The last time I updated was after my 28 week ultrasound where I informed you all that the baby was measuring 11 days ahead of his/her due date.  So at my 32 week appointment it was no surprise to me that I was measuring 33 and that I had gained a significant amount of weight.  37 lbs from pre-pregnancy weight, to be exact.

My last baby was a whopping 9 lb. 12 oz at birth and one of things that I’m really anxious about this time is having another large baby.  Since I have been induced with both of my children (not because I was overdue but because my body just doesn’t contract like it should) I am trying to convince them to schedule an induction with this one from the get go. So far, I’m not having much luck.

Doctor told me yesterday that they don’t like to induce a large baby because the c-section rate is actually higher because of trying to force out a baby that might not fit.  (Well we know a big baby is going to fit because I’ve already done it.)  And then she went on to say that I need to watch my weight gain for the remainder of my pregnancy, so I don’t have another large baby!

SCCREEECH!  okay.  stop.  back up.

I have never been over weight a day in my life, my blood pressure at 32 weeks was 125/72 (the nurse even commented that I was the first person he’d seen with a good blood pressure reading), and my glucose is fine!  The whole 37 lbs I have gained with this baby is all in the belly, I haven’t gained anywhere else!  Okay, well maybe a little in the hip area   But I think you get what I’m saying.  Oh, and it’s not like we’re small people…we make big babies because we are big people, I am 5’10″ and my husband is 6’4″.  So, hello!  Does she really expect me to have an average 6.5 lb baby?!

I’m also eating nutritious foods, aside from my ice cream (which I’m not giving up), it’s not like I’m pounding down the Big Macs everyday!  So I’m not sure how I’m supposed to ‘watch my weight’ while I’m pregnant, starving, and eating healthy.  I’m pretty sure the reason I gain so much weight is because I’m growing a big baby, NOT I’m growing a big baby because I’m gaining so much weight…does that make sense???

Have you ever been told to ‘watch your weight’ during pregnancy?  What are your thoughts?

Sears is searching for 5 ‘Santas’ to be a part of their holiday marketing campaign this year.  I went ahead and submitted a video audition, even though I know it’s a long shot I thought it’d be fun to enter!

If you could help my out by viewing, voting, and leaving a comment on my audition that would be awesome!  Click HERE to view!  Thanks!

With the impending arrival of P3 (I can’t believe it is coming up so fast) I have been having some anxiety.   Aside from the fact that this will be our third child in 4.5 years, I am constantly thinking back to those first 3 or 4 months that we had with our two older children.

I am not going to lie, it was awful!  I absolutely love my babies, and they are the cutest things in the world, but when they are colicky it is tough!  Typically Colic is described as an otherwise healthy infant that cries more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week and there isn’t necessarily any cause of it.  Lucky for us (but not that it made it any better) we did know some of the cause, or what made it worse.  Both of my children were Milk & Soy Protein Intolerant or MSPI and were diagnosed as having Gastro-esophogial Reflux Disease, also known as GERD or Reflux.  Basically, the process of eating hurt them.  We found out the problem with my daughter when she spit up blood and after having her as my first, I knew exactly what was wrong with my son by the time he was just 2 or 3 days old.

My babies spent the first 3 months of their lives SCREAMING.  I’m talking arched back, tight fist, rigid body,  SCREAMING…for long periods of time.  And it got worse at night…pretty much the hours between 5pm and 10pm!  Talk about a frantic mommy!  They hated eating, but gulped it down as fast as they could because after spitting up half of their last meal they were starving, and they hated sleeping…I don’t blame them, it hurt!  But I have to say it makes the exhausting event of being  a new mother even more difficult.  You already aren’t get any sleep with a newborn, and then you add this…and lets talk about the guilt, at times I just couldn’t take it.  I would put them in their crib and shut the door listening to them scream and just cry!  No new mother wants to feel helpless, or feel like they just want to go away for a while!

So why all the anxiety?  Well, the medical issues that made them this way are genetic…and they got it from me (I was one of those screaming, can’t eat, won’t sleep babies too).  Chances are that baby #3 will have MSPI and GERD also.  I mean, it’s not a definite, but the chance is there.  And with that will come the colic.  And all I can think is how on earth am I going to deal with a screaming baby all day/night on top of a energetic 4 year old that has to get to preschool every morning at 8 am, and a crazy monkey 2 year old that likes to climb on everything and throw anything he gets his hands on as if it were a baseball!?  So this is my plea:  LORD, please don’t make me go through it again!

The one upside to having survived colic twice before…I kind of know what works, and I know how to spot the signs of MSPI and GERD.  If any of you have read the “happiest baby” book, the 4 S’s are for real-just a little modified

1. swaddling-swaddling is a must!  Colic babies like to be wrapped tight!  we would use 2 receiving blankets instead of one and then the P’s would like to be held very tight and very close to my body.

2. shhhhshing-well, I found that make the ‘shhh’ noise in the babies ear doesn’t do the trick but loud constant noise does…they liked music with a good beat! LOL

3. swooshing-typically this would be rocking your baby, with mine it was more like the swing set on the fastest setting or holding them and dancing rhythmically through the house (you can go ahead and get a good laugh picturing a sobbing mommy that hadn’t showered in 3 days with dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, dancing through the house with her baby)

4. sucking-pacifiers, pacifiers, and more pacifiers…I don’t know why, but they like to suck!

