Hey Friends! I've moved this post to my new site! Click HERE to see my post on the DIY Maternity Pillow!
Enjoy!! Happy crafting :)
Enjoy!! Happy crafting :)
November 19, 2015
April 2, 2015
My New "Clean" life
I debated posting this because I doubt anyone really cares, so this is more of a "get if off of my chest" post! You have been warned :)
I mentioned in my last post how I have been introduced to all of the Rules of Pregnancy. The rules are great in number and I feel like they change every day causing all sorts of confusion and frustration. I do like to research claims and the like, so I have spent lots of time on the internet looking up supportive data for these so called rules.
What I have found? A whole bunch of contradicting statements, articles, studies, etc. Very seldom is there anything definitive. It is beyond annoying.
One that amused me from the start was: Don't use lipstick. .....What? They say this because of potential effects of everyday chemicals as they may cause harm to your baby in utero and even once they are born. And they aren't saying just lipstick, there are apparently lots of harmful everyday chemicals. By everyday chemicals, I mean the ones found in food, body products, cleaning products, etc.
Now, I've never been one to go along with hype. In fact, I hate hype. I hate hype because it usually stems from one person's or group's idea with little or no basis behind it, then attracts a bandwagon of followers who will believe and do anything they are told.
Case in point:
There are a few chemicals that we do know are bad and that have had research done supporting their damaging effects: parabens, triclosan, and oxybenzone. All three are known to be endocrine disrupters, and parabens have been linked to cancer. Another one is PEGs. Any ingredient that has 'PEG' in front of it can be converted into a carcinogen during manufacturing, and this ingredient is the one I see the most.
You'd think it would be easy to just avoid things with chemicals like the three mentioned above, but no. Its incredibly difficult. AND there are multiple companies out there that "greenwash," or say they have pure/organic/natural ingredients but might not. I won't mention them unless asked because I have plenty of friends who swear by their products, and that is fine!! It's all a matter of belief.
I set out to find natural alternatives of products that I use on a daily basis and it turned out to be a nightmare. I couldn't find anything that only had ingredients I recognized or trusted. I spent a lot of time on the EWG website comparing products and trying to find what worked. And let me tell you, all of these products get expensive!
I have a friend who sells an organic line through direct sales, and I had bought some bathroom and window cleaner from her a while back. I took to researching (shocker!) and found that the company she sells for has very clean products. AND they are the kind of products I use; like makeup, body care, and cleaning supplies.
There are a few organic direct sales lines out there, and I did look into all of them. I decided to join my friend and sign up for Ava Anderson for a few reasons:
Ava Anderson is my attempt at "cleaning up" my life in a way I can afford. At this time, I don't really plan on doing the direct sales thing of pushing product. However, I am all about sharing what I have learned and the products if someone asks. I absolutely love the products and will most likely talk about them a lot in the posts to come.
If you'd like to look at the Ava lines, you can visit my page HERE!
I'm excited about this new direction with my personal care. It is helping my self esteem and trust in my motherly abilities, knowing that everything I do right now affects the little guy inside of my belly.
If you would like to join me on this journey, please let me know :)
I mentioned in my last post how I have been introduced to all of the Rules of Pregnancy. The rules are great in number and I feel like they change every day causing all sorts of confusion and frustration. I do like to research claims and the like, so I have spent lots of time on the internet looking up supportive data for these so called rules.
What I have found? A whole bunch of contradicting statements, articles, studies, etc. Very seldom is there anything definitive. It is beyond annoying.
One that amused me from the start was: Don't use lipstick. .....What? They say this because of potential effects of everyday chemicals as they may cause harm to your baby in utero and even once they are born. And they aren't saying just lipstick, there are apparently lots of harmful everyday chemicals. By everyday chemicals, I mean the ones found in food, body products, cleaning products, etc.
Now, I've never been one to go along with hype. In fact, I hate hype. I hate hype because it usually stems from one person's or group's idea with little or no basis behind it, then attracts a bandwagon of followers who will believe and do anything they are told.
Case in point:
But the lack of information on the effects chemicals have on your body is astonishing. We are living out each day using products and putting chemicals on our bodies that could be harmful to us, and - here is the kicker - we really have no clue what chemicals are bad, or why!
So, I decided to approach this the same way I do what I eat: Do the best you can with what you know to be true.
There are a few chemicals that we do know are bad and that have had research done supporting their damaging effects: parabens, triclosan, and oxybenzone. All three are known to be endocrine disrupters, and parabens have been linked to cancer. Another one is PEGs. Any ingredient that has 'PEG' in front of it can be converted into a carcinogen during manufacturing, and this ingredient is the one I see the most.
You'd think it would be easy to just avoid things with chemicals like the three mentioned above, but no. Its incredibly difficult. AND there are multiple companies out there that "greenwash," or say they have pure/organic/natural ingredients but might not. I won't mention them unless asked because I have plenty of friends who swear by their products, and that is fine!! It's all a matter of belief.
