Whether we are first time parents still expecting or whether we already have children, it is always important to us how well our kids do at daycare, school and later on in their lives...
I did some reading on the subject and stumbled upon this very interesting site on teaching tools for your children - from numbers to their ABC's, speech and language developement, a FREE infant safety checklist and many more fun things to do with and teach our babies before we send them off into the big, wide world!
For more on this go to BabyBumbleBee and have fun while preparing your kid to be the smartest little Einstein out there!!!
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Emotional health during pregnancy
Let's face it, as first time moms we often feel anxious about the smallest of things (or what may seem small to others). Whether we're worried about the amount of times our baby kicks per day, helping a friend through a miscarraige while you're pregnant, strangers touching your bump or overbearing in-laws - these are all concerns many us can relate to and it's always nice to vent to a friend or better yet, let your frustrastions out to other moms-to-be in simmilar situations, which is why I thought I'd share the following link with you...visit the baby-centre and LET IT OUT!!! All the best and Happy Pregnancy!!! love from Jada & Me :-)
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
MOM & DAD'S FIRST VISIT TO THE MATERNITY WARD
'LLO AGAIN EVERYONE! IT'S ME JADA...I KNOW I'VE BEEN MUCH TOO QUIET LATELY, BUT I'M SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I'M GOING THROUGH SOME PRETTY MAJOR CHANGES RIGHT NOW. I'M ALREADY A 23 WEEK OLD FETUS, CAN YOU BELIEVE!! DOC SAYS I'M PAST THE HALFWAY MARK WHICH MAKES ME A LITTLE CHAMP :-)
I'M SO SO EXCITED - WELL HOW CAN I NOT BE...ALL MOM AND DAD EVER TALKS ABOUT THESE DAYS ARE WHAT MY ROOM'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHERE THE COT'S GOING TO STAND, HOW CUTE THE LITTLE CLOTHES ARE, WHO I'M MOST LIKELY TO LOOK LIKE, EVEN WHICH DAYCARE I SHOULD ATTEND...AND THE LIST GOES ON... YES! I CAN OFFICIALLY HEAR ALL THESE THINGS AS MY HEARING IS BECOMING BETTER BY THE DAY!
SOOOO, MOM AND DAD WAS GIVEN THEIR FISRT TOUR OF THE MATERNITY WARD YESTERDAY AND FROM WHAT I COULD (HEAR!) THEY WERE VERY PLEASED WITH EVERYTHING THE FRIENDLY NURSE TOLD THEM AND ALL THEY GOT TO SEE. MOM AND DAD ARE AMAZED AT JUST HOW WELL THE STAFF AT KLOOF MEDI-CLINIC CARE FOR, NOT ONLY THE TINY LITTLE NEW-BORN BABIES, BUT ALSO THE PARENTS! MOMS (ESPECIALY FIRST TIME MOMS LIKE MINE) ARE CAREFULLY, BUT THOROUGHLY SHOWN HOW TO BREASTFEED, WHICH POSITIONS ARE BEST FOR US BABIES TO LAY WHILE SUCKLING AND MORE. NEW DADS (AND THOSE WHO'VE FORGOTTEN) ARE PERSONALLY TRAINED TO CHANGE OUR DIAPERS, GET US DRESSED AND FATHER/BABY BONDING ARE ALSO STRONGLY ENCOURAGED WHILE MOM GETS SOME WELL-DESERVED REST! BESIDES THE BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED BABY ROOMS, NEAT BEDROOMS AND ULTRA-CLEAN DELIVERY ROOMS...MOM AND DAD ARE ALSO VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE FOOD THEY SERVE THERE. THEY JOKINGLY ADMIT, IF THEY DID'NT KNOW BETTER, THEY'D THINK THEY'RE GETTING THEMSELVES BOOKED INTO A 5STAR HOTEL..HEHEHE...AREN'T MY PARENTS JUST THE FUNNIEST!! :-)
AT THE END OF THE TOUR, MOM AND DAD - AS ALWAYS - HEADS BACK TO WORK. THEY GET TO SEE ME AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF DAYS...YET ANOTHER EXCITING EXPERIENCE AND ONE I'M SURE TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT. UNTILL THEN, IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GET MY MUCH-NEEDED REST SO I GROW BIG AND HOPEFULLY MEET YOU ALL SOON....TATA :-)
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
I'M SO SO EXCITED - WELL HOW CAN I NOT BE...ALL MOM AND DAD EVER TALKS ABOUT THESE DAYS ARE WHAT MY ROOM'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHERE THE COT'S GOING TO STAND, HOW CUTE THE LITTLE CLOTHES ARE, WHO I'M MOST LIKELY TO LOOK LIKE, EVEN WHICH DAYCARE I SHOULD ATTEND...AND THE LIST GOES ON... YES! I CAN OFFICIALLY HEAR ALL THESE THINGS AS MY HEARING IS BECOMING BETTER BY THE DAY!
