CheekyBabySlings - Baby Sling News

Pregnancy Crisis Centre Opportunity

2012-06-19T20:16:17-04:00

About a month ago I met a lovely lady who works at a pregnancy crisis centre in London, counselling young Moms. We had a great conversation about how amazing slings are for Moms and babies. She especially thought that slings would be great for some of her young Moms who would really benefit from the closeness of carrying their baby in a sling. Baby Wearing develops a deep bond and give babies comfort as they are held close.

She loved the sling I was wearing - one of my brand new fabrics - and said that she could see her girls really liking something that looked youthful. I'm hoping to somehow contribute to the Mom's there by getting some slings in their hands and doing some workshops on how slings are used and how they can be a huge part of the bonding process with our children.

Through a combination of a few ideas, I'd like to help out in a small but meaningful way - but I'll need some help ;)

1. Having my wonderful friends {you} donate their old slings they are no longer using and ask around for others who might also have slings they are not using.

2. Doing a few promotions in the near future where a portion of our sales go to the centre to buy new slings

3. Offering an opportunity for you to buy a sling directly for the centre at a discounted price.

Feel free to send me your thoughts and let me know if you are interested in helping out in any way.

Angie

Cheeky Baby Clearance!

2012-04-26T13:47:06-04:00

If you know me, you know I love a good deal! So I've opened up a clearance section :) Plus, I'm looking for a good excuse to get out and shop for some new fabulous prints! So if you've been on the fence for you want the last of a few of our best sellers then pop over. Just a note that some of the fabrics in there are From our Fair Trade Fabric line. The Batiks are straight from Ghana, West Africa through a friend who spent some time doing missions work in a village there. You can check out her Big Village Store for her other cool items.

I've also recently added 2 new fabrics: Printed Flowers and Fresh Mama. Printed Flowers caught my eye, I just loved the colours and the texture of the fabric. I picked it up on a rainy grey blah day so I think my heart just wanted to see colour! I'm a really big fan of the Fresh Mama print, I think it's perfect for a baby boy or girl, and finding 'non-flowery' fabrics isn't easy to do!

So... I'm back in the game and hope to get some fun blog posts out very, very soon! Life with 4 children is fuller than I expected but complete. And wonderful.

Angie

Little Boy Blue(s)

2012-02-08T20:45:00-05:00

It’s one minute to 8:00pm, the house is clean, 3 of my dear children are tucked in their beds and sleeping soundly, I can hear my husband’s new album playing from his studio in the basement - he’s working on the final mix-down - the dishwasher is making a bubbly hum in the kitchen where I am sitting cross-legged at the table with my little 13 day old man, Emmett, who is sleeping peacefully in his little cocoon nestled in my lap. I am content.

With everything in the world to be grateful for, a life that is full of the most wonderful friends and family, a husband who is incredible, four perfectly beautiful children, a home, food on the table and careers that we love I should be beaming with sunshine all the time right?

Yesterday, as I sat on the couch and looked up at my husband with tears streaming down my face I mentioned (while laughing at myself for crying) that I this has to be the worst ‘baby blues’ I’ve had. I don’t remember crying this much after my other children were born. He assured me that yes, in fact, it was this bad before. All three times before. He then reminded me what I was like after we had Natalia, our first. I had forgotten about the night he came to visit me in the hospital at 3:00am after finishing up a gig. Natalia was 3 days old (C-section, so I was in the hospital for recovery for 4 nights) and he walked into the room and found me with Natalia wrapped up close to my heart, sobbing uncontrollably. He had his music partner with him, who had enough sense to give us time alone - thank you Rob. Denis, who is admittedly NOT a cryer but in fact a very rational and non-emotional person was at a complete loss. What could he possibly do to help/fix this sobbing, snotty nosed wife who is currently rocking his firstborn child and looking slightly insane at the moment with the way the moonlight is reflecting off her unkempt hair in this stark hospital room.

Fast-forward 3 more children... he still doesn’t know what to do. We were in a conversation about a scheduling error we had made when I burst into tears this past Monday evening. I couldn’t even fathom having to re-work my schedule and cancel a social get together we had planned. The simple task of planning out my days with the kids and work and social life was so utterly overwhelming for me. Denis got slightly frustrated with my tears as he explained to me “you can’t do it all, you need to take a break.” It was then I began to laugh at myself - I asked him to please ignore all the emotion coming out of me and just deal with the facts. Because regardless of the conversation we were having at the moment I am pretty sure I would be crying. The next day I woke up with a mission, I planned to get the kids school done by 10am go to London to meet up with a friend and her 4 kids at the library, pick up Ethan’s BF for a small birthday celebration at the bowling alley, have dinner and make ice cream sundaes. Are you sure you want to do all that? Deni asked me. My reply? If I don’t get out and do something you will likely find me rocking in a corner somewhere in a puddle of tears. Thankfully I heeded his advice and cancelled our plans to go out in the evening and when my day was complete - yes, I successfully completed my mission - I crashed. And guess what? I was too tired to cry!

I wonder how many women out there think they are going absolutely crazy shortly after birth. I was fortunate enough that when I had that moment with Natalia in the hospital the nurse, who was completely lovely, asked, ‘is it the third night?.’ She assured me it was perfectly normal and even expected for me to be overwrought with unexplained emotion. Well, that made me feel somewhat better. New Moms need to know and have assurance that they are not alone on this crazy emotional roller-coaster. The one thing that allows me to laugh at myself through my tears is knowing and understanding that the hormones and emotions of a pregnant and postpartum woman are a mystery that will go unsolved for all the ages to come.

I'll share a few pics that make me smile - not cry - of our fun at the bowling alley ;)

11 days down, a lifetime to go.

2012-02-06T17:16:35-05:00

Well, life has finally settled back into a "routine" if you can call it that! Little Emmett is doing quite fantastically as are the kids. I'll admit to being a little tired and having my fair share of complete break-down in tears hormonal moments. Thankfully those moments have been surrounded by laughter, joy and serene moments snuggling with Emmett and my 3 big kids. My husband has been amazing, as usual, his only downfall? he has pointed out to me on several occasions that his 'baby' a.k.a the puppy is now letting him sleep through the night! Thanks for mentioning it.

These past 11 days feel like a lifetime. We've welcomed Emmett into the world, spent time with family, spent time alone with the baby while my family took the big kids for a few days and spoiled them. I had a 3-day road trip without Deni to pick up my kids and introduce Emmett to my siblings and nieces and nephews, and we've had a weekend at home as a family. Whew! How does all that happen in less than 2 weeks?

It's been a ride for sure, and I love knowing that it's just the beginning. That this little man who spends his days sleeping & nursing will quickly grow and start hitting all those wonderful milestones - sitting, crawling, walking, talking, talking back... A lifetime of memories and moments lie ahead and I want to cherish each little detail so as not to miss a thing. K, I'm getting gushy! Here's some photos of what we've been up to Emmett's first week and a half - enjoy :)

And you better believe I've been using my slings!

The journey began with my gorgeous Mother's arrival. She was great company, comfort and help the week leading up to Emmett's birth while staying with us. Saturday afternoon she bravely strapped my 3 gremlins in her car and headed home with them to Bowmanville to give Deni and I a chance to settle in and enjoy some quiet time with the baby. Thank You Mommy!

Natalia, Ethan and Adalaine greet Emmett with love and laughter in the hospital early Friday Morning.

My AMAZING Midwives at Talbot Creek Midwives, in St Thomas. I couldn't have asked for better love and care!

My sister Julie, is notorious for unwrapping every newborn she sees so she can examine their feet. Do they have wide feet or narrow feet? Is the second toe taller than the big toe? I think she approved these little feet.

My big brother, Jay. He spoiled Natalia and Ethan just the way every Uncle should :) I think having a new little man in the family is a good thing - he's got great role models.

OK... I KNOW! She's way too old for a soother, and trust me, I've bee trying to get rid of the darn thing. But I have to admit, she was so thrilled when she got to snuggle up to Emmett and HE took a "Beaka" just like her! She's one proud big sister!

Natalia made Emmett a sweet Valentine Balloon, which, like all balloons, broke shortly thereafter.

We are needless to say, quite in love with the little man.

The Dragon-Birth

2012-01-28T12:42:52-05:00

Last weekend my good friend Becky sent me the following: “If baby can wait till after midnight Sunday, he will be a DRAGON, which is much more fierce than a bunny :)” As we anticipated his arrival we joked back and forth with our friend Julianna (Red Rubber Studio) about my pending “Dragon Birth.”

All women love to share a good birth story, and I being a too much information kind of friend, would LOVE more than anything to share the past week with you! Monday morning I was anxious to get in to the midwives office to see my good friend Jill and ask her to do a stretch and sweep for me to try to get things going a bit. You see, although I was more than 1 week away from my due date, the baby was super low and I was beginning to feel less and less like myself and more like a grouchy, over-tired crab with a bowling ball between my legs! Jill and her student Heather (who has an incredible background as an OB nurse) smiled and said they were more than happy to oblige! YES! I was a 2cm and it seemed as though things could get started any day... this is where my boy’s personality began to show... Each night I wake up with contractions - or rather contraptions as Deni has lovingly re-named them - and wonder, is this it? by the time the morning came everything would stop completely and I would make it through my day with much frustration at my turtle-dragon - is there such a thing? I think this might be the year of the Turtle-Dragon.

