Another great giveaway;

I just found out about this great giveaway from Wild Hearts . Today is the last day to enter so go do it!

Baby Wearing- and other adventures

So, when DD was born I knew I wanted to baby wear. I was given a Baby K’tan but she was too floppy for it in the beginning, and did not like it when she wasn’t. I went to a cloth diaper store near me and tried several on, found one I loved, then looked at the price tag and realized that baby wearing may be one of those things that ended up like cloth diapering. Something I should have saved well in advance for.

We tried a couple of infantinos, which were terribly uncomfortable, and then after talking to a mom at church bought about 6 yards of fabric to try and make my own Moby wrap, but soon got fed up with the yards and yards of fabric.

Fast forward to this last week when nesting with baby #2 is setting in and I have a sometimes whiny toddler who wants to be held and I am DETERMINED that I will have a baby carrier (or two).

I scour the internet for reviews, ebay, and craigslist. I know that it has to be:

1) Cheap enough that the husband won’t notice I bought it
2) Not kill my back
3) Not require an ensemble cast to take on and off
4) Be comfortable and versatile and cool enough for Texas heat
5) DD has to be willing use it

One of my favorite baby/maternity stores is Kid to Kid, which is a privately owned franchise chain of consignment stores. They are all over the metroplex, but by far the best one as far as friendliness and selection that i have found is in Sachse off of 78.  Since I moved it’s such a drive that I rarely go out there unless I have more than one reason, but driven by my crazy nesting instinct I drove about an hour after work with a sleepy toddler to see what I could find, and made it just about 10 min before they closed.

I scoured the nursing covers and found a Gabriel feeding pad for  6 bucks and figured, “why not?” for 6 dollars it seemed to have a lot more functionality than the ones that cost 24.00 so I grabbed it.

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But the real treasure was a BabyHawk Reversible Mei Tai for 6.99. Although, at the time I had no idea what kind of deal I had found, I did recognize that the construction seemed to be great quality and it looked like it would both last and be comfortable for Husband and I both.  When I got home and looked it up I was thankful that I followed my instinct and picked it up. It normally retails for around 90.00 and has great reviews and a legion of fans, which I now count myself as. Best of all? DD loves it and I can carry her, even pregnant, without pain. Best 6.99 I think I have spent since she was born. Please ignore the size of my rear. If I had it to do over I would have bought one when she was 4 months or so and saved my back and my stress levels!

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I also picked up a Raspberry Ring Sling well loved, which is much more

suitable for newborns, on craigslist, and in

the process met an awesome lady whom I hope to call a friend. She works at a cloth diaper store in Allen called The Nappy Shoppe and happens to be the resident expert on babywearing.  She spent time to show me how to use it and explaining the difference in the types of carries. You can find her blog here, so go show her some love!

The ring sling is good up to 35lbs but will work for a toddler in a pinch. DD likes it as well, although she’s being shy in the photos .

Craigslist is my new crack, as I also scored an Ameda Dual Electric breast pump with the bag and extras for 40.00, which normally runs about 300.00 and about 10 My little Ponies and a couple of their accessories and a bag of megablocks for 20.00 for DD. If I had more money I would have probably knocked out pretty much all of my baby wish list on Craigslist. I love the idea of buying used as it saves you money, and in many cases helps someone else get much needed cash for items they no longer need or use.

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We got a puppy for Easter. A 3/4 pyraneese, pointer mix that we named Appa after the flying Bison from Avatar, the Last Airbender. Can you tell what we’ve been watching at our house?

Last, but not least, I wanted to share how frekking grown up my DD has become. I made her this green dress when she was around a year old. Here she is alseep in it:

Here she is now:

And one more for the road, her loving on our cat:

Considering Cloth…. again

Well, here I am, with baby number 2 on the way. I am swearing up and down that I WILL be sucessful in cloth diapering this time.