Everyone keeps telling me to be positive, that this will be the one that sleeps perfectly and doesn’t make a peep.  I like to think that way, but I also want to be realistic and prepare myself mentally for the chance that this baby will be a screamer too.  Wish me luck!

Sillybandz have officially infiltrated our house…and they are everywhere!   And Brainchild Products, LLC has sent us some !  Not just for the P’s either, I have enough too share!

We recently got some Sillybandz to appease my 4 year old daughter, and of course, little brother had to have them too!  So we came up with a fabulous Silly Bandz Reward System in our house!  To read more about that click here.

The kids love to trade the adorable shapes and wear as many as they can.  You will find my two taking them off (they go back to their original shape when you take them off your wrist) and showing them to each other.   There is a theme pack of Sillybandz for every child’s personality and the kids will have a blast collecting them all!  Oh, and get this…you can order Custom Sillybandz!  How cool is that!

We were sent the Marvel Universe, Beach Shapes, Rock Bandz, Halloween shapes, Princess Shapes, Art Fest, and Fantasy packs.  P2′s favorite is the Marvel Universe which includes Iron Man, Spider Man, Wolverine, Captain America, Hulk, and Thor and P1 loved the Beach Shapes for summertime with Message in a bottle, Crabs, Palm Trees, Sailboats, Surfers and Seashells.  And the Beach Shapes are UV activated to change color in the Sunlight!

Buy Sillybandz!

Sillybandz are sold in stores across America and are coming available in Canada also, but the easiest place to get them is the website. They are $4.95 for a package of 24.

www.sillybandz.com

Win Sillybandz!

We are giving away an assortment of Sillybandz to one lucky winner.  The assortment includes; 1 Marvel Univers, 1 Beach Shapes, 1 Halloween Shapes, 1 Princess, 1 Art Fest, 1 Rock Bandz, and 1 Fantasy Shapes.  Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Visit www.sillybandz.com and leave us a comment here with your favorite Sillybandz theme.

Bonus Entries: Be sure to come back and leave a comment for each.

• Follow my blog via Google Friend
• ‘Like’ Too Tutu Cute on Facebook
  
• Follow @TooTutuCute and @SillyBandz on Twitter and tweet about this contest! (this can be done once per day and leave a separate comment for each) You can copy and paste this link to make it easy:
  

Enter to Win a 7-pack variety of @Sillybandz from @TooTuTuCute http://goo.gl/fb/xIOjY  Your kids will love you! Please RT

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you for entering!

* Contest ends September 1st at midnight PST, winner will be notified via email and then posted here.

*Disclaimer:  The opinions in this article are my own and I was not paid for this post.  I was sent products from BrainChild, LLC for the purpose of review and giveaway.

Photography by P1, what the world looks like from 3.5 feet tall

The first day of school can be filled with many emotions.  Mom’s breathe a sigh of relief, children are excited to see all of there friends, and teacher’s, well, they might be experiencing some anxiety   But there is one thing that can start the year off right.  A back to school tradition.

When I was growing up we would start each school year with our brand new clothes, shoes, backpacks, and school supplies but that isn’t all.  My mom would make that first day back something special by taking us out to get breakfast before dropping us off.  And not just any breakfast, Dough-nuts!

My sister’s and I would be all ready to go but not before making a stop at Wenchell’s (do they even have those anymore) and grabbing a delicious treat and milk.  And of course taking pictures!

Last year was my daughter’s first year of preschool.  I know, it’s just preschool, but we treated it as a big deal.  We got new clothes, and shoes, and a backpack and before sending my baby off, on that very first day, we stopped to have dough-nuts for breakfast!  It was so much fun to share such a simple tradition from my childhood with my daughter.  I only hope I create lasting memories for her as my mom did for me.

So what are your traditions?  Does your family do anything special for the first day of school?

We just heard that today, August 10th, is National S’mores Day!  Can you say YUM?  I know what we’re having for dessert tonight!

According to Wikepedia, the actual origin of the S’mores is unclear but the first mention of them can be found in “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts” of 1927.  We don’t know for sure if the Girl Scouts were the first to make the treat or why the name was changed from ‘Some Mores’ to ‘S’mores’ but who cares!  I say thank you Girl Scouts…Let’s Eat!

The third trimester is in full swing along with my raging hormones.  My belly is huge and it is obvious to EVERYONE and their mother that I am VERY pregnant! This does not mean you need to touch my belly!  Yes you, random girl in line to get popcorn at the movie theater!!!  Unless  you would like me to start petting YOU… Don’t F%$@ing touch my belly!!!  Ask all the stupid questions you want, tell me what you think I’m having, blah, blah, blah…I’m just ignoring you anyway…but PLEASE don’t freakin’ touch me!

It has been this way since the dawn of days…just because women are pregnant does not give strangers the right to touch them!  I mean seriously?! Who in their right mind thinks that’s okay?  I don’t care if it’s a friend or a family member but really…girl in the popcorn line?  Who the HECK do you think you are?!

I swear…the next time a person touches my stomach, I am touching their’s right back!!!  Oh, and I’m so buying this shirt from Cafepress.com ($25) and wearing it everyday!