I set out to find natural alternatives of products that I use on a daily basis and it turned out to be a nightmare. I couldn't find anything that only had ingredients I recognized or trusted. I spent a lot of time on the EWG website comparing products and trying to find what worked. And let me tell you, all of these products get expensive!
I have a friend who sells an organic line through direct sales, and I had bought some bathroom and window cleaner from her a while back. I took to researching (shocker!) and found that the company she sells for has very clean products. AND they are the kind of products I use; like makeup, body care, and cleaning supplies.
There are a few organic direct sales lines out there, and I did look into all of them. I decided to join my friend and sign up for Ava Anderson for a few reasons:
- I actually trust the products. Other organic lines often had questionable ingredients, or were too expensive.
- Using them makes me feel better, not only about my own health, but the health of my family and dog (she likes to lick windows...)
- I need the discount to be able to afford natural products!!
Ava Anderson is my attempt at "cleaning up" my life in a way I can afford. At this time, I don't really plan on doing the direct sales thing of pushing product. However, I am all about sharing what I have learned and the products if someone asks. I absolutely love the products and will most likely talk about them a lot in the posts to come.
If you'd like to look at the Ava lines, you can visit my page HERE!
I'm excited about this new direction with my personal care. It is helping my self esteem and trust in my motherly abilities, knowing that everything I do right now affects the little guy inside of my belly.
If you would like to join me on this journey, please let me know :)
March 23, 2015
5 Things Pregnancy Has Taught Me...So Far
Pregnancy has been nothing like what I imagined. To be honest, I really had no idea what to expect! As little girls, we most often dream of our weddings and being a mother or wife (if that's what you'd like). Well, I must have skipped dreaming about the getting to being a mother part.
You always hear one of two things when other moms talk about pregnancy: A) "I LOVED being pregnant", or B) "It was the worst thing I've ever gone through." I can't say my allegiance is strongly with one side or the other. I have my days of living in pregnancy bliss and then I have other days when I am absolutely miserable. I have a feeling this is normal though.
I'm a little over half way through now and learning more and more about myself, my baby, and my future life every day. Here are some of the lessons I've learned thus far, and what I can tell first time expecting moms!
It goes very fast. I cannot believe the 30 week mark is approaching, not to mention single digit weeks until Baby H is here! It seems like just yesterday that I was taking the test and now, it has taken over my life, in a good way of course! I do feel like I have been pregnant for a long time, but I might be a little sad when I am no longer. I do regret not taking more bump pictures along the way. Word of advice to the newly pregnant, take lots of pics! Oh, and because the time is so short, don't spend lots of money on maternity clothes. See if friends have some you can borrow or secondhand-it. No use in spending a crazy amount on an entirely separate wardrobe for such a short time!
There are a lot of rules. So. Many. Rules. Don't eat this, don't do that. I swear sometimes it feels like you're in preggo jail. The worst part is if you aren't up to date on the rules (heaven forbid!) and someone sees you committing a crime (i.e. eating a hot dog, gasp!) they will definitely give you the eye and pull the, "Are you really going to eat that? Do you know what that can do to your baby?" It is awful. Sometimes I feel like I am in high school again! I feel so self conscious when we go out to eat like I might choose something wrong. And most of the supporting information for these "rules" is contradictory. One place will tell you to eat a salad every day, then another will tell you leafy greens can't be trusted and are usually too high in Vitamin A anyway, so don't eat them. FOR THE LOVE! If you have a question, ask your doctor. If you are trusting them to deliver your baby, you can trust them to tell you what is and isn't safe. Don't check the internet, it will only terrify and confuse you.
All I want in life right now is a salami sandwich. You know what? I might just eat a salami sandwich if I want to. And no, that does not mean I am a bad Mom, it means I am human, oh, and pregnant.
Pregnancy brain is a real thing. Oh boy, is it a real thing. I have this one bad too. Before pregnancy, I felt so on top of my game. Now? Not so much! It is incredibly frustrating forgetting where you put things or commitments you have made. I was never good at writing things down, but now make myself or else there is no promising I'll remember! My husband and I have an agreement that he can't get upset with me for forgetting things or being indecisive while pregnant. He didn't understand that I really couldn't help it! While frustrating, it can also be comical...once the initial tears from embarrassment and frustration pass. You will be able to laugh about it later, I promise!
Pregnancy can make you your own worse nightmare. I struggle with worry and anxiety. Unfortunately, these traits mixed with pregnancy are a recipe for disaster. It is difficult, for me anyway, to not know exactly what is happening inside of me. I read into every little symptom that comes along. Because I like research, and knowing what is going on (say it with me, "Control Freak"), I'll usually try to find out what it means on my own. This never ends well...usually I'm speeding off to my doctor's office or calling them in tears. Its exhausting. I'm working really hard on staying positive and trusting my doctors when they tell me everything is just fine! I can't really help out with this area because I still haven't learned to control it myself!
