Healthy Eating During Pregnancy -- my total weight gain should be about 15 pounds (since I was obese, BMI in the 30s or maybe 40s, to start with).

How to Afford Family Travel When the Money is Tight

Babies Aren't the Only Beneficiaries of Breast-Feeding

FlyLady just call it "15 minutes of decluttering", but the FLYinWichita group has dubbed them zings. I posted this Sunday afternoon while DS & DH were napping:

A baby clothes "zing"

I just did a 20 minute zing in my son's room boxing up outgrown baby clothes. He's 14 months this week and wearing mostly 18 month size clothes. I kept some of the 0-3 month stuff in the closet for the new baby since there is lots of closet room, but most of the 6-12 month stuff is now in labeled boxes.

The best part for me is that I started a 20 minute music tape and knew I would stop when it was done, even if I wasn't done. I usually procrastinate starting things if I don't think I will be able to finish.

A couple more of these zings and we will have room to get the rest of the 0-3 month stuff back out from boxes for the new one coming in September.

Doula selection

We met with a pair of doulas yesterday evening to see if we want to hire them. The gal who we had last time is not doing doula work anymore, so we are searching again. We talked about DS's birth, about VBAC, and what type of things they do. Hopefully we are going to interview one or two more. These gals seemed fine (one of them was our doula's backup last time, so we had met once before), but DH picked up on their frequent references to the other hospital much more than the hospital we will be using. That's not a big factor, but if we can find someone suitable that is more familiar with our hospital's rules and procedures that would be nice.

If You Have to Use Baby Formula You Need to Know These Fat Facts 6/18/03 -- This article is about DHA being added to some infant formulas. I took a consumer survey recently about the new formulas and commented that I am offended by adversiting that plays to a particular time of my life. I also don't like advertising that is targeted to me "as a woman" unless it is for something like bras or feminine hygiene products, in which case that fact that the target consumer is a woman should be obvious.

Mothering Magazine -- Crazy For Cloth -- I've been browsing eBay lately for newborn and small size covers. If I had any idea a year ago that we would be having a second child so soon (or perhaps at all I would not have sold my pregnancy cloths and small diaper supplies. Oh well.

"One Income Living" (article)

Contentment Robbers -- As I contemplate life after baby number 2 arrives, I consider the possibility of quitting my job and caring for my children full time. I also consider that even if I continue to work full-time, our financial situation will change because having two children in daycare will cost twice as much as having one there. I am even investigating a nanny service to see if it would be more economical than two daycare tuitions.

Cramps

Last night I got cramps in my left leg. Ouch! First my calf cramped. I got rid of that by flexing my foot manually, by pulling up on my toes with my hand. Then my shin started to tighten up. To get that to go away, I pointed my toes and pressed on my leg muscle, but then my calf started to cramp again. I decided to try to "walk it off", but that was extremely difficult. Standing was bad, but trying to pick my foot up was worse. I kind of shuffled to the bathroom (because I needed to use the toilet, too). I was getting nauseated and light headed, so after a sip of water and relieving my bladder, I laid down on the bathroom floor, trying to keep every muscle in my leg equally relaxed. I'm not sure how long I stayed there, but DS had finished his 4 oz bottle and was asleep by the time I got back to bed.