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Mother’s Day Gifts

Georgene — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:42:26 +0000

There is one day in May that serves as a symbolic holiday when we can show our appreciation to the person we call “Mom.” A mother will sacrifice everything for her child/children. She will love unconditionally and always be there for her children. A mother is someone we can share everything happening in our life with, especially when there is no one else to share with. We instinctively know that in times of happiness or sadness or when we just need someone to talk to we can always talk to mom. Mothers aren’t just there during the special times in our life, they are there for the little things or when we’re lonely. Mothers don’t just nurture our bodies, they nurture our spirits. Mothers come in all shapes and sizes and colors, and they come with all different personalities, we shouldn’t judge all mothers by the standards written above. Every mother is individual and each relationship is as different and unique as the people in them. Some mothers may have sacrificed more than others due to their unique life circumstances. Mothers are only capable of doing the best they can do according to what is available to them. Being a mother is about nurturing, guiding and protecting and doing the best we can do to raise our children. Every parent’s idea of parenting is different. The times and places we live in also plays a huge role in parenting skills, as does one’s education and how mothers themselves were parented. Motherhood should be measured by how cared for and loved we felt as children and adults. If a mother believes with all of her heart she did the very best she could do, then she did the best she could. The love and care a mother provided throughout all the stages of our life is why we have one day a year to express our heartfelt “thanks.” So, don’t forget at the very least to pick up a card or the phone on that day in May when we have the opportunity to say “Thank You” to our mothers for all life’s gifts they bestowed upon us and for doing the best they could do! If your mother is passed then light a candle in your home or at your place of worship and wish her a Happy Mother’s Day in heaven.

All of life is a learning experience. We are all here to learn – some learn faster and better than others, but hopefully everyone leaves here a bit smarter!

Miscarriage and Baby Angels

Georgene — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 04:38:50 +0000

Losing a baby is one of the saddest experiences for a woman to endure at a time that is supposed to be so happy. Having gone through all the tests and being told that all the reproductive organs are working perfect; having a pregnancy end in miscarriage can be quite an emotional shock. That is exactly what happened when I suffered a miscarriage at 16 weeks. We couldn’t imagine what went wrong, but later learned just how common miscarriages happen. We were lucky to later be blessed with two beautiful and healthy babies, but we’ll never forget the little angel that awaits us in heaven. Just know that you’re not alone if you have a miscarriage; so many parents have a baby angel or angels waiting for them in heaven. Miscarriage in early pregnancy is common. Studies show between 10% and 20% of women experience miscarriages some time before 20 weeks of pregnancy. The actual rate of miscarriage is even higher since many women have very early miscarriages without even knowing they were pregnant. One study that followed women’s hormone levels daily to detect very early pregnancy found a total miscarriage rate of 31%. There is also research indicating that 70% of fertilized eggs may never go on to become a full-term pregnancy. It’s not as grim as it sounds though, if you already know you’re pregnant, your risk of miscarrying before 20 weeks is probably somewhere between 10% and 20%, which is not high at all. The rates of miscarriage are highest in the first 12 weeks (the first trimester). Of course age must also be factored into the equation with risk increasing after the age of 35 and so on. A miscarriage is usually nature’s way of terminating a fetus that is not healthy. Rather than worry about what could happen think positive, eat healthy, take your prenatal supplements and be sure to see your OB/GYN regularly – a better way to think about it is to remember that there is close to a 90% chance that everything will be just fine!

Diaper Rash

Georgene — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 22:37:34 +0000

Diaper rash can be a parent’s worst nightmare. It makes us cringe to see our baby’s little bottom so sore and uncomfortable, and it hurts baby even more. Unsightly diaper rash is caused by a mixture of bacteria that thrives in a warm and dark environment, namely a moist wet diaper. Some cases may also be caused by urine that is too acidic, giving baby a bit more water to drink and less acid producing juice can help his or her urine reach the proper pH and become alkalized. By keeping baby’s bottom dry with frequent diaper changes we can avoid most cases of diaper rash. Rashes can range from mild to severe, with some becoming a real challenge. For mild cases merely changing baby more often and dusting his/her bottom with an ample amount of corn starch may be enough to keep the fierce sting of rashes away. Products containing zinc oxide or petroleum also protect baby’s bottom. I personally like using organic coconut oil as a barrier between diaper changes for baby’s bum, it has anti-viral, anti-fungal (kills yeast too) and antibacterial properties – and it smells so nice. Avoid using scented baby wipes when a rash is present as they can make it worse. Letting air at baby’s bottom regularly is a good measure to take. Letting baby play naked for an hour or so a day can be helpful.Diaper rashes can get scary sometimes. If the rash is severe it can look blistered, welted and may even bleed, you’ll need the help of your pediatrician. Prevention is key with diaper rash, as most bacteria cannot grow in dry & airy places, so keep baby’s bottom dry and you and baby will be much happier for it!