Everyone's pregnancy is different. This is the most important thing I have learned and had to repeat over and over again to myself. I am blessed to be pregnant at the same time as a handful of my friends. It has been so much fun laughing, venting, and crying with each other as we go through this journey. However, it is hard not to compare your own journey to theirs. I remember someone asking me around 18 weeks if I had felt Baby kick yet because they started feeling it at 14 weeks. I hadn't, and I immediately thought something was wrong. Nothing was wrong, my pregnancy timeline was just different. My preggo support team had to help me through that one! This is also why googling symptoms doesn't work. A symptom can mean one thing for one mom but something totally different for another. Again, just ask your doctor. They know more about your situation than "Mama79472" on babycenter.com ;)
If you have anything to add, please do so in a comment! I love learning hearing other mommy-to-be stories!
<3
Me
February 28, 2015
Here's to New Beginnings
It is 2015. That means it has been about 4 months since my last post.
When I was a kid, I couldn't keep a diary. I'd write maybe two or three entries then give it up. Seems my attempt to blog was met with the same outcome.
Since I last posted, my life has changed...completely.
I have a new job. I am working for a major insurance company as a Health Educator. It is a complete change from working in the clinical arena. There are positives and negatives about my new position, but I love that I'm expanding my professional experience. Very few 24 year olds have perfect jobs, or at least that's what I am told.
We've had financial problems. Our house, being older, decided to put us to the test as new homeowners. For a little while, it seemed that anything that could go wrong did, and it took some moolah to fix it. Also, the IRS decided that we owed some money, and by some I mean quite a bit. This was right before Christmas, which put a huge damper on the season, but we made it through and are working hard to build back some savings. We have been living a very minimalistic life, but I must say it has been a learning experience and, surprisingly, lots of fun for the hubby and me.
I got a fancy camera. I had been wanting one for a while for many reasons. The holiday season was coming up and I was hoping there would be some good Black Friday deals. BUT that's when the IRS thing happened, so that dream went out the window. Despite the hard times, my husband being the amazing man that he is, talked to some family members and they all came together to get me a Canon for Christmas. I cried. A lot. So now, I'm excited to post some better pictures on here!
And lastly, I'm pregnant!
Actually, I was pregnant the last time I posted back in October, we just didn't know it yet.
Baby H is doing great. We are over half way there, which is crazy! It is amazing how fast the time flies. I was very lucky and had a very easy first trimester, no sickness or anything of the sort. My eating habits haven't changed much, but I am loving peanut butter milkshakes and hating chicken. We do know the gender, but are keeping it a secret until our reveal party next month!
You might have noticed I changed the look of my blog. If you didn't, that's ok. I am going in a new direction with what I'll be posting. Life has taught me a lot in the past six months and I have many thoughts about many things. I've had triumphs and defeats and I'd like to share and listen to what others have to say.
I'm looking forward to this new adventure and I hope you will journey with me.
Always,
Me
When I was a kid, I couldn't keep a diary. I'd write maybe two or three entries then give it up. Seems my attempt to blog was met with the same outcome.
Since I last posted, my life has changed...completely.
I have a new job. I am working for a major insurance company as a Health Educator. It is a complete change from working in the clinical arena. There are positives and negatives about my new position, but I love that I'm expanding my professional experience. Very few 24 year olds have perfect jobs, or at least that's what I am told.
We've had financial problems. Our house, being older, decided to put us to the test as new homeowners. For a little while, it seemed that anything that could go wrong did, and it took some moolah to fix it. Also, the IRS decided that we owed some money, and by some I mean quite a bit. This was right before Christmas, which put a huge damper on the season, but we made it through and are working hard to build back some savings. We have been living a very minimalistic life, but I must say it has been a learning experience and, surprisingly, lots of fun for the hubby and me.
I got a fancy camera. I had been wanting one for a while for many reasons. The holiday season was coming up and I was hoping there would be some good Black Friday deals. BUT that's when the IRS thing happened, so that dream went out the window. Despite the hard times, my husband being the amazing man that he is, talked to some family members and they all came together to get me a Canon for Christmas. I cried. A lot. So now, I'm excited to post some better pictures on here!
And lastly, I'm pregnant!
.JPG) |
| The reveal photo around Christmas |
Actually, I was pregnant the last time I posted back in October, we just didn't know it yet.
Baby H is doing great. We are over half way there, which is crazy! It is amazing how fast the time flies. I was very lucky and had a very easy first trimester, no sickness or anything of the sort. My eating habits haven't changed much, but I am loving peanut butter milkshakes and hating chicken. We do know the gender, but are keeping it a secret until our reveal party next month!
 |
| 19 weeks, 6 days. Baby H has very long legs and big lips like Daddy! |
You might have noticed I changed the look of my blog. If you didn't, that's ok. I am going in a new direction with what I'll be posting. Life has taught me a lot in the past six months and I have many thoughts about many things. I've had triumphs and defeats and I'd like to share and listen to what others have to say.
I'm looking forward to this new adventure and I hope you will journey with me.
Always,
Me
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