SOOOO, MOM AND DAD WAS GIVEN THEIR FISRT TOUR OF THE MATERNITY WARD YESTERDAY AND FROM WHAT I COULD (HEAR!) THEY WERE VERY PLEASED WITH EVERYTHING THE FRIENDLY NURSE TOLD THEM AND ALL THEY GOT TO SEE. MOM AND DAD ARE AMAZED AT JUST HOW WELL THE STAFF AT KLOOF MEDI-CLINIC CARE FOR, NOT ONLY THE TINY LITTLE NEW-BORN BABIES, BUT ALSO THE PARENTS! MOMS (ESPECIALY FIRST TIME MOMS LIKE MINE) ARE CAREFULLY, BUT THOROUGHLY SHOWN HOW TO BREASTFEED, WHICH POSITIONS ARE BEST FOR US BABIES TO LAY WHILE SUCKLING AND MORE. NEW DADS (AND THOSE WHO'VE FORGOTTEN) ARE PERSONALLY TRAINED TO CHANGE OUR DIAPERS, GET US DRESSED AND FATHER/BABY BONDING ARE ALSO STRONGLY ENCOURAGED WHILE MOM GETS SOME WELL-DESERVED REST! BESIDES THE BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED BABY ROOMS, NEAT BEDROOMS AND ULTRA-CLEAN DELIVERY ROOMS...MOM AND DAD ARE ALSO VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE FOOD THEY SERVE THERE. THEY JOKINGLY ADMIT, IF THEY DID'NT KNOW BETTER, THEY'D THINK THEY'RE GETTING THEMSELVES BOOKED INTO A 5STAR HOTEL..HEHEHE...AREN'T MY PARENTS JUST THE FUNNIEST!! :-)
AT THE END OF THE TOUR, MOM AND DAD - AS ALWAYS - HEADS BACK TO WORK. THEY GET TO SEE ME AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF DAYS...YET ANOTHER EXCITING EXPERIENCE AND ONE I'M SURE TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT. UNTILL THEN, IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GET MY MUCH-NEEDED REST SO I GROW BIG AND HOPEFULLY MEET YOU ALL SOON....TATA :-)
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
VAGINAL OR CAESAREAN?
Hey All! Just a word from mom tonight :-)
How wonderfull it is lying here in bed, listening to the thunder right outside my window and Jada snugly and soundly asleep in the pit of my tummy! She has been having such irragular sleeping paterns these past few days that it sometimes worries me when she's quiet for too long. She's also growing realy fast and I know that she's only going through THAT phase of her unborn little life right now, but I have to admit it brings me tremendous comfort feeling her fluttering about inside. Oh well, geuss this one has a mind of her own, so we're just gonna have to be patient.
About Our Day: This morning Lesley and I wake up with a startle at 7:20 when we realise we've slept through the alarm that already went off at 6:30 (that'll teach us to watch series episodes 'till 1 in the morning!). We've been invited by the maternity ward for a pregnancy information seminar which starts at 8:30am today and should end at about 12:00 noon. Luckily the pre-natal gods are with us and we miss the worst of Pretoria traffic. We get to the hospital, find the auditorium without much trouble and once there are told that we're actually still early so we sit down and calmly enjoy a cup of coffee - a delicacy for me these days as I'm strictly forbidden (by Lesley of cause) from anything with caffeine and all the other 'yummy' things baby books tells us moms-to-be to stay away from.
The seminar starts and we're amazed at how much we already knew and how much we've never even thought about. There are so many preggie mommies and it's great to see their partners there too, being the ever supportive beings they are - or so I hope! The information shared by the different doctors and nurses about breast-feeding, vaginal birth, caesareans and infirtility are invaluable and we find it quite interesting - or so I think - coz halfway through I feel a head on my shoulder, seems Lesley's clearly had enough of looking at other mommies' boobies shown on the projector and was still feeling the effects of the late night we had!
Soon there-after, the seminar ends and with all the information gained I am convinced, more than ever, that a normal vaginal birth will be best for me and baby...if all goes well of cause!!