Teach Your Children Well

Georgene — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:13:22 +0000

Interactions in life such as friendships and relationships can be positive or negative; they can enhance our life or poison it. It’s important that we teach our children not only how to make friends, but to be “a good friend” which comes about by instilling our children with good values. Children often learn by watching their parent’s actions and behavior, so we need to be careful of what we may be inadvertently teaching our children. Teach children to be caring and compassionate to others. Boys can be taught more compassion without making them overly emotional. Girls should be taught not to compare and assume that if another girl has more or is thought to be prettier that means she is therefore in some way “superior.” It’s not that boys are immune to developing inferiority complex’s, it’s just harder for girls because of the way society, namely the media and Hollywood, portray women. From very young ages girls are often pitted against each other to compete in very unhealthy ways. To counteract this we must teach children solid self-worth and focus on what their strong points are to help them develop resilient self-esteem. Too much importance should not be placed upon outer appearances or possessions to keep unhealthy comparing at bay. Being competitive is a good thing that can build strong self-confidence, but there is a thin line when it can cross over to becoming toxic. It’s always more fun to win, but children must also learn how to lose. If they never experience loses they will never fully appreciate the wins in life. Loving relationships are filled with mutual respect and often start off as friendships. Friendship needs to be a two-way street, a pleasurable journey with both parties having the same destination in mind. We can’t just pick a person and wave a magic wand overhead saying “poof we’re friends.” Friendships are usually built on commonalities we share with each other. Friends should make us feel good, even in the worst of times. A true friend will be there through the storms in life and not just be a fair-weather friend. A genuine friend is supportive, and should possess traits such as loyalty, honesty, trust and always be happy for us in our successes. If a friend shows signs of envy, resentment, jealousy, disloyalty, distrust and is not happy for us – this is not a friend at all. It’s preferable to not have such toxic people in our lives. If as parents we teach our children to have the positive traits above and they see us displaying those same traits, then healthy interactions will come naturally and lead to forming happy relationships all through life.

Happiness

Georgene — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:45:44 +0000

Is happiness something we’re born with or something we learn? Do we acquire happiness from life experiences or from people and things around us – or do we create and control our own happiness? I believe it’s a little bit of all of the above, but mostly I believe we create and are responsible for our own happiness. There’s no doubt that people and things around us can affect our level of happiness, but the bottom line is that WE have the option of making the choice not to allow other people or things to invade or affect our happiness. Our personal happiness is within our control. We might wonder how our happiness is in our control if we have someone or something in our life determined to make our life miserable, that can only happen that if WE allow it to. Of course there are times in life when it’s perfectly natural to be sad, we can’t be happy all the time, but if there is someone or something in our life making us sad all the time, then we need to change it. We can change things by spending less time with problem people and instead filling our lives with those who make us feel good. Another way to change things is by taking part in hobbies we enjoy, like listening to music or playing an instrument, dancing, swimming, and taking a walk and most of all laughing. Find what makes you happy and DO IT often. The more the better! We want to neutralize or counter the negative experiences in life with positive experiences so unhappy things don’t overtake us. The more joy we can bring into our lives the less sadness can hurt us. It’s true if raised by parents who were often sad and depressed we might also learn the behavior, but the opposite is also true. One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is to teach them how to be happy and have fun. Happiness is about a lot more than smiling – it’s about a whole process of good things happening in the body. Happiness is not just a state of mind, being happy emits healthy hormones throughout the body. Being happy is a powerful and potent immune booster that can add years to our life. On the flip side of the coin being sad or unhappy releases bad chemicals into the body that can take years off our life, so take control of your happiness and create your own happy haven and don’t depend on others to do it for you!