Finally, and I mean FINALLY by Thursday morning I was woken up (5am) with stronger contractions that felt like they MUST be the real deal. I got up and baked a batch of the most delicious brownies in the universe and facebooked my midwife Jill to see if she accepted bribes - a batch of fresh brownies in exchange for another stretch and sweep :) who asks for that? and seriously, who can resist brownies?! So... my wonderful midwife Jill and her fabulous student Heather popped into our home at about 9am, things looked much more promising between 3-4. Well, I sent them on their way with the promised hot brownies and got my things together. I spent the day puttering around the house, running errands in London with Deni, making arrangements for the kids, dancing with my girls and my Mom enthusiastically to ABBA in the living room, hiking in the woods with the family and the puppy and finally and again, I mean FINALLY by dinner I was having regular contractions for a solid hour - time to call JILL!

Jill and Heather showed up around 7 and I was between 4-5 and ready to go! Uncle David & Aunt Falia (of cheekybabyslings) came over to give our 3 kids candy and tuck them into bed for the night. I called Julianna, who would be photographing the birth, and my Mom, Deni and I headed over to the hospital. When we arrived we all got settled into the birthing room and Deni’s notorious tweeting, texting and facebooking began! Julianna arrived shortly after and I was so thankful for her arrival, the room was complete with the perfect mix of friends and family to welcome the baby.

Well, labour as usual... you’ll see that the photos on Red Rubber Studio’s Blog tell the story perfectly. Deni kept us all laughing the whole time, I think there may have been some snorting and possible a bit of pant peeing. I could hear the Honey Badger YouTube video playing in the background while I breathed my way through a ‘contraption’ and the sweet sound of uninhibited laughter in the room. And then the FB comment: Ange is like the honey badger.

By about 10:45 we all thought the baby was ready to arrive, so I turned onto my back ready to push and... NOTHING! TURTLE-DRAGON! this guy is a serious trickster! thinks he’s pretty funny to make me think he’s coming and then settle back in! I spent several contractions on my back enjoying the brief rest from hard contraptions and then got back up to my knees leaning on the back of the upright bed. Apparently that’s the way he wanted it because things picked up almost immediately and he made his grand entrance less than 15 minutes later. And what an entrance it was! Full Head of black hair, ten tiny fingers and toes, each little precious part perfectly formed.

And then it was like the world stopped for just a moment as he was passed into my arms and I embraced my little turtle-dragon for the very first time. Laughter, sobbing, a wash of emotion and love that goes beyond the depth of understanding. A moment that will be tucked away and treasured in my heart my whole life. A moment a Mother can NEVER forget.

The rest is history, despite everyone’s exclaimation at how big he looked, and after 2 tries at the weigh scale it turned out he was actually 6lbs 15.6oz and his shortness - 19” explained his very chubby cheeks. Emmett Reid Gauthier has been welcomed into the world and I have been enjoying him and taking it all in. My other 3 kids are loving him beyond measure - this little Dragon will lack nothing in life - it is full of the most incredible friends and family a person could ask to be blessed with.

Enjoy browsing through our Dragon-Birth adventure! Thank You Julianna for sharing such a wonderful evening with us!

A little note on Red Rubber Studio:

*Red Rubber Studio excels in LifeStyle Photography - Family, Weddings, all occasions you can imagine. Matt has done all Deni Gauthier’s professional photos and videos and Julianna has captured my pregnancy, birth and soon newborn photos in a way that far exceeded my expectations. Julianna, who is also a Registered Nurse and works in Transplant in London, ON was the perfect choice for photographing the birth of our little Emmett. Her medical background, laid back attitude and knack for finding the perfect angle make her an exceptional choice for any one looking for a birth photo session.

Check out the Link to the photos at: Red Rubber Studio!

Ok, I'm ready!

2012-01-23T17:49:40-05:00

Well, I am now 38 1/2 weeks pregnant and I'm feeling ready to meet this boy of mine! I went in to see my midwives this morning and had them do a little check to see if these annoying Braxton Hicks contractions have been doing anything at all. Looks as though things are beginning to shape up.. although with babies you never can tell, he may arrive today, tomorrow or in 2 weeks... if I could only tell!

I took the liberty of spending the day on my feet, walking the dog, shopping with my mom, and finally to end the day, jumping on the trampoline! I have much to do to prepare the house for his arrival - like finish packing my hospital bag - but I'll leave you with this fun photo! (and in case you're wondering, depends definitely would have been a wise decision!) TMI?

Magic in the Woods.

2012-01-19T07:24:41-05:00

I could hardly wait to get out of bed this morning! Late last night Deni woke me up to give me sneak peek at Red Rubber Studio's latest blog post - me and my glowing 38 week pregnant belly!

Please allow me to set the stage for you. Monday evening Julianna and I left our husbands with all 7 children while we took a 2 hour escapade (filled with laughter, of course) to shop for wardrobe items. Julianna had this vision of a winter maternity photo shoot in the woods with fur and layers and depth and everything artistically wonderful. It then began to rain, thoughts of a white forest floor vanished, but we were still hopeful, we had a plan. As long as I stayed pregnant her husband Matt was bravely willing to watch all 7 children himself yesterday while we again took to the road.

And so, I got up early Wednesday morning filled with excitement! Other than my wedding day, I've never had multiple photos taken of myself my a real photographer... what a treat I was in for! I dropped off the kids, Julianna settled her 8 week old little man to sleep and we filled the back seat of her car with boots and outfits galore - one item being the scarf I had stolen from my babysitter, who may have thought me quite strange for asking such a request when she showed up at my house earlier in the week! We drove out to our 'location' and must have looked quite a site at the side of the road as I changed clothing and boots and Julianna primped my unruly hair - I seriously thought the curls would settle a bit more before we started - but they actually turned out well.

Now, I have to tell you, I am a closet fan of America's next top model and I couldn't help but feel a little like a model on a luxurious - and chilly - set with a famous photographer. I sucked it up when I felt my bum cheeks were getting frostbite from the ground - keep it professional Ang, you can do it, be yourself, get comfortable... which is actually a difficult thing to do in front of a camera lens! I, like most other women I am sure, have those things about my face that I consider to be less than perfect... but on the way back home as we chatted I was joking about my discomfort with some of my features and suddenly realized I am 32 years old, they haven't changed yet and they never will. In fact I'll likely find more "imperfections" as I continue to age, maybe it's about time I embrace them!

Anyway, it was an incredibly fun afternoon and I am completely and utterly blown away by the end result... in fact I'm not even sure that's me ;)

Julianna, you have given me such an incredible gift and I am grateful beyond words.

You can look through our Magic in the Woods on Matt & Julianna's incredible blog here: Red Rubber Studio Don't forget to browse around, it's like candy for the eyes on their site.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T13:41:13-05:00

Happy New Year!! (yes, I know a little late!) We’ve just finished up with our holiday company... although the new baby company is just around the corner, so I am sure we won’t have much time of “back to normal.” We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years and I have to say that this holiday season was some of the best family time I’ve had in a long time.

So, 2012! What on earth? I feel O.L.D. I’m not usually a big ‘resolution’ kind of gal, but this year my Husband and I have made a couple of commitments that we hope to stick to for the year. The first is to continue on our journey of minimizing as much stuff and stress in our lives as possible. Re-organzing, Purging, Symplifying, and focusing our energy on our loved ones and keeping those ‘draining people’ at bay. We are learning to live with less and appreciate more - it’s such a freeing thing to do!

Our second commitment has been to have more focused family time. One of the things we’re going to attempt is to do a weekly hike with our kids and dog. The ultimate goal? to get back to nature and expose our kids to the outdoors more. When we first met we were both heavily into outdoor sports and activities and spent the first 4 years of marriage teaching outdoor pursuits at a College. We have a basement full of some pretty fantastic outdoor gear that has been left sad a neglected for far too long. So, we’ve told the kids that if they can get really good at hiking (aka go for walks without complaining!) that this summer we’ll take them backpacking and camp overnight in the woods - the prospect of such an adventure brought MUCH excitement to their little faces!

Anyway, just a quick blog today, but I wanted to share a few photos of our first hike of the year! With 4 kids, a 10 week old puppy AND a 9 month pregnant woman, we were a fabulous sight to see! It was wonderful to be out in the fresh air and I was grateful to share the experience with the kids!

Happy New Year to you and yours! Share your resolutions for the year in the comments below!

Our Newest Family Member!

2011-12-30T09:33:57-05:00

My goodness! It’s been a long, long while since my last blog! I have to tell you that with Pregnancy #4, homeschooling, the Christmas season and everything else we do around here I’ve been feeling slightly, actually seriously overwhelmed. I feel like half my brain is missing, like I’ve completely lost my ability to multi-task... and as a woman... a very busy and social woman you can only imagine how distressing this loss has been to me! The other day my husband just looked at me and said, “I’ve never seen you check out this early with pregnancy.” He summed it up, I feel like I’ve checked out. Like I can’t quite accomplish everything I want, like my brain is a whole day behind me, like I can’t quite get off the couch with ease, or wipe up a spill on the floor without looking like I’ve just pulled every muscle in my body. And the ridiculous walk I have at the end of the day... the sway of my back and hips makes me look less like a duck waddle and more like an elephant loafing around pretending to be a duck... or worse a penguin.

Anyway, enough complaining! We had a wonderful Christmas enjoying our family and friends. And we were just crazy enough to get our family a wonderful new addition for Christmas. His name is Tucker and he’s the sweetest four legged friend I’ve ever known. Those of you who know me, know that I am admittedly not a big dog person. In fact I will admit to only ever truly liking one dog in my lifetime. My friend had an amazing Border Collie named Kelty whom I would actually pet because I wanted to, not because I felt like the owner was staring at me expecting me to love their dog the way they do. So, when my husband showed me the ad for the Blue Healer (also a breed I like) Border Collie mix puppies I agreed to go and see them. Tucker was by far the calmest of the 3 little man-puppies, while one of his brother literally swung from my pony tail and the other ate Natalia’s suede coat, Tucker snuggled and gently played in Ethan’s lap. The choice was obvious and he’s brought a joy and calmness to our home I never would have expected. I have to admit, I am completely in love with the pup.

