from the heart and fresh from the oven! New Valentine’s Day Pillsbury® Ready to Bake!™ Shape® Cookies will fill your home with love and now the magic of Disney®.

Celebrate the holiday with your family’s favorite Disney characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Disney Princesses Belle, Cinderella and Tiana.

Quick and convenient, Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies are ready to enjoy in 8-10 minutes and can be found at your local grocer.”

Grab A Coupon!

To spread the love even further, you can visit this link to download a printable coupon for $1.10 off of the purchase of (1) package of Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies today!

 

Connect Online:

 

After you’ve got your coupon make sure to scroll down or “read more” to enter to win your very own Pillsbury Valentine cookie prize pack here at First-Time-Mommy!

 
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Learn How To Include More Whole Grain In Your Diet From Dr. Travis Stork & Enter To Win Free Big G Cereal

January 18, 2012 – 5:11 pm

 

I’m a big fan of Dr. Travis Stork, host of “The Doctors” so I’m glad to be able to share a little bit of information with you to help you learn how to recognize whole grain products when shopping, especially for cereal. Thus allowing you to make the healthiest choices for you and your family.

 

 

According to Dr. Travis Stork, emergency room physician and host of “The Doctors,” identifying whole grain products can be challenging. Shoppers can look for nutritional cues on the front of the box, but they need to read the ingredient list to know if they are getting enough whole grain. Ingredient lists detail ingredients in order of prevalence, and if the words “whole grain” are followed by a grain like wheat or oats, it means the food contains more whole grain than any other single ingredient.

 

Check the picture to the left to learn how to determine if your cereals have whole grain as a first ingredient.

 

                 Click Image to View Full Size

 

Good news. Now every cereal with the white check has more whole grain than any other single ingredient with the same great taste. You will see “whole grain” as a part of the first ingredient on the ingredient list, indicating that whole grain is the first and most prevalent ingredient.

 

Include More Whole Grain In Your Diet With These Easy Tips

With all the health messages facing grocery store shoppers, it can be confusing to translate what appears on food labels into nutritional needs, and hard to determine which foods have a meaningful amount of whole grain. Dr. Stork has some additional recommendations to help you include whole grain easily into your diet. They include:

  •  Start Early! The Dietary Guidelines recommend people get at least 48 grams of whole grain in their daily diets. Get a jump-start on the day’s nutrition by incorporating whole grain into your morning routine. For instance, when choosing cereal make sure whole grain is listed as the first ingredient. One easy choice is cereal with the white check, which have more whole grain than any other single ingredient.

 

  • Make Simple Swaps. Choose whole grain versions of the foods you love. Great options include whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bread or even whole grain crackers. Also, try different types of whole grain. Use brown rice instead of white rice as a side dish at dinner or popcorn, which is a whole grain, for a snack.

 

  • Don’t Judge a Food by Its Cover. The front of food packages provide good nutritional cues, but don’t forget to read the ingredients and check the nutrition label and side labels for additional health information. Cereals with the white check even include the amount of whole grain per serving on packaging.

Play “Fast Lane For Whole Grain” and Enter to Win Free Cereal

To help with choosing products with whole grain, General Mills developed “Fast Lane for Whole Grain,” an online educational game. Consumers can navigate virtual grocery store aisles and identify products that have whole grain as the first ingredient, with the option to enter a sweepstakes to win one of each of the 50 cereals with the white check.

 

Make a commitment to add more whole grain to your diet by simply pouring a bowl of cereal with the white check including Cheerios®, Lucky Charms®, Cinnamon Toast Crunch®, Honey Nut Cheerios® and Total®.

 

For more information on the importance of whole grain and a chance to enter the “Fast Lane for Whole Grain” sweepstakes, visit www.WholeGrainNation.com.

 

 

Enter to win 5 free boxes of your favorite General Mills Big G cereals right now on First-Time-Mommy. “Read more” or scroll down to enter

 

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Buy P&G Baby Prod This February At Sam’s Club–Get a $10 Gift Card – Plus! Enter to Win $25 GC Now From First-Time-Mommy

January 17, 2012 – 9:29 pm

 

Don’t miss out on precious moments by wasting hours at the grocery store and fussing over budgets. Discover an easy way to save on baby essentials from P&G by buying them in bulk at Sam’s Club this February! Purchase all the basics for baby at your local Sam’s Club store to save time and money with this limited-time $10 Gift Card offer.

We don’t use Pampers or formula so we’re personally hoping to take advantage of this awesome offer by stocking up on Dreft since we have a new baby on the way. Want to know more?

 

Here’s the details:

Stock up on P&G products at Sam’s Club in February so you can afford to give your baby quality products and a little more mommy time.

Pick up any two of the following baby products to receive a $10 Sam’s Club Gift Card toward your purchase made between Feb 1st and Feb 29th:

  • Pampers® Swaddlers® or Pampers Cruisers® Diapers
  • Pampers SoftCare™ Scented Baby Wipes
  • Similac® Advance® Powder or Similac Sensitive® Powder
  • Dreft® Liquid Laundry Detergent

Register for your Gift Card at SamsClub.com/giftcardoffer by March 14, 2012

Connect Online With The Above Companies

 

Want to win $25 in Sam’s Club Giftcards to help you purchase baby essentials? Read more and enter below!

 

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Thomas & Friends: Curious Cargo on DVD, Digital Download, & On-Demand 01/17/12 (Review & Giveaway)

January 17, 2012 – 8:36 pm

 

Thomas_CuriousCargo_DVD

 

Can you believe Thomas the tank engine came about over 65 years ago and is still going strong? He was created by a father for his son, and today is enjoyed by families in more than 185 territories and in 30 languages. He’s a very useful engine if I do say so myself. In fact, Thomas and Friends is one of our favorite shows here at our house. We have DVD’s, books, toys, you name it. The stories are always easy to follow along with, upbeat, and overall have a positive message for children.

 

“The #1 blue engine and his friends invite children to enter a world of imagination through the tracks of a train and the words of a story. Children embark on adventures with their engine friends while experiencing timeless life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation.“

 

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Barney: I love My Friends on DVD, Digital Download, & On-Demand as of 01/03/12 (Review)

January 17, 2012 – 5:02 pm

Barney - I Love my Friends

 

20 years ago, you couldn’t have paid me a million bucks to sit here and write a review for a Barney DVD. Of course I was young, and cool, and DVD’s didn’t even exist back then (at least not in my world)! Boy don’t I feel old.  Thing is, my little sister, who is 11 years younger than I am just adored Barney.  As the older sister, who was already in high school when Barney debuted.. it just wasn’t cool to like him. I mean come on.

 

Here I am, all these years later, with 2 kids of my own and guess who they love? Barney!! In fact, my little one, who is only 16 months, who rarely says a word, can say “Barney” of all things.  All he has to do is see Barney’s picture and he’s dancing around calling out for Barney. In fact he’s looking at my screen doing it now!  Kids just love Barney, and you know what? I’m glad.. because there are a lot of other programs out there that don’t teach all the great lessons that Barney and his friends teach.

 

In this episode of Barney, called I Love My Friends there are many important lessons to be learned. Princess Baby Bop helps us learn that the key to being a good friend is keeping promises, while Riff makes up for a mistake and proves that he’s a friend who sees things through. BJ feels left out when he’s not included and learns the importance of being honest and expressing his feelings. All great lessons for children to learn.

 

With singing, dancing and lots of monkeying around, Barney brings kids on a friend-tastic adventure and shows that everything is more fun with friends!

 

You can find Barney and all his friends on Sprout and PBS!

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