The Green-Eyed Monster

Georgene — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:10:19 +0000

Happy children are content children. Teaching our children to be content is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. Otherwise children who are never content or satisfied may struggle their whole lives trying to capture things that could be unattainable. This isn’t to imply that children shouldn’t try to aspire to greater things; it’s just to let them know that some things in life may not be attainable or healthy for them to attain. Teaching children that it’s wonderful to chase after their dreams, but that it’s also best to be satisfied and content at all stages of their life will make for healthier and happier children. Jealousy is one of the most damaging traits to be saddled with - and sadly it’s quite common in today’s material world. Envy comes from within and can make a person appear quite unattractive. Jealousy can fester and not only make a person unhealthy, but very ugly on the inside as well. Nothing is sadder than witnessing someone harboring deep envy for years; it can make people age faster and make their life and everyone’s life around them miserable. Feeling envious and resentful of others can be avoided if children are taught from a young age not to compare and place value on what others have. Parents can teach children to be satisfied and content with what they have by setting good examples and putting in place a proper value system. People become jealous natured for many different reasons, it could be about appearances, possessions, how another person is revered, a job or career, but two common denominator’s are always at the root of the problem; low self-confidence and low self-worth. Never demean a child; it can mar a child’s self-assurance for life. Squash the Green-Eyed Monsters as quickly as they appear while children are growing up - make sure to build a child’s confidence and self-esteem by praising and complimenting them frequently so they go on to have productive careers, happy marriages and live content lives when they grow up!

Colic Baby

Georgene — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:49:05 +0000

“Colic,” the dreaded word no parent wants to hear, and no baby wants to experience. About one in every 10 infants get colic. A first sign that may indicate your baby is colic is he/she seems to be fussy and cry all the time. It was originally thought that colic was always caused by gas, especially when witnessing how uncomfortable baby seems to be during bouts of uncontrollable crying. They often kick up their legs in a manner that indicates cramping and pain, but train of thought has changed on that theory, today it is thought that for some babies it’s temperament that plays a role. Some babies are more sensitive to their environment than others, being sensitive to noise, smoke, temperature changes, and other things in their natural surroundings. Gas and bloating can still certainly be the cause of a colicky baby. If you are not breastfeeding your baby an allergy to infant formula should also be suspect. Many infants are lactose intolerant, which improves as they get older. Consider lack of contact, as some babies seem as if they can never be held enough and need more cuddling to feel secure. To calm and soothe crying babies try holding your baby in a gentle bouncing motion while walking. Gentle movements help calm hyper-sensitive babies, as does gentle swinging and riding in a car. Providing baby with a background of white noise, such as running water, a washing machine, or vacuum cleaner can also be very helpful. Some mothers swear by the small environmental machines that play sounds of wind chimes and water falls with chirping birds and the ocean waves can help soothe and calm baby. If all else fails a nice warm bath and light patting massage may do the trick. You may also consider trying colic drops or gripe water to relieve trapped gas, which are available without a prescription. If nothing you try seems to work then a trip to the doctor would be in order. The good news is most babies will outgrow colic by 6 months of age.

Teething

Georgene — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:51:49 +0000

Who doesn’t love seeing those adorable toothless grins and crooked gummy smiles of a baby? Truth be told, if parents were given a choice some babies would be born with a full set of choppers. One of the many joys and trials of parenting is going through the teething stage with baby. Baby’s first tooth is one of many monumental moments for parents. Most babies start to cut their first teeth around the age of 6 months or so, but there is no general rule. Some babies may start sooner, others later, heredity plays a role. Teeth can come in in different orders as well. Some babies may cut their top eye teeth first and resemble a little vampire until the middle teeth come in. Sometimes its a bottom tooth that makes it’s first appearance. Whenever your baby does start teething you’ll likely know it by him or her becoming cranky or just out of sorts. Baby can run a fever, have a runny nose and may even appear to have an earache when teething. I remember taking a clean nubby washcloth and soaking it in a bowl of cold water with ice cubes in it, then wringing it out and applying it to my baby’s gums and rubbing them with it to help the tooth break through the gum. “ICE” cold is the key with teething, the colder the better as it numbs the pain. Don’t hesitate helping baby feel comfortable by giving him or her cold teether or appropriate analgesic to lessen discomfort. Rubbing a numbing cream made for babies on the gums will help temporarily as well. Cutting teeth to a baby feels much like a toothache does to us, so help baby feel better. Before you know it, it will be a distant memory and you’ll be snapping pictures of your baby’s beautiful pearly whites for the entire world to see! Then just as teething is long forgotten it’ll be time for your child to start losing his or her first teeth and make room for their permanent teeth, expect lots of visits from the Tooth Fairy!!!