Do you want to know the best part about getting a puppy?? Not only has my husband taken a big break from work to help out with training - which translates to some serious family time, I feel like for the first time ever my husband knows what I endure when we have babies! He’s been getting up 2-3 times at night to let Tucker out to pee, getting out of bed early (I’m talking when the first digit is still a 7!!) to play with and walk Tucker when he’s most excitable. Cleaning up poo and pee of the floors - they’ve NEVER shined like this before! I look at his face as he walks down the stairs and I can SO relate to how he feels. I think that when our little guy arrives in a few short weeks he’ll have an even greater appreciation than he already does for what I do.

And so, with Christmas over, I’ve been slowly (and rather tediously) putting away new things, finding places for and purging old things, re-organizing closets and drawers, and today we’ll take down the last of the decorations and get things ready for the new year and the new baby to arrive. I’m ready for things to settle back to normal... and I’m excited for this little guy to arrive. I’ve done the calculations and I only have 11 more days until I am considered FULL TERM, or 37 weeks. The baby’s not due until 40 weeks, but I’ve made a conscious decision to start a regular walking, lifting and trampoline jumping routine in exactly 11 days... I may even throw another fun activity onto the list if you know what I mean ;) Nothing like spicing things up when you have a giant watermelon in your belly! lol... oh dear, my brain is going into an whole other comedic place right now... what was I talking about? Oh, I am ready and beginning to feel anxious to hold this baby in my arms and stare at his tiny little features. And I am MORE than ready to have my body back... well most of it anyway. I always feel so amazing after pregnancy, and the first night I can sleep on my stomach is like pure bliss. So as the New Year approaches in just a couple of days, I’ve decided it’s not a change I’m looking to make, but a need to get back to normal. To settle into routine and get back to life... back to reality... oh man the 90’s were great weren’t they?

What [NOT] to Say to a Pregnant Woman

2011-11-21T12:09:36-05:00

I currently have a few friends who are pregnant - it’s always more fun when you get to share the wonderful experience (and the not so wonderful things) about pregnancy with some fun, honest to goodness friends! My one friend and I have had a running joke throughout our pregnancies about the hilarious, wonderful and often slightly offensive things that people (with good intent) say to pregnant women. And so I’ve taken to completely and sarcastically insulting her hugeness at every chance I get! ha! She’s due any day now and I’ve got 2 and a half more months to go, so it’s kind of like reminding you’re older friend that she’s older than you... I just remind her that she’s bigger than me.

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to write up some of the things that should be and should not be said to pregnant women, so here goes!

These are ALL things that have been said to me personally or I’ve heard said to friends of mine - and I am sure there is still a long list I’ve not included.

THE CLASSIC :

“When are you due?” - um, I’m not pregnant OR my baby is 6 weeks old, thanks for noticing that I’m fat.
A GOOD ALTERNATIVE:
If you are unsure of said pregnancy: “are you and [spouse] planning on having (more) children?” or “do you have any children?” This at least gives the opportunity for the woman to disclose whether she is expecting or not, and if she doesn’t say anything she’s either not pregnant or she’s not ready to tell you - so move along ;)

THE ASSUMPTION:
“Wow! you MUST be due any day now!” - so let’s cover a basic rule in life... When you ASSUME something you make an ASS out of U and ME. This was taught to me by a dear old lady in my early teen years, when I made a poor assumption - and I’ll never forget it! Worst case scenario when you use this statement: the woman is NOT pregnant at all - AWKWARD! Most likely scenario - she has 3 more months to go, already feels huge and now you’ve reminded her that she’s going to get EVEN BIGGER! Best case scenario - she is due any day now, but was feeling pretty hot and skinny this morning until you told her she LOOKS like she’s due any day now!
A GOOD ALTERNATIVE:
“Wow, I must say, you look absolutely beautiful, when are you due?” You’ve complimented her, made her feel beautiful and gotten that burning question of how far along she is out of the way all in one simple statement.

THE SIZING UP:
“THAT is going to be one BIG baby!” - seriously? what woman do you know that delights at the thought of giving birth to a really BIG baby??? how is this a compliment? Well, at least now that she knows her baby is going to be ginormous it explains all the stretch marks she’s been blessed with!
A GOOD ALTERNATIVE:
“Excuse me, but I was just noticing how lovely you look pregnant, do you know what you’re having?” - don’t worry about or remind her how big the baby will be, just let her gloat over the growing child in her womb and share her excitement with you.

THE FLAT OUT HONEST STATEMENT:
“Oh, honey, you must be SO uncomfortable.” - Why, thank you SO much for noticing that my feet and ankles (or lack thereof) look like they belong on an elephant, and that my once model-esque walk has turned into a duck waddle, and that I can’t see my toes, tie my shoes or shave my legs without the use of a mirror or hiking my leg up onto a chair or counter. A pregnant woman is SOMETIMES uncomfortable - but you’d be amazed at what a woman’s body can take - and who wants to not only be reminded that she’s uncomfortable but be told that she is SO uncomfortable she actually LOOKS like she’s uncomfortable?
A GOOD ALTERNATIVE:
“I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but I think you look really fabulous! How far along are you? I just loved being pregnant (or, I found it difficult, whatever your experience), how have you been feeling?” - that way you can ask how they are feeling and let them share their comfort or discomfort with you.

THE FLAT OUT FIBBER:
“Oh, you’re ALL belly!” - really? cause I’ve gained 35 pounds and I’m PRETTY sure that it’s not all amniotic fluid and baby. You think this is a compliment but we can tell you’re flat out lying! I was told this by people right up until I had my first, and when I looked in the mirror or saw pictures of myself I’d think - my goodness - even my neck and arms looked pregnant!
A GOOD ALTERNATIVE:
ok... if she looks like a whale, just tell her how gorgeous her hair looks, or how beautiful her growing bump is. IF she’s actually still tiny everywhere else just tell her pregnancy really suits her and she carries it so well or how great her baby bump looks. I had a stranger come up to me and tell me how cute she thought I looked pregnant, she left it there and it made me smile!

Alright, well I think that should do it for now ;) Strangers and friends alike mean well with their compliments so if you are preggers, don’t take it to heart! lol, I just wrote these up for a bit of fun, and perhaps to add a little sweetness to your words when you come across a pregnant woman (who is already hormonal and can interpret just about anything as an insult!)

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

2011-11-12T07:53:15-05:00

My kids and I have this thing where when we see a house or a store that is all decked out in Christmas lights we burst out singing, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you gooooooo..." It's become a bit of a game for us and it's especially funny when the decor is up really early or really late - or when it's just completely over the top! Every once in a while you see a house in April or May that still has Christmas decorations up and then it's just plain hilarious!

And so, here we are, the busy Christmas season approaching quickly, all the garlands and lights are beginning to be pulled out of storage bins. I have some friends who are already done their Christmas Shopping! This year my husband and I are trying to figure out unique ways to keep Christmas special and yet not get caught up getting 50 things for our kids. We have enough stuff in the house. In fact, I'm trying to get rid of stuff in my house! So we're looking for one special gift for each of our kids - not a big price tag necessarily - just something they would really love. I've been sewing things for them and looking for unique gifts from local business people. I've been looking at tickets to ballets and gymnastics memberships... looking to give my kids experiences and not just things.

With that in mind (my shameless promotion! lol), I wanted to share with you some new and fabulous photos my dear friend Julianna at Red Rubber Studio shot of our Cheeky Baby Doll Sling! This is a really sweet little gift for a little or big girl in your life - and it's small enough to even be a stocking stuffer if you like! I've also been told it's an excellent big brother 'action figure sling' I can remember when I made my first doll sling for Natalia who was 3 at the time, her little brother Ethan would play with it all the time, carrying around his cabbage patch doll while climbing dirt hills and throwing rocks ;)

Enjoy!

It was a dark and stormy night...

2011-11-01T12:56:00-04:00

This was the first year in a long time that my Hubby and I took the time to dress up and attend a fabulous Hallowe'en party! I have to admit, it was one of the most fun nights I've had in a long time. I haven't worn a Hallowe'en costume in years! There's something amazing about being with really great friends, dressing up in costumes and letting loose for an evening! Freaky food, fancy dance moves and unforgettable laughter! And so below, you will find the proud (and a little nerdy) owners of Cheeky Baby Slings!

So finally another few weeks of build up, sewing and hype, and a very, very wet night of trick-or-treating has passed! I remember thinking last night, why did I spend all that time sewing gowns and feathers when the kids could have just gone out in their raincoats and boots and no one would have been the wiser?! All that we have left to remember this fabulous holiday are some silly photos and 3 bags full of candy, which of course leads to a sugar rush! We generally get our kids to eat all their candy (well, not exactly ALL the candy, we like to sneak a few in too!) within the first week. This tactic eliminates the constant begging for candy, and concentrates the sugar rush effects into a shorter period of time.

I was pretty happy with the way the kid's costumes all turned out. Natalia shed more than a few tears when she saw the rain starting to fall, "Mom, you spent all this time making my dress and now it's going to be all wet! boooohoooohoooo" She then proceeded to ask me if she could pray and ask God to take the rain away. hmmm... how to respond to that?! How do you deny allowing your child to ask God for something? Have faith like a child right? But, then of course I couldn't help but think, what if the rain pours even harder? what if she gets mad at God for not listening to her request? this could go terribly wrong...