Everytime I look at the numbers and cost of using disposables I feel a little ill, but the out of pocket cost of Cloth seems so steep to start. It’s the true reason we never did it with our first. My husband kept putting off investing in them and I let him, so that when she was born we went straight to disposables, and although I bought 3 covers a set of prefolds, we were never able to keep it up due to not having enough to rotate through.

This time, things will be different. I have 2 months left to prepare. I am saving, reading reviews and stalking diaper forums where I can buy EUC  (excellent used condition) diapers. I have also found Jillians Drawers has this great return policy which I think will go along way in convincing the Hubs to give it a second try.

Do any of you cloth diaper? What are your favorite brands and sites to get advice?

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Wow… it has been a Very long time.

I have actually started to do photography semi-professionally- YAY!

Search F8 & Folly on Facebook- I am rebranding soon though….

The problem is that there are so many neat TOYS I want! Baby hats and headbands and baskets, oh my! Not to mention the actions and backdrops….

Luckily there are some awesome give-aways out there. One I am praying I win to kick start my business is http://beautifulphotoprops.typepad.com/my-blog/2011/05/spring-into-summer-photographers-dream-giveaway.html

There are SOOOO many awesome products, it would be a dream come true.

In other news…….

I am now pregnant with Baby Dos, another girl, 26 weeks to be approximate.

I would be overjoyed if life wasn’t a factor. What I mean by that is the stress of being  a first year teacher, particularly in DISD, being a mom to a 2 yo, and wife to a Schwartz on TOP of being pregnant and my normally awesome emo self can be a bit much at times.

I am sure that things will work out fine… eventually. But until they do be warned this may be an angsty emo post.
The last pregnancy Chris and I worked full time at the same business and I still felt like I had a somewhat strong support network of friends and Chris’ family. Even with all that support I went through about 3-4 months of terrible post partum depression.

This time around I don’t feel that I have nearly the support, financially or emotionally and am in truth very worried about how it’s going to play out.

Part of it is loneliness. With husband working nights I have been sooo lonely. There are no mommy groups that meet at night, becuase you know, they have families at home.
Trying to find a church is a challenge since going to a married group is kinda awkward when your SO works every Sunday…
One friend is moving to Denton for school soon, the other is pregnant herself, just moved, and is super busy with her own family. There are a couple of ladies that I am sorta friends with that have been so very generous in volunteering to host my baby shower, if they hadn’t I wouldn’t have had one; but I always feel on the outside and I am not sure how to come in.

Part of it is timing. I happen to be due mid-august, which also happens to be about 1.5 weeks before school starts. On top of that, I didn’t realize that Maternity is considered short term disability, so I didn’t elect coverage, which means that I have no paid maternity leave, or any guaranteed leave at all.

So if having a baby wasn’t stressful enough, financially or otherwise, we also have to worry about saving up so I can actually get to know my newborn for a couple of weeks. Then I have to deal with the stress of what taking time off at the beginning of the year is going to do to my classroom management strategy. Then again, DISD is apparently still going to lay off around 250 teachers, so maybe I won’t have to worry about it at all. Of course, they may not tell us until July at the rate the State is moving on the budget.
Google HB 400 to see how they are raping teachers and education.

Truthfully, I am half hoping I get laid off and can get unemployment for a couple of months to be with my baby. Then in an ideal world I would be hired at another district that I have been eyeing which would be the ideal place I would want to look at buying a home.

If I don’t get laid off I get to teach myself two subjects over the summer and hope I have supplies and a budget (hahahaha). Then deal with a new schedule, larger class sizes and extra duties since they have laid off all of our hall monitors and half of our security.

Don’t get me wrong, I am soooo very greatful to have a job, especially when so many don’t- but there is just so much stress involved with it- so many politics, and it’s kids futures- our futures on the line.

Husband has given up on school for the moment. He has been trying to go ever since we met and something always happens, be it financially or otherwise to make it nearly impossible. He started waiting tables when DISD jerked me around on a hire date for a few months just to get us money to scrape by on. Unfortunately since we moved and due to the terrible economy and gas prices he is spending more to get to work most days then he is making.