After we finish the delicious lunch they've been so kind to prepare, we head back to work. Pregnancy sure is the most wonderful of gifts a woman may ever experience, but it can also be a distressing time in that it's SO unpredictable, which is why it's best to leave it all in God's hands...
Love Carmen, Lesley & Jada
interesting fact: Did you know that approximately 80% of pregnant women in South Africa chooses to have a caesarean rather than normal birth.
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
How wonderfull it is lying here in bed, listening to the thunder right outside my window and Jada snugly and soundly asleep in the pit of my tummy! She has been having such irragular sleeping paterns these past few days that it sometimes worries me when she's quiet for too long. She's also growing realy fast and I know that she's only going through THAT phase of her unborn little life right now, but I have to admit it brings me tremendous comfort feeling her fluttering about inside. Oh well, geuss this one has a mind of her own, so we're just gonna have to be patient.
About Our Day: This morning Lesley and I wake up with a startle at 7:20 when we realise we've slept through the alarm that already went off at 6:30 (that'll teach us to watch series episodes 'till 1 in the morning!). We've been invited by the maternity ward for a pregnancy information seminar which starts at 8:30am today and should end at about 12:00 noon. Luckily the pre-natal gods are with us and we miss the worst of Pretoria traffic. We get to the hospital, find the auditorium without much trouble and once there are told that we're actually still early so we sit down and calmly enjoy a cup of coffee - a delicacy for me these days as I'm strictly forbidden (by Lesley of cause) from anything with caffeine and all the other 'yummy' things baby books tells us moms-to-be to stay away from.
The seminar starts and we're amazed at how much we already knew and how much we've never even thought about. There are so many preggie mommies and it's great to see their partners there too, being the ever supportive beings they are - or so I hope! The information shared by the different doctors and nurses about breast-feeding, vaginal birth, caesareans and infirtility are invaluable and we find it quite interesting - or so I think - coz halfway through I feel a head on my shoulder, seems Lesley's clearly had enough of looking at other mommies' boobies shown on the projector and was still feeling the effects of the late night we had!
Soon there-after, the seminar ends and with all the information gained I am convinced, more than ever, that a normal vaginal birth will be best for me and baby...if all goes well of cause!!
After we finish the delicious lunch they've been so kind to prepare, we head back to work. Pregnancy sure is the most wonderful of gifts a woman may ever experience, but it can also be a distressing time in that it's SO unpredictable, which is why it's best to leave it all in God's hands...
Love Carmen, Lesley & Jada
interesting fact: Did you know that approximately 80% of pregnant women in South Africa chooses to have a caesarean rather than normal birth.
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
Monday, February 8, 2010
ARE YOU FEELING BETTER MOMMY??
MOM WAS A LITTLE ILL LAST NIGHT AND MOST OF TODAY. YESTERDAY SHE AND DAD MET UP WITH SOME FRIENDS WHOM THEY HAVEN'T SEEN IN A LONG WHILE(sharney,edi,dom,gareth,chynelle,eben,elthea,paula,francois) FOR A SUNDAY AFTERNOON PICNIC AT THE BOTANICAL GARDENS IN PRETORIA. EVERYONE WAS SO HAPPY TO FINALLY MEET ME, THEY RUBBED MOMMY'S TUMMY AND TALKED TO ME, THEY ALSO MADE MOM LAUGH ALOT AND THAT MADE ME REALLY EXCITED AND I NATURALLY RESPONDED WITH A COUPLE OF EXCITED KICKS, TURNS AND SUMMERSUALTS!! MOM AND DAD HAS REALLY NICE FRIENDS, I LIKE THEM ALREADY! JUST AS THE FOOD WAS UNPACKED IT BEGAN TO RAIN FOLLOWED BY THUNDERSTORMS & LIGHTNING AND EVERYONE HURRIED TO PICK UP THE BLANKIES, GATHER THE FOOD & HEAD BACK TO THEIR CARS. BUT THE PICNINC WAS FAR FROM OVER, INFACT IT HAS JUST BEGUN!
EVERYONE DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FUN BACK AT MOM & DAD'S PLACE, AT THE CLUBHOUSE - AND AS PRETORIA WEATHER WOULD HAVE IT, THE SUN WAS SHINING THERE WITH NO SIGN OF RAIN (only 20km's from the gardens)!
ONCE THERE THE BLANKIES, FOOD, WINE (of which mom of cause had none) & BOARD GAMES CAME BACK OUT AND THE FUN & LAUGHTER CONTINUED. THE SNACKS WERE ALL SO YUMMY THAT MOM COULDN'T RESIST TASTING OF EVERYTHING, UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THOSE I JUST COULDN'T HAVE...