So, I told her she could ask God to take away the rain but she needed to understand that maybe God knows better than us and maybe the earth really needs rain right now. So she could ask, but she had to accept the answer either way. Such sweet words from a 7 year old. "Dear God, please make the rain stop. It's really wet out there and I was really really looking forward to wearing my dress out and having fun. So please, make the rain stop." She stopped crying and we proceeded to get ready to go. About 3 minutes into trick-or-treating the rain stopped and she proclaimed with a HUGE grin on her face - God answered my prayer! (thank you, God!) The coolest part was that that was enough for her. She didn't get upset about 10 minutes later when it started to pour even harder than it had been earlier. We all had to put coats and hats on and still, we got completely soaked. She just accepted that her prayer had been answered and now the earth must have needed water again. I think that I may have learned a little lesson in all the hurry and festivities. God hears us and he answers, not always the way we want or the way we expect. We need to be thankful for the little blessings - the 10 minutes when the rain stops - and accept the storm that sometimes comes after with the same amount of joy. I know it's a bit of a cheesy saying that's out there, but I think it fits in with our little lesson last night:

"Life's not about waiting for the storms to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain." ~ Vivian Greene

Trick-or-Treat!

2011-10-23T09:10:50-04:00

Spookies, Slime, Sweets and Sewing!

With Hallowe’en coming in a mere 8 more sleeps - our count-down has been on for a few weeks now - I thought I’d do a little blog on some things we’ve been doing and things I have yet to do in preparation. I’ll give you a little head’s up - I’m really cheap and I like to do things the least expensive way possible, so these are all do it yourself hallowe’en things to make and do:

Would you mind taking a moment to write some of your favorite Hallowe'en link, ideas, crafts, costumes or recipes in the comment section below? I need a leg up for next year!

Fabulously Fun Hallowe’en Craft - check!
I was browsing the web the other day for some great craft ideas for 3-7 year olds and I came across this really great little monster mask kit you can order
Price: $5.99 for 12 at orientaltrading.com

So my first thought was: I am SO last minute with my activity planning that this can’t possibly arrive in time for craft today!
My second thought was: Why would I pay for paper that is pre-cut when I have a cupboard full of construction paper, multiple pairs of scissors and two perfectly functioning hand that the good Lord gave me?
So, away I went cutting and prepping - I thought with the little ones it would be easier to just have everything ready to go. You could certainly have your kids cut out their own shapes or use punches etc. The kids played in their masks for most of the day, it was especially a huge hit with the 3 year olds who have worn them for at least an hour everyday since! Here’s our lovely children (plus our “fourth” who we have here full time in daycare) modelling their fabulously fun monster masks!

Super Slimy Slime with Friends - check!
We had 3 of our favourite homeschooling families over for an afternoon of ‘socialzing’ - so that our children can turn out “normal”. I did a little research via the ever resourceful YouTube for some instructions on making slime - also known as, flubber, flurp, and multiple other fun sounding names! Here’s the video we used, it’s very high school science lab, but his seemed to turn out the best of all the ones I watched. We stored it in margarine containers and ziplocs and the kids have been pulling it out everyday to play with, they cut it up, squish it down, use toy animals to make animal footprints in the ‘swamp’ all sorts of imaginative childlike things to do!

Sweet Treat Caramel Apples - check!
On the same afternoon we made caramel apples with the kids, they each wrapped them up and took them home at the end of the afternoon in order to avoid super sticky fingers and 11 hyperactive sugar-high children in my kitchen! I found a REALLY simple caramal apple recipe, went to the bulk barn for some Chocolate wafers (they are just big round chocolate chips, but they have some oil in them so when the chocolate cools it hardens and sticks), some orange sprinkles and of course some caramels.

Quick and Easy Caramel Apple Recipe
6 apples
1 14oz package of individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped! approx. 45-50 caramels
2 Tbsp milk

Directions
1. Set a small pot of water to boil
2. Butter some wax paper. We did individual squares for each child to use as a work space.
3. Remove stem from each apple and poke a craft stick or candy apple stick into the top. Roll the apples briefly in boiling water and wipe clean to remove any wax so the caramel sticks.
4. Place unwrapped caramels and milk in a microwave safe bowl, microwave until caramel is all bubbly, stirring as often as necessary.
5. Place chocolate in microwave safe bowl (you can add a bit of milk if you like) and heat until melted.
5. Roll each apple in caramel sauce until well coated.
6. Drizzle with Chocolate and sprinkles!
7. Set in fridge to cool at least 15 minutes and... VOILA!

Sewing! - STILL TO DO - yikes!
Like I said earlier, I am rather cheap! Usually I sew all the costumes so the kids have new additions to their dress up box every year, but this year - to my sister’s shock - I am WAY behind - as in, I hadn’t done anything! So, we took a trip to the local Goodwill yesterday to find some ideas.
Natalia: We picked up a sparkly blue bridesmaid dress for $8 - enough fabric to sew a great princess style gown to go with the sparkly blue mask $2 she picked out.
Ethan: St Thomas has a Swap and Trade FaceBook page where people sell and swap used items. Ethan found an Indian... or shall I say Native American costume he thought was pretty cool. $5. I really want to make him a cool headdress like this, so I’m hoping to find time this week!

Adalaine: Is wearing Natalia’s purple princess gown (free) I made a few years back and her big sister picked out a purple sparkly mask $2 so the two of them can co-ordinate!
So, thus far, I have spent $17 on all three kids.
After our Halowe’en party this weekend I’ll be sure to post some pics of the great Barbarian Costumes my hubby and I will be wearing! (spent $3 on a belt, Deni already had his from previous years) and my amazing friend had a bucket of fur, leather and random fabrics... REAL fur... that she graciously allowed me to use!

So, I have some work ahead of me this week - but I enjoy the creative process so hopefully it all comes out the way I envision it!

Be sure to post some links of YOUR favorite Hallowe’en activites, recipes and costume ideas below so the rest of us have some ideas for next year!

Did you hear?

2011-10-20T06:57:47-04:00

The special 30% off sale for your baby wearing pouch sling ends at midnight tonight.

Here's the full scoop:
http://www.cheekybabyslings.ca/products/the-pouch-sling

Your special DISCOUNT CODE is "4DaySaleOct2011". You need this code, so write it down!
You enter it on page 2 of your checkout in the shopping cart where is says "Discount Code".

This rare 30% off special is my way of saying "THANK YOU" for taking action and doing what it takes to have a happy, contented and joyful baby wearing experience.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Try My Baby Wearing System For 30% Off And Get THREE Free Bonuses!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

If the 30% discount isn't enough to have you and your baby heading to my special "Thank You Sale" website, these THREE free gifts will surely do the trick:

* Bonus 1: A full-colour detailed instruction guide showing you step-by-step the many various carries and holds that you can enjoy with your sling. Your baby will sleep better and be happier!

* Bonus 2: Babies Favourite Songs CD. You will sing happily along to the best children's music ever recorded. Smiles and giggles will fill the air as this music is played.

* Bonus 3: Your baby will radiate cuteness with this custom made flowered headband. Lovingly sewn by hand, this wonderful gift will be one of your favourites at picture time and when visiting the relatives. If you've got a house full of boys, then it will make the perfect gift for a little girl in your life!

Wow, that's great….and you get it all FREE when you try our baby sling system for 30% off.
Go here right now and claim your beautiful sling before they're all gone!

http://www.cheekybabyslings.ca/products/the-pouch-sling

Your special DISCOUNT CODE is "4DaySaleOct2011". You need this code, so write it down!
You enter it on page 2 of your checkout in the shopping cart where is says "Discount Code".

Enjoy your day!
Angie

P.S. This special Thank You sale ends at midnight. I'll most likely never offer a discount like this again.
If you'd like to get the revolutionary baby wearing system so many parents are raving about…and save 30%, then go here now:
http://www.cheekybabyslings.ca/products/the-pouch-sling
Your special DISCOUNT CODE is "4DaySaleOct2011". You need this code, so write it down!
You enter it on page 2 of your checkout in the shopping cart where is says "Discount Code".

Don't Miss Out!

2011-10-18T10:01:20-04:00

Well good day!

I wrote yesterday to tell you about the incredible deal you can get on the Cheeky Baby Pouch Sling, as my way of saying "THANK YOU" for reading my blog…and I wanted to make sure that you heard the news.

Until midnight Thursday you can get your very own baby wearing system.

Here's where you can grab your pouch sling for 30% off:

http://www.cheekybabyslings.ca/products/the-pouch-sling

Your special DISCOUNT CODE is "4DaySaleOct2011". You need this code, so write it down!

You enter it on page 2 of your checkout in the shopping cart where is says "Discount Code".

I'm holding this special sale as a way to say THANK YOU to all the wonderful supporters who read our baby blog :-)

You can go here to get a brand new baby sling carrier and for 30% off:

http://www.cheekybabyslings.ca/products/the-pouch-sling

Your special DISCOUNT CODE is "4DaySaleOct2011". You need this code, so write it down!

You enter it on page 2 of your checkout in the shopping cart where is says "Discount Code".

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Try My Baby Wearing System For 30% Off And Get THREE Free Bonuses!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

If the 30% discount isn't enough to have you and your baby heading to my special "Thank You Sale" website, these THREE free gifts will surely do the trick:

* Bonus 1: A full-colour detailed instruction guide showing you step-by-step the many various carries and holds that you can enjoy with your sling. Your baby will sleep better and be happier!