So his plan is to find a waiting job closer to home and teach himself programming. He is trying to learn ASP. net / PHP to get something entry level.

That would be great…. except it means that DD will be spending a lot more time with the in-laws. Ever since they went a little crazy on me I have had an issue with her spending so much time with them. Even more so that now DD has days when she wants nothing to do with me, it’s all about Daddy or Granma. I try to pick her up, play with her, hand her what she’s asking them for and all hell breaks lose. It honestly makes it hard to think about having another one just to have my in laws raise her. (exaggeration? maybe. But with 2 working parents, maybe not). I am grateful for the free childcare, since we definitely can’t afford it, but it’s a poisoned double edged sword some days.

Well that pretty much sums up everything that has been on my mind for the past 6 months or so. Thanks for listening to the angst.

Does this Pregnancy Make me Look Fat? 10 Ways to enjoy a healthy pregnancy

Going for a walk at 5 months.

Pregnancy ain’t easy. It’s downright work, putting your body into overtime producing blood, nutrients, and of course, space for that bun in the oven. There are a few things that I learned during my pregnancy that I think can help other ladies enjoy a healthier, and more comfortable if not happy pregnancy.

Don’t eat for two.

While many of us grew up with images of moms-to-be sitting around the house eating bon-bons and chowing down on anything and everything in site, it turns out that that’s not the healthiest way to eat while pregnant. While it’s true that you do need more calories to ensure you and baby are healthy, you don’t need to literally eat for two people, an extra 300 calories a day, about equivalent to Snickers bar, is what is recommended. Remember, you only need to gain 25-35 lbs if you are already at a healthy weight.
Moving a pregnant body around isn’t easy,  and putting on more weight than is necessary makes it that much harder, especially in the last months.
Alternately if you got pregnant with a few extra pounds already in tow, pregnancy isn’t the time to attempt to loose weight.  While it is true that some overweight women may not see much weight gain, and I have heard of one or two losing weight- these are the exceptions, not the rule. It may be your figure at stake, but it is another persons life and health, your baby’s.
I personally didn’t struggle with eating too much, I struggled to eat much at all. Morning sickness took it’s toll in the early months and later nothing sounded good, so while you shouldn’t eat for two, you should:

Refine your eating habits & Take your Vitamins

In our body obcessed culture, I think a lot of women are terrified of a pound, even when  it’s healthy and necessary, like when you’re growing a baby. You need to eat when your pregnant. It may have been fine to skip breakfast and grab a donut for lunch on your way to the mall before you were pregnant, but those days should be over now that you’ve got higher priorities than your figure and that sale at Macy’s. No time? Make time. Make lunches on the weekend and package them up for work. Grab a package of bagels to eat in the morning. Trail mix makes great snacks and is easy to transport.

Try to eat 5 times a day. 3 meals and 2 snacks. This also helps with morning sickness.
Eat plenty of green stuff and fiber. (spinach, apples, etc)
Make sure you get enough protein. (eggs, cheese, tuna & nuts  are all great quick things to eat  for protein boost)
Try and cut out or at least severely limit your caffeine intake, and NO RED BULL. (I love those things- but not preggo!)
Drink water every chance you get.
Try and lay off the sugar and processed carbs, like white bread. They just make you more tired.