Temper Tantrums / Terrible Two’s

Georgene — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:06:35 +0000

When mother’s little angel turns into Damien from the Omen what is a mother or father to do? Most toddlers go through some degree of the “Terrible Two’s,” but what about tantrums that persist beyond the age of two, three or four? Tantrums are a normal part of development for many children. A tantrum usually emerges as kicking, screaming, throwing oneself on the floor. In some instances a child may hold their breath to get what they want. Some children might demand a certain food item or toy. Tantrum behavior is many times a result of frustration. Frustration in the world around them, and not being able to do everything they want to do – or think they can do. Some children throw temper tantrums because they are tired or over stimulated, others throw them because they are spoiled by parents. Under no circumstances should such controlling behavior be given into. In those instances the child needs to learn that “no” means “no.” You can explain the reason why the answer is no, but I’ve never seen a child stop mid tantrum and rationalize. It might be better to instead divert or distract the child to avoid a tantrum. Under no circumstances let the child know that his or her tantrums can control situations such as eating in restaurants or shopping in stores. If they realize that by throwing a tantrum they can work a parent like a puppet they will use it to the max. Be firm and let the child know right from the first tantrum that the behavior will not be tolerated, nor will it ever produce the results the child is throwing the tantrum for. For example if a child is acting up in a restaurant you certainly should not expect other diners to have to tolerate that behavior during their meal. Swiftly take the child outside and let them know with complete certainty that if they don’t start behaving properly they will be going home to take a nap or something they don’t like to do – and follow through with your promise. If a child realizes that you don’t follow through they will quickly disregard any threats you make. It’s never fun to have to leave a restaurant, but usually it only takes a few times to break the child of acting up in a restaurant. Never reward a child by taking them home and allowing them to play or do something they enjoy and never let them have what it is that caused the tantrum in the first place just to quiet them. That only enforces to the child that their bad behavior got them exactly what they were seeking. If they were having a tantrum because they wanted a burger instead of chicken fingers, always make them stop the bad behavior before getting their way. This allows them to understand that the bad behavior is not what got them what they wanted; it was the “good” behavior that got them the burger. As children develop and verbalize more effectively – and do more things for themselves, tantrums usually improve and/or go away. You can help the process along by giving young children some minor responsibilities so they feel more independent. Let them choose between two things, so they feel as though they have some control over general situations. Always make sure to praise children for good behavior — and they’ll be eager to please!

Jewelry Trends for 2012

Georgene — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:37:13 +0000

I predict we’ll be seeing more and more sterling silver styles in jewelry in 2012. Not only is sterling silver affordable, it’s rich and never goes out of style. For those who love platinum or white gold, but find both above their financial means sterling silver is a great option. It can easily be used in wedding sets and looks elegant with diamonds or cubic zirconias. Diamonds and gold are a mindset, we desire them because of their worth and because they sparkle and shine; they are without doubt a good investment. All true, but not everyone can afford diamonds and gold and if you’re just seeking the sparkle and shine, sterling silver and CZ’s will achieve that beautifully for you. There are also sterling silver pieces that are plated with gold, but I personally much prefer fine sterling silver by itself. Sterling silver also looks great with emeralds, rubies, peridot, garnet, and pearls, opals and black onyx, there’s really no stone that won’t look gorgeous with sterling silver. Marcasite is another pretty style of jewelry, it’s been around since ancient times, but became very popular in Victorian times. Marcasite has an antique look. Many people collect vintage marcasite jewelry, pieces can be quite affordable, although some pieces in high demand may be quite expensive. Care must be taken when cleaning marcasite as cement is often used in setting the stones which can come loose if the pieces are steamed or soaked in liquid/water. It’s best to wipe marcasite jewelry gently with a soft and clean damp cloth and thoroughly dry with a soft cloth. So, enjoy sterling silver, it may not be as valuable as gold, but there is a viable silver market as well and is considered just as wise an investment for many.