* Bonus 2: Babies Favourite Songs CD. You will sing along happily to the best children's music ever recorded. Smiles and giggles will fill the air in your home as this music is played.

* Bonus 3: Your baby will radiate cuteness with this custom made flowered headband. Lovingly sewn by hand, this wonderful gift will be one of your favourites at picture time and when visiting the relatives. All boys in the family? I'm sure there's a little girl in your life who would love a little gift!

YES! That's a lot of nice bonuses….and you get all of it FREE when you try my entire system for 30% off.

Go here right now and claim your very own Cheeky Baby Sling before they're all gone!

http://www.cheekybabyslings.ca/products/the-pouch-sling

Your special DISCOUNT CODE is "4DaySaleOct2011". You need this code, so write it down!

You enter it on page 2 of your checkout in the shopping cart where is says "Discount Code".

Enjoy your day,

Angie

P.S. This special Thank You sale ends at midnight on Thursday!

Thank You!

2011-10-16T21:13:41-04:00

Hello!

Until midnight on Thursday you can get a Cheeky Baby Slings Pouch Sling for 30% off.

Here's where you can grab your convenient baby sling for 30% off:

http://www.cheekybabyslings.ca/products/the-pouch-sling

Your special DISCOUNT CODE is "4DaySaleOct2011". You need this code, so write it down!

You enter it on page 2 of your checkout in the shopping cart where it says "Discount Code".

I'm holding this special sale as a way to say THANK YOU to all the people who read our Cheeky Baby blog and to all of you whom I've been blessed to build a relationship with :-)

Here's where you can get your beautiful pouch sling and save 30%:

http://www.cheekybabyslings.ca/products/the-pouch-sling

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enjoy Baby Wearing For 30% Off And Get THREE Free Bonuses!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

If the 30% discount isn't enough to have you and your baby heading to my special "big discount" link, these THREE free gifts will surely do the trick:

* Bonus 1: A full-colour detailed instruction guide showing you step-by-step the many various carries and holds that you can enjoy with your sling. Your baby will sleep better and be happier!

* Bonus 2: Babies Favourite Songs CD. You will sing happily along to the best children's music ever recorded. Smiles and giggles will fill the air as this music is played.

* Bonus 3: Your baby will radiate cuteness with this custom made flowered headband. Lovingly sewn by hand, this wonderful gift will be one of your favourites at picture time and when visiting the relatives. If you have a boy - it will make the perfect gift for a little girl in your life!

Yes, that's a lot of goodies….and you get it all FREE when you try our baby sling for 30% off.

Go here right now and claim your beautiful sling before they're all gone!

http://www.cheekybabyslings.ca/products/the-pouch-sling

Your special DISCOUNT CODE is "4DaySaleOct2011". You need this code, so write it down!

You enter it on page 2 of your checkout in the shopping cart where is says "Discount Code".

Happy babywearing!

Angie

P.S. This special Thank yYou sale ends at midnight on Thursday. If you'd like to get the revolutionary baby wearing system that so many mothers are raving about…AND save 30%, then go here now http://www.cheekybabyslings.ca/products/the-pouch-sling

Top 10 Things To Know (Women's Edition-NEW!)

2011-10-03T14:05:59-04:00

Well, this morning my brilliant husband sent me a link to his latest blog: 10 Important Things to Do Well. After reading it I realised I could only claim to sufficiently do 3, maybe 4 of his top 10 things (um. I’ll leave the guessing to you) and it got me thinking - is there a different list for women? If not, I should definitely create one to make myself feel better!

Top Ten Important Things for Women to Know, in no particular order.

1. Cook a pot of soup, a meal and a dessert from scratch - basic ingredients like water, salt, potatoes, carrots and a chicken can go a long way and make your friends and family smile. Sometimes it’s even LESS work than packaged meals, it gives you a sense of pride and it’s certainly much healthier!

2. Know how to dress for your body type - not all clothing and trends are for everyone - know what makes you look and feel fabulous. Take the time to take care of yourself - heck go as far as pampering yourself! A positive self image creates a confident woman. If you need help with this, find a brutally honest friend (who takes care of herself) to shop with - or ask an attractive, happy looking salesperson - not the grumpy one who looks as though she is tortured by the fact that she is at her workplace.

3. Know basic automotive things - like how to change a tire, check your oil and of course fill your own gas tank. If you don’t know all three of these - you must master the art of confidently asking and receiving help without looking or feeling foolish (like me! lol).

4. Train your Man to bake man-bread and do all your grocery shopping - I have one. This will not only save you a lot of money, but helps keeps all those nasty chemicals, preservatives and junk out of your diet. Oh, and did I mention it saves you time (that’s when your man does it!)

5. Know How to Multi-Task - I don’t care what anyone says about the inefficiency of multi-tasking - a woman should know how to prepare a meal, kiss a boo boo better, break up a fight, talk on the phone and look fabulous all at the same time.

6. Know how to genuinely compliment people - Straight from Deni’s blog: “Oh... this is good stuff. The world will open up to you if you can master this.” Now, let me expand here... a REAL compliment! If you meet someone who has just rolled out of bed and is obviously still in their pj’s at the grocery store you might want to compliment their food choice in their cart rather than their appearance ;)

7. Know how to graciously say you were right and how to humbly apologize when you’re not - Value your relationships with your spouse, children and friends above all else - even your pride. Lose the ‘bitchy-drama’ that so often gets tagged on women and just be a real, open & honest and loving person.

8. Know how to keep your Man’s eyes ALL on you - there is no reason your man shouldn't think you are a glorious goddess of a woman. Go out of your way to do nice things for him (even when you don’t feel like he deserves it). Things HE loves - speak his love language. Encourage him to be balanced: spending time with you, your family, and yes, even his guy friends - a man needs man-time. Clearly communicate what you need/want from him without nagging him. And please, please don’t wear his baggy t-shirts and your painting pj pants to bed every night - give the man something to look forward to once in a while ;)
p.s. - I really believe if you do these things, if you do the loving first and let go of some of your frustrations and expectations he will naturally want to do things in return to show his love and appreciation for you too!

9. Learn to discreetly change your shirt/bra without exposing yourself - I have no clue why this is an important skill, just that every woman I know can do this, so I figured it deserves to be on the list.

10. Know how to do basic fix-its around the house - know exactly where to locate or have your own screwdriver/drill/screws, hammer/nails, picture hanging kit, drywall plaster/flat mudding thingy and sandpaper, toilet plunger/rubber gloves, ducttape, paint/brushes/trays etc. There is nothing worse than waiting around for a man to fix something in your house - be a do it yourself kind of woman!

11. Other important things I couldn’t leave off the list: give directions without actual street names, use a public restroom without allowing any bare skin to touch any thing, change a diaper, kill a spider/insect of any proportion, dispose of a mouse (dead or alive) and keep a plant alive for at least a month.

And by the way, I think it’s probably a good idea for us women to know how to do all those other things listed on my man’s blog. Afterall, we women are more than capable of managing it all!

Which is your favorite? Why? Leave us a comment below!

Cheeky Baby Slings Photo Shoot #2

2011-09-29T18:38:41-04:00

A huge thank you to Red Rubber Studio and my good friend Julianna for another incredible photo shoot! And of course, our stunning models, Sara & sweet Quinn were the icing on the cake! While Quinn practically fell asleep in the Pouch Sling, she woke right up with a wardrobe change in the parking lot and was in full entertainment mode for the Ring Sling Shots!

I met Sara a couple of weekends ago at the Pinafore Park Mom-to-Mom sale in St Thomas, ON. She stopped by our table and after a lovely visit walked away with a Blue Damask pouch sling. As I watched her interact with her daughter, and saw both of their dazzlingly bright smiles I knew they were the perfect fit for the baby shoot with our slings. Thankfully we hit it off and she agreed to come along and witness the brilliance of Julianna and her 'magic box.'

I've upgraded the adjustable ring sling with a lovely & super convenient deep pocket in a Black & White damask (that I had to sew on twice because I was in a rush and put it on the wrong side! Murphy's Law right?!)

Here's a peak at the moments captured - now I want a Ring Sling!

Which photo is your favorite? Please leave a comment below!

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Half Way There!

2011-09-16T17:48:38-04:00

Well, I had a wild and full day yesterday! SO many things to celebrate and be thankful for.

My day began with my 20 week ultrasound! 20 WEEKS!! I woke up and realized I am half-way there! This pregnancy is going so well, most of the time I forget that I'm pregnant (minus the heartburn) and in another 20 weeks (hopefully NO more than 20 weeks) I will be holding a little miracle in my arms.

Ultrasounds are a truly incredible thing, the technician took over 100 photos of the baby, measuring all the important parts checking with diligence that everything is as it should be. I was so thankful she was wonderful enough to go searching (didn't take long!) to find that extra special part that made my heart skip when I realized it was a BOY! We were all hoping for a boy, just to even out the score really, we have 2 girls and a boy right now. My son was pretty thrilled about it, but he has decided not to teach his baby brother to use a sword, it's far too dangerous, maybe a stick would be better.

Next on my list was a super lunch with our Cheeky Baby Sling Partners, David & Falia Ledoux, where we were able to celebrate the news (with wieners and sausages, lol) and Falia's birthday as a family. There is nothing better in life that really fabulous friends that can make you laugh.

Next up was like the cherry on top of an already full and fabulous day... a photo shoot with another amazing friend Julianna, from Red Rubber Studio for Cheeky Baby Slings! We've been making due with random photos and it's high time we kicked things up to show you all how fabulous our slings really are. You won't believe this, but I am blessed enough to have more than 2 fabulous friends! My other fabulous, and to be honest, rather stunning friend, Becky agreed to model my 2 year old daughter Adalaine. We could not have picked anyone better! She carried herself with such poise and grace and Adalaine was SO comfortable with her. Here are a few highlights from the evening. Enjoy!