AFTER EVERYONE LEFT AND SAID THEIR BEY-BEY'S AFTER A FUNFILLED DAY, MOM HAD TO RUN TO THE BATHROOM TO GET IT ALL OUT! AND I MEAN ALL! AFTERWARD SHE WAS STILL FEELING NAUSEOUS AND DAD HAD TO MAKE HER SOME LEMON TEA (which I love) AND SHE STARTED FEELIN LITTLE BETTER. DAD PUT ON A MOVIE FOR MOM CAUSE HE KNOWS THAT RELAXES HER. ME AND HER BOTH FELL ASLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE THOUGH.
TODAY MOM WAS STILL NOT FEELING TOO WELL, SO DAD TOOK US OUT FOR A DECENT LUNCH AND I CAN TELL YOU, RIGHT NOW MOM IS FEELING SO MUCH BETTER! THANKS DADDY!
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
EVERYONE DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FUN BACK AT MOM & DAD'S PLACE, AT THE CLUBHOUSE - AND AS PRETORIA WEATHER WOULD HAVE IT, THE SUN WAS SHINING THERE WITH NO SIGN OF RAIN (only 20km's from the gardens)!
ONCE THERE THE BLANKIES, FOOD, WINE (of which mom of cause had none) & BOARD GAMES CAME BACK OUT AND THE FUN & LAUGHTER CONTINUED. THE SNACKS WERE ALL SO YUMMY THAT MOM COULDN'T RESIST TASTING OF EVERYTHING, UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THOSE I JUST COULDN'T HAVE...
AFTER EVERYONE LEFT AND SAID THEIR BEY-BEY'S AFTER A FUNFILLED DAY, MOM HAD TO RUN TO THE BATHROOM TO GET IT ALL OUT! AND I MEAN ALL! AFTERWARD SHE WAS STILL FEELING NAUSEOUS AND DAD HAD TO MAKE HER SOME LEMON TEA (which I love) AND SHE STARTED FEELIN LITTLE BETTER. DAD PUT ON A MOVIE FOR MOM CAUSE HE KNOWS THAT RELAXES HER. ME AND HER BOTH FELL ASLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE THOUGH.
TODAY MOM WAS STILL NOT FEELING TOO WELL, SO DAD TOOK US OUT FOR A DECENT LUNCH AND I CAN TELL YOU, RIGHT NOW MOM IS FEELING SO MUCH BETTER! THANKS DADDY!
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
Friday, February 5, 2010
WHAT WILL JADA GROW UP TO BE LIKE?
Every Parent dreams about what their children will be like when they grow up. Infact alot of modern parents decides on a name for their baby based on the meaning, coz let's face it...how many times didn't you find yourself saying: " Now isn't she JUST like a Carmen?" well, turns out many children actually grows up and lives up to their name - which is why it's good to choose wisely right from the start!! Okay so my fiance Lesley and I didn't realy decide on the name Jada for our unborn baby girl because we were afraid if we might give her some weird name she'd ultimately end up being a Psycopath, we chose the name Jada because it was unique & beautiful and reeeeeeealy easy to spell :-) BUT when we came accross this site (Urban Dictionary) on the internet and it told us what 'Jada' actually meant - we couldn't be happier with our decision, especially her dad (When you read it, you'll know exactly what I mean ;)! We even searched for names of people we know realy well and it's eerily accurate. Click here to find out what Jada means...who knows, you may descover something new about yourself or your little one! Have fun!
Oh and Jada's doing realy well so far - Thank God! She's becoming realy strong, I can feel it in her kicks. I've also realised that she's without a doubt already a daddy's girl. Whenever he rubs my tummy, she'll give a hard kick to let him know she's there! She also has sleeping routines and we've noticed that she is definitely not a morning person (like her mom) - bad news is...that means she's going to keep us up all night when she's finally here. But hey! as long as she gets here, right!
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
Oh and Jada's doing realy well so far - Thank God! She's becoming realy strong, I can feel it in her kicks. I've also realised that she's without a doubt already a daddy's girl. Whenever he rubs my tummy, she'll give a hard kick to let him know she's there! She also has sleeping routines and we've noticed that she is definitely not a morning person (like her mom) - bad news is...that means she's going to keep us up all night when she's finally here. But hey! as long as she gets here, right!
go to http://www.cheekybums.blogspot.com/ to view blog
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)