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Defining Pregzilla

2011-09-11T16:10:54-04:00

Well, today is one of those days... a Pregzilla day as some might call it. But I feel that perhaps a single term for a moody pregnancy day is not enough - in fact some pregnancy moods are quite fabulous. So I’ve taken the liberty to go over some points here and perhaps friends and especially spouses of pregnant women will gain some insight and understanding. But more importantly, they will know how to respond to the various moods of the pregnant woman.

Classic Pregzilla, easily recognized by the following symptoms:
- Permanent scowl, in extreme cases, red eyes and/or large bags under the eyes.
- A complete lack of patience for all children. Everywhere.
- A complete lack of patience for the man who got her pregnant in the first place.
- Furious (and at times loud) cleaning throughout the house or yard, while yelling at person in closest range regardless of relationship, creed, race or species for that matter.
- Irrational and unswerving requests... no, demands for random foods and items.

Treatment Response: Do whatever she says, in most cases Classic Pregzilla also has no idea why she is shouting at you. Certainly DO NOT even so much as insinuate that she might be acting irrationally.

Emotional Pregzilla, easily recognized by the following symptoms:
- Wandering around the house with a pout expressing feelings of being overwhelmed with the amount she has to accomplish.
- Bursting into snot producing sobbing at any given moment for no apparent reason.
- Uncontrollable crying while watching infomercials, The Baby Story, or the latest youTube video on fighting for a sappy cause.

Treatment Response: Help her with the tasks she has to accomplish, give her a hug - say nothing - take the kids out so she can have a nap. In most cases the Emotional Pregzilla is uncomfortable physically and way over-tired. DO NOT under any circumstance even so much as insinuate that she is acting irrationally.

Super Productive Pregzilla, easily recognized by the following symptoms:
- An unlimited number of bags and boxes of things to go to the second-hand store.
- A complete overhaul and reorganization of all closets, drawers, dressers and cupboards in her house, and in extreme cases, the houses of her friends. In very rare cases, you may find labels on absolutely everything she touches.
- Large and unnecessary jobs being done around the house - may include, repainting all the trim and walls, rearranging all furniture in the house, replacing perfectly good furniture, large amounts of cooking and freezing in preparation for the baby.
- A haircut and brand new wardrobe.

Treatment Response: Get the heck out of her way!

Alternate Treatment (as per my husband): Seek immediate shelter for yourself and any and all children involved. DO NOT under any circumstance make eye contact with pregzilla. Seek your emergency supply of chocolate and retreat quietly - leave said chocolate within plain sight of Pregzilla on your way out the door. If you would like to see your dog again (or at least see it without an extreme makeover), take it with you.
Note: Cut up all credit cards and records or card numbers, empty the bank account and hide the money (not in your tool box - she’ll find it for sure!).

Second Trimester Pregzilla, easily recognized by the following symptoms:
- Making flirty eyes at her spouse regardless of where they are or who else is in the room.
- Grabbing/smacking her spouse’s bottom regardless of where they are or who else is in the room.
- Jumping her husband regardless of the hour of the day or night.

Treatment Response: Comply. DO NOT under any circumstance even so much as insinuate that she is acting irrationally.

Alternate Treatment (as per my husband): Comply. Pretty soon she’ll be in the third trimester and you won’t be able to find her through the sea of pillows and blankets in your bed.

Well, I hope that helps! I am sure that there are more Pregzilla moods to be covered and when I’m in one of them I will be sure to let you know. Last night emotional pregzilla took over, and I’ve been on the verge of tears since. I don’t even know what I’m upset about! So this afternoon my husband just left with the kids so I could finish this blog and clean the house in peace. Thankfully my pregnant friend sent me this video (it may be considered racy by some of you), I think I’ll go watch and admire this pregnant woman’s dance moves and smile before I begin my housework.

**WARNING**All types of Pregzilla moods are not limited in any way, they may occur all within the same week, day or hour, they may also occur in multiples at the very same time. If you do not heed the above directions, you may find that Pregzilla moods are contagious and prey on Men without prejudice.

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Back to (home) School!!

2011-09-06T21:45:04-04:00

Well, we officially made it through the first day back to ‘school’ - PHEW!!

I really want to try to make our homeschool first day as special and memorable for my kids as the public school kids. It all began last night when I set out clothes for the kids, lol, it was the only thing I could think of to do! They don’t need the traditional back to school supplies like a new backpack or lunch bags so I did something out of the ordinary and they went to sleep super excited to get into their ‘school clothes.’ I love kids for that, they get so easily excited - they weren’t even new clothes!

So here’s my day in a nutshell:

7:30 am - kids wake up - WHAT!!! my kids haven’t slept in that last since the winter, oh how I am loving these later sunrises. Now, while my kids slept in, I still had to get up at 6:15 am to welcome my sweet little daycare girl, who I usually refer to as our ‘fourth child.’ My kids came downstairs all dressed in their fab outfits with smiles on their faces and a pile of energy. They asked if they could play on the computer, and were thrilled to hear that ‘school’ wouldn’t begin until 8:00 - which made me laugh. So, I notice every year on facebook that proud Mothers everywhere post pictures of their kids with their new backpacks, cool outfits and stylin’ new kicks (that’s the cool word for shoes, in case you’re old like me!). I wanted to do something to commemorate the event, so at 8:00 (ish) the kids came to join me at the table where they were given their first school assignment - colour a cool sign with their name and grade.

While they coloured away I cooked up an extra special batch of home made pancakes. Once their ‘work’ was complete we enjoyed some breakfast together. (Adalaine wanted to start school too, so she got right in on the photo op!)

8:45 am (ish) - I have neatly organized the kid’s workbooks into magazine boxes that they decorated last year - I think we’ll sand them down and redecorate them later this week. So we pulled out their boxes so they could peek through their shiny new books. Natalia was quick to work and completed all 3 of her workbooks. Ethan coloured a bit and got half a page done. Today was more about establishing homeschool and having fun so I didn’t push it too much and I didn’t pull out all the subjects (meaning they didn't have to do math or reading).

9:30 am - Our wonderful little twin five year old friends showed up to play with us for the day. The girls were with us 2 days a week last year and completed their JK year with us, so it was really fun to have them a part of our first school day.

9:40 am - Sweet little 6 month old Emma arrived with her Momma. I got to babysit her for part of the morning while my friend went to an appointment.

- STOP - By this point I am thinking... wow - there are A LOT of children in my house! let’s do a quick count - one 7 y/o, three 5 y/o, two 2 y/o and one baby - 7 wonderful children mwah hah hah hah (that was my Sesame Street Count voice btw).

So we put away our seat work and we went upstairs to play and have our circle time. Once we were done circle time I began to wonder how I would manage to get snack together and cook lunch with Emma over... I’ve given/lent out all my baby seats and high chairs... wait a minute... I have slings!! Knowing that Emma is a ‘sling-baby’ (I know, because I gave my friend slings for her baby shower gift, and she raves about them) I quickly went to my purse to grab my pouch sling and in she went! She enjoyed munching on her toes in a kangaroo carry while I prepared snack for the kids. I was making home made spaghetti sauce and pasta for lunch and I didn’t want her reaching for anything unsafe so onto my back she went so that I could do some cutting and cook on the stove. While she was there she was quite entertained by my ugly dog.

And so went my day, snack time, lunch time and then the glorious time when the 2 year old girls go down for a nap!! Once they were down the big kids made a cute little back to school ‘all about me’ booklet, we had story time and then headed out to the driveway to create some amazing art - which ended, of course, in an epic dragon vs. knight battle to save the princess in the tower.

All in all, I think it was a success. My house is clean, my kids are fast asleep and I feel that if I could manage a day with all those kids today, tomorrow with just my kids (and my ‘fourth’) should be a breeze! I am looking forward to having some incredible adventures homeschooling my kids this year. I know there will be times where we are grinding out work - but the best part is that we can always break up the monotony with a trampoline jump, sword fight or homeschool dance party :)

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Stay at Home Super Mom

2011-09-01T09:22:38-04:00

6:20 am - a little mop of dark brown hair appears on my pillow forcing me to roll over and relinquish my blankets... “I’m awake, Mom.” She shares a room with her 2 year old sister who I do not want to be awake so I ask her to lie down quietly until a ‘more decent’ hour like 7:00.

6:20 and a half am - “Mom, is it 7:00 yet?”

6:35 am - a large and messy mop of blond hair appears between myself and my husband. “I had to pee. It’s morning-time, can we go downstairs yet?” No, be quiet, I am still sleeping.

6:40 am - the fastest moving footsteps you’ve ever heard come down tearing down the hallway and a loud “gaaaaaaak!” followed by a tiny mop of light brown hair landing square on my stomach. Good thing we bought a king-size mattress.

6:45 am - My husband has not had to share his blankets or his pillow, nor has his deep sleep been disturbed - how he ‘sleeps’ through this is beyond me. Knowing that my husband requires more sleep than I do (or at least he has a more difficult time being pleasant with less sleep) I roll out of bed with a 7, 5 and 2 year old in tow. I fall onto the couch and flip on a cartoon for the kids and try to close my eyes for just a little while longer.

6:46am - in a harmonious trio of voices “Mom, I’m hungry”

And so begins my day. Part way through making the kids breakfast, I try to make my coffee, then I have to change a diaper, which is interrupted by having to type in a password for the latest and greatest computer game the older 2 are playing, after that I go back to making breakfast - what?! the dishes are still in the dishwasher? who forgot to turn that on? and so I pull a few out, throw some soapy water in, give it a swish and voila! Toast done, apples cut... then I remember that I forgot to move the laundry over to the dryer so I run downstairs and do a quick switch. While I am down there I hear the ever familiar clang of someone’s milk spilling on the floor. By 9:00 am my dear husband emerges and comes downstairs... “coffee?” he is stunned by the sight of the dishwasher still open, a dirty diaper still waiting to be thrown in the garbage, a 2 year old who’s still half naked, a soggy tea towel on the floor, and his coffee half ready to be turned on. “What have you been doing all morning?”

Is this the morning of every multi-tasking Mother or is there some super secret to being a Super Mom that I missed the memo on? As I begin -yes I’m late in my prep- to prepare the fast approaching new school year’s Homeschool schedule (I call it that for lack of a better term) and all the wonderful things I want to do with my husband, the house, my baby sling sewing business, my husband’s recording studio business and the kids - and the new baby we’re expecting - I have to admit I feel a little overwhelmed. There are many days that I question our sanity when we decided to keep our kids home... and stay home WITH them!

As crazy as our life may be at times, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. And if I just step back from it all and focus on one little task like wiping a tear, receiving a spontaneous hug from one of my kids or watching one of my kid’s ‘firsts’ I know it’s all worth it. Sometimes just taking a deep breath is the best therapy. So, my floors are not always sparkling, I frequently step on toys and don’t always get as much sleep as I would like. I’m not “Super Mom”, but I am a super Mom.

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Potty Training. Need I Say More?

2011-08-22T21:13:43-04:00

Oh Potty Training, how I loathe thee!

I potty trained my older two kids in the spring/summer months when they could run around in a dress or surf shorts and a bare bum. Less laundry and as long as they were outside, less mess. I put a potty in the bathroom and when I think of it I bring one outside where they are playing so they don’t have to go so far. I kind of take the laid back approach where I’ve let my kids casually get used to using the potty, once they get the hang of it without the pressure of having “accidents” they’re ready for some super fantastic underwear and treats of course!

By the time they were fully potty trained they just went on their own, I wasn’t asking them every 5 minutes, they knew when they had to go and accidents were very minimal. I have never wanted to be one of those ‘potty trained parents’ whose kids only go on the potty when they are reminded or told to. I believe in independence. (But mostly because I would forget to remind them!)

Our oldest daughter was a breeze to train, she was just a couple of weeks past her 2nd birthday when our cousins with a 2 year old boy came over. They were also potty training and when Natalia heard that little Dawson was going to share her potty she abruptly yelled “my potty!” ran to the bathroom and peed in it. I guess marking your territory is as important to kids as it is to dogs! She peed on her potty all day long (and let Dawson know it!) and that was it! Voila! Her need to claim what was hers was enough to push her over the edge and get her some new Dora Underwear.

Our son was also pretty good... for a boy. By 2 and a half he was home free and by the time he was 3 he was getting up on his own in the night to go pee and putting himself back to bed - which completely amazed me! With him it was all about the literature selection in the bathroom that coaxed him in!

Ok... so we’re onto our youngest daughter, potty training round 3! She is 2 and a half, speaks quite fluently in what we’ve come to believe is Orcish and is hit and miss with the potty - no pun intended. After a week away at camp and being full on in diapers (strictly for convenience) I was beginning to wonder this afternoon if I had made a mistake in not keeping up with treats, cheers and bare bum which seemed to work so well the first 2 times around.

But then this afternoon I saw a glorious light at the end of the tunnel! As she was playing in the backyard - commando of course - she came running into the kitchen with a huge grin on her face saying, “PEE! PEE! PEE!” Finally! She gets it! I was having a huge celebration as I looked over to her and with a huge grin on my face said “yay! hurry to the bathroom and go on the toilet! Good for you Lainey...” at this point my eyes continued down to her feet where I noticed some drops of what quite possibly could have been the apple juice she was drinking... hmmm... that’s strange, I could have sworn I put the stopper in the sippy cup... as she ran into the bathroom my eyes ventured a little further into the backyard and here is what I saw...

I guess we have a little ways to go yet!

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Pregnancy & Food Go Hand in Hand

2011-08-12T14:34:04-04:00

Ok, let’s be straight here, one of the top ten things on a pregnant woman’s mind is FOOD! Am I eating enough? Am I eating the right foods? Will this give me heartburn? How much of this extra weight is baby and how much is food? What exactly is healthy weight gain during pregnancy? Where can I buy ice cream at 2:00 in the morning? Does tuna go with chocolate?

Well, first off, just so you know you don’t actually have to eat for two! Go ahead and use it as an excuse to have that extra slice of pie, I do! A pregnant woman only needs about an extra 400 calories/day (a non-pregnant woman needs approx. 2100 calories per day and a pregnant woman needs approx. 2500 calories per day.) Health Canada suggests you eat “twice as healthy” not “twice as much.” I like that theory!

Weight gain during pregnancy differs with each woman and in my experience with each pregnancy. Those of you who know me, know that I am pretty small to begin with, at exactly 5 feet (NO LESS!) my typical weight is between 100-108. I gained 45 pounds with my first pregnancy - YIKES! - 35 with my second and 25 with my third... I think running after the other two had a lot to do with that last one!

If you are overweight to begin with you will probably gain less and if you are underweight you will probably gain more, and I can guarantee that you if have a strict diet of cookies, ice cream and chips you will gain a whole heck of a lot. I love the fact that my midwives give their patients a choice as to whether or not they want to track and record their weight gain. Looking at weight alone does not determine whether a pregnancy is healthy or not, if there is cause for concern your medical professional will recognize it. Typically 25-35 pounds is pretty average gain, but don’t stress out if you are more or less, just eat healthy and keep up some sort of exercise throughout your pregnancy - I count walking to the park, running up and down the stairs and doing laundry as my exercise ;)

OK... so, here we get to the heart of the food thing - what is up with cravings?? Are they for real?? I’ve craved different things with each pregnancy and had complete aversions to others. Apple Juice is like automatic volcanic heartburn for me while I’m pregnant. I am a firm believer that if your body is craving something, there is something in that food that you and your baby actually need! Here’s a few typical pregnancy cravings:

Chocolate? chances are you are low in magnesium - almonds, pumpkin seeds and black beans are a few of the many other foods that should do the trick!

Carbohydrates? you probably need magnesium (again) and b-vitamins. This was a MAJOR craving for me early in this pregnancy.

Dill Pickles? this is a big pregnancy craving and I was surprised to find that it may mean your liver needs some support so dark greens like spinach and kale are a great place to start.

Ice? you body is craving iron, try some iron rich foods like spinach, lentils and can you believe it, chocolate?! But if you’re going to do chocolate, try to treat yourself to the real kind... 75% or more cocoa, 2-3 squares should satisfy your craving.

Candy & Sweets? well, not surprisingly, your body wants sugar! But you may want to try some naturally occurring sugars found in raw fruits and limit your candy intake a little - don’t deprive yourself though, a grumpy prego woman is a force to be reckoned with!

So there you have it! Now for some fun - list your biggest or strangest pregnancy craving in the comment section below - I need some ideas here ladies, I getting bored or hot pickles and Swedish berries!

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Joy Comes in the Morning

2011-08-05T11:37:25-04:00

This morning I was pleasantly surprised to wake up to my son fast alseep at the foot of my bed. It wasn’t the fact that he was in my bed that was a surprise, it was the fact that I woke up on my own, before any of my kids were awake. My 6 year old (almost 7 as she keeps reminding me) is usually awake by 6:30 despite all my efforts to try to get her to sleep in longer. So it was really nice to wake up to sunshine and a still, quiet house. I scooped up my boy and pulled him in close for a snuggle - he sleeps like a log so I didn’t worry about disrupting the peace. I just laid there and relished in the moment and had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. Not only for my son peacefully asleep in my arms, or for my 2 girls still fast alseep in their beds, but for the fact that in the new year I will have one more of these precious gifts to cuddle up to and nuture and love.

There are so many times I find myself frustrated or tired in this parenting adventure, but the simplest of sweet moments can instantly erase any negativity and replace it with the utmost love. There is something completely magical after a long and busy day about sneaking into my kid’s rooms and pulling their blankets up for them and giving them sweet gentle kisses and whispers of my love for them. My husband actually wakes them up to let them know he loves them... and sometimes to laugh at the funny comments they make in their dazed state. They’re not making a mess when they sleep, they’re not fighting or having a tantrum, they’re the peaceful little angels God gifted me with.

And so, I’ll leave you with that, a simple little thought for the day :)

Top 5 Things You Might Have Missed In July

2011-08-04T09:57:02-04:00

Summer is moving along at a rapid pace! How was your July? It was a busy month at Cheeky Baby Slings! In case you went camping, or went to the beach or hung out at the cottage here are some of the top things you might have overlooked in the past month on the ever-expanding baby sling store.

Angie’s Pregnancy Update - First Trimester Is Behind Us!

This was the top post for visits and views in the past month. Our readers LOVE Angie’s updates! And doesn’t she look great? The tiny baby is about the size of a cookie and growing daily. Angie promised to give a monthly update on pregnancy tips, dealing with morning sickness, and useful advice based on her fourth time being pregnant.

How To Carry Your Baby In A Sling With The Hip Carry

Our ever expanding baby sling resource library is growing again. This article shows the proper way to hip carry your toddler using a pouch sling, sizing charts and tips, and photos demonstrating other types of baby wearing positions.

For those of you that are visually inclined, this video shows detailed instructions on how to carry your child in a pouch sling. Angie and Fran show the benefits of the baby sling carrier, as well as tips on position, location, dealing with a fussy baby and sling safety.

Baby Sling Testimonials - Fran’s Story

Our good friend Fran shares her story about how her baby sleeps better and how much she loves the pouch baby sling. I love how this video is shot on a sunny summer day. Denis has a real knack for creating YouTube videos!

Look At All The New Baby Sling Fabrics Available!

We did a massive update to the fabric swatches for the pouch and ring slings in the store. You can choose from over a dozen prints with beautiful colors, fair trade cotton options, and a few gorgeous African batik baby pouch sling options.

LABOR DAY HOURS

Cheeky Baby Slings will be closed on Monday September 5, 2011. Order placed over the weekend will ship normally on Tuesday September 6. We wish all of our customers and their families a wonderful August and hope you enjoy the remainder of your summer!

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One Trimester Down, Two More To Go!

2011-07-31T20:25:11-04:00

Well, one more week left in my First Trimester and it seems to have passed by rather quickly, next week I will welcome my second trimester with open arms and stretchy waistbands! I am beginning to wonder if the reason my pants don't fit is actually my rapidly expanding belly, or if it's just my bum from all the cookies I've been eating! My baby is apparently the size of a medium shrimp, about 3 inches, and even has fingerprints on his/her tiny little fingertips! Pregnancy is really an incredible miracle that is a great blessing.

I am so glad to be done with feeling nauseous for the majority of the day - my morning sickness didn’t get the memo about the ‘morning’ part I guess ‘cause I just felt completely yucky most of the time. I was very grateful to have somehow avoided any throwing up - although I often wanted to just to make the feeling go away! I now feel like I can stay awake for an entire day and I have actual energy to do stuff with my kids and get some housework done. I no longer feel like I have a thick tree trunk for a torso and a cute little baby bump is beginning to develop - but I would still be offended if someone tried to rub my belly - I insist that feeling my belly while it is still squishy is unacceptable.

So, next week I enter the Second Trimester, the only problem I have with this stage is that all the yucky early pregnancy symptoms have gone away (all but the crazy mood swings, they are here for the duration) and I’m not yet feeling the baby move, so I often find myself worrying hoping that everything is still ok and that the baby is, in fact, in there and it all hasn’t been some crazy figment of my imagination.

Thankfully, I got to go to my Midwife appointment a few days ago. I took my 2 daughters with me, Talbot Creek Midwives in St Thomas have a really great little playroom and they are always so welcoming to little ones playing. My 2 year old climbed up on the bed with me and watched as our student midwife used the fetal doppler so we could have a listen to the baby’s heartbeat... and oh, the smile on my face when I heard those ‘galloping hooves’ so clearly. There is nothing quite like it to set a pregnant woman’s soul at ease.

Baby Sling Research In The Mosquito Capital of Canada

2011-07-25T11:55:28-04:00

There really is no place like home! Falia and I returned to Toronto last night from a week’s adventure in Edmonton Alberta. My folks are retired there and spend their summers enjoying the garden. Except for this summer. Alberta has had so much rain and cool temperatures that Edmonton has claimed the dubious title of Mosquito Capital of Canada!

How bad are the bugs? Oh, about 455 times their normal average! I’ll give you a quick example. We went to the world famous West Edmonton Mall for an outing. The mall used to be the largest mall in the world at one point. I thought we could visit some of the retail stores that sell maternity wear, baby accessories and clothes and do some research on competitors for our baby slings. I got bit by a mosquito at the Tim Horton’s in the mall, and again while standing outside a kiosk that sold IPhone cases. Both were inside the mall. That’s right. They have mosquitos in their shopping malls in Edmonton!

Falia and I drove to Drumheller last Tuesday to visit the badlands and to go dinosaur fossil hunting. On the drive we discussed methods to keep mosquitoes from biting children. There has been a lot of publicity on the dangers of commercial bug sprays. One of the most controversial is DEET.

Deet, or for you science guys, N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide was developed by the United States army for use in jungle combat in the second world war. In 2002 Health Canada reviewed their position on this chemical, especially where children were concerned.   While the growing warnings over mosquito related diseases like West Nile is on the rise, more parents are even more concerned about smearing an oily poison on their kids.

Manufacturers have scrambled to stay relevant in this space, juggling the difficult job of creating a product that keeps bugs away while not poisoning children.    If you are vigilant about what your kids ingest, you should definitely be a label reader where commercial bug repellents are concerned.

QUESTION - what do YOU put on your children to prevent bug bites?

We want to hear from you on this!   What home remedies, special concoctions or grandmother’s secret recipes do you know that keeps mosquitoes from biting children? Leave your comments on the blog below. While I can’t promise I will smear myself in bear fat and sit in a speedo in a tent filled with bugs in order to prove efficacy, we will however do some informal testing of your suggestions. Denis is pretty fearless, I wonder what natural mosquito repellent we could test with him as a guinea pig?

Things are rolling along nicely at Cheeky Baby Slings. We have a new and growing baby slings resource section, Angie has done a wonderful job with the new fabrics in the Pouch Sling catalog information page, and Denis has a new Youtube video for you. It details how to open, fold and wear your sling and has specific techniques for carrying your baby. I’ve posted it below for you to enjoy. If you are reading this via RSS feed, the actual video link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztq0ZsBOWtM

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New Fabrics Available NOW!

2011-07-20T16:28:12-04:00

One of my great obsessions is fabric! My husband takes one look at all the fabric I have in my sewing room and rolls his eyes when I tell him I need to pick up more! I love nothing more than to go through a fabric store, online store, or even a clothing store and find inspiring prints and textures. I enjoy choosing each of our 100% cotton fabrics for our slings, sometimes I like to go bold and other times simple and plain is the way to go. The nice thing is that all of our reversible pouch slings are lined with a solid fabric so you can choose to go with a print or a solid.

So take a moment to pop on over to the product pages, our current Baby Sling Fabrics are now available to order and some of them are very limited so as soon as they have sold out we will be replacing them with new prints.

Royal Treasure, Spring Mama (my personal favourite sling to use), Coral Swirl and Wishing Flowers have just enough to make 1 or 2 more custom slings and then they will be gone!

Our Fair trade fabrics are also going to be gone soon with only 1 or 2 left of each print.

Our Big Village, Fair Trade Batik fabrics are hand dyed, unique and absolutely gorgeous! Loreli Cockram, owner of Big Village, lived for two years in Ghana, West Africa with her husband and two daughters. When she returned to Canada, she started Big Village to share her love of West African culture and to promote cross-cultural business equality. Loreli encourages others to take an interest in products from Africa. This bright and beautiful prints are sure to make your baby smile! You can learn more about Big Village and even see photos of the hand dyed batik process on their website, www.bigvillage.ca

SO... if you’re on the fence about a fabric choice, might I suggest you just go for it before your favourite print is gone forever?!

Bring on the food cravings and stretch marks!

2011-07-13T08:41:06-04:00

I will turn 32 this fall, and in the new year we will joyfully welcome our fourth child!

For the past two and a half months I have been craving foods like hot pickles & sweedish berries (you know, those little red candies). I actually walked my kids over to the grocery store at 9:00am yesterday morning and was appalled to find that they didn’t carry Bick’s Hot Mix Pickles! What kind of a grocery store is that? And Facebook is like my nemesis, with friends sharing about all the great food they've been eating... once I get an idea in my head it's like I can't rest until I eat that food.

I've been crazy tired and just plain crazy. Thankfully this is the fourth time around and I can look my loving husband in the eye and say "I know I am being completely irrational right now, but this is just how I feel so you better work with me here!" Things that would normally just irritate me bring on a berserker type rage that can only be smothered by everyone quietly following my every wish.

I fully know what lies ahead... the tough stuff like, 6 months of heartburn (I actually LOVE the tropical Tums when I'm pregnant), sleepless nights, Braxton Hicks Contractions (which for me only increased with each pregnancy) not being able to sleep on my tummy or back - left side is best for proper blood flow you know... needing afternoon naps, and don't get me started on bladder control (who does Kegel exercises anyway?) and who could forget the crazy leg cramps in the middle of the night?!

With all that being said, there are some 'perks' (if you know what I mean!) I am sure that most men enjoy some of the wonders of the body of a pregnant woman! I think God must have known he had to make up for the mood swings somehow! And seriously, there is no greater joy to a woman than feeling a life inside you kick and move around. Yes, even when they kick you in the ribs and you feel like their foot might actually break through your belly button so you squish them back into place.

Everybody smiles at you and lets you go pee first when there's a long line up in the ladies room, and you can strike up a conversation with just about anyone anywhere - especially when they are asking you ridiculous things like "are you having twins?" or "wow, you must be due any day now!" um. no. thanks, but I have 2 more months to go and there's only one in there!

From my first child I have always referred to labour and delivery as the most wonderful (painful) and awesome experience one could ever have. All that work, all that breathing and possibly even yelling fades away the very instant you lay eyes of that perfect, beautiful, tiny creation you have carried for what seemed like forever. All those stretch marks and sore muscles don't matter one little bit when you see the reward for your body's sacrifice.

And so I embrace this time in my life with great anticipation of the newest little wonder in our family, the one who will even out the sibling rivalry and bring me a lifetime of joy and tears and adventure. I say "bring it on!" I'll take all the side effects and will suffer through it with pleasure for my great reward.. now, just don't ask me about my 'joy' when I'm in one of my pregzilla moods - can you believe my dear hubby calls me that?!