Yes you really do need to take your vitamins. Today’s food processing and cooking methods often lower the amount of available nutrients in the food we eat. Be sure that you are taking a good prenatal that has folic acid, DHA, and Omega-3′. DHA and Omega-3′s also help stabilize mood. Nifty! Check with your doctor to see if you need to be taking iron and ask for free pre-natal samples (I got about two-months worth which helped in the money department) I am told that they even have some pre-natals with stool softeners which will help:

When the train isn’t leaving the station…

The absolute worst thing about pregnancy to me was… constipation. It happens. And it is not comfortable for you or those around you. You don’t really understand how the world, your mental health, and emotional well being hinges on that not-discussed bodily function. But when you can’t go it’s torture, especially when you are already bloated with baby. Probiotics are a God-Send. There are healthy bacteria that normally live in our gut that help us to process and break down food, when our body gets out of balance or when we take anti-biotics and some other  medications, these helpful bacteria are often flushed out with the bad guys. It helps to replenish them with Probiotics. The more different kinds of bacteria the better. And get the refrigerated ones, it makes a difference.
The other thing that helped me was to take Greens, which is basically a green powder mix made up of all kinds of plants. Super healthy, and it works wonders. You can get both probiotics and greens at any healthfood store.

Be smart about over the counter meds

I was pregnant during the winter, also known as cold and flu season. The thing that really sucks about being pregnant in the winter is that you really can’t take anything if you get sick. You’re options over the counter are Tylenol… and well Tylenol. (some doctors say benedryl is ok-it makes me really really sleepy…), which is something I didn’t know until I got sick and was on the phone begging my mid-wife for Thera-flu (no chance).  There are some natural things that you can do/take to beat a fever or cold.
Emergen-C is generally considered safe- just be sure you are not getting more than the daily recommendation of vitamin A between all your supplements.
Garlic Tea will break a fever- just boil a couple of cloves of garlic and let it sit for 5-10 minutes- then drink.  I couldn’t taste it at all actually while I was drinking it, but I did have a lingering garlic after taste for a while. The important thing is that it brought my 102 fever down within 2 hours! Garlic is a natural antibiotic with a myriad of medical uses.
Echinacia helps boost the immune system.

Morning sickness?

Or in my case- the “all-day-hangover-without-the benefit-of-party-the-night-before” is often the worst symptom for moms-to-be. The thing that helped me the most was Ginger. You can often find Ginger candies at Asian markets, which was personal favorite; but ginger snaps and ginger tea will do the trick as well. Mint is also considered helpful, as is keeping something small and bland in your stomach, like saltines. A lot of women also swear by Sprite or Ginger-Ale, but my weapon of choice was Sparkling water.

A word on Alcohol

While most doctors here in the states will tell you not even to sniff a glass a wine while pregnant, this isn’t the case everywhere. In France, for instance, it is acceptable for a pregnant woman to drink a small glass of red. I myself enjoyed some dark beer or a small glass of red now and then and found that it helped calm my stomach and my braxton-hicks (actually recommended by my mid-wife) and helped me to sleep. They key is to drink in extreme moderation, and of course talk to your health professional and be sure that there are no health problems that alcohol may exaggerate. And no beer bongs, k?

Oh my achin’ back…

Even women without prior back injury’s will start to feel the gravity of bringing a baby into the world, usually in the form of back pain. Chiropractic saved my life. I became a believer in chiropractic when I was sustained an injury after being thrown off of horse at the age of 10. (I went through almost a year and a half of physical therapy with no relief, 2 months of seeing a chiropractor and I was riding again.)
I had never heard of or thought of seeing one for pregnancy back pain until my midwife mentioned it.  Chiropractic during pregnancy makes sense for a lot of reasons. First of all, most of us have horrible posture, weather we stand all day or hunch over a desk, and that leads to mis-alignment.  Throw in up to25 pounds of baby-to-be and a significantly changed center of gravity, and chiropractic seems almost essential. Even better, Did you know that women receiving chiropractic care during pregnancy are shown to have significantly shorter labors?
Something that helped me a lot was getting a yoga/balance ball and sitting on it at work, rather than my office chair. Sitting on the ball encourages better posture, strengthens your core muscles (important in labor and delivery) and helps keep your pelvis and back in line. It really did help alleviate my back pain. Check with your HR department and see if they will allow it.

Pregnancy Pillow?

Yes. Get one. I wished I had just spent the money and got one. Instead I ended up buried in a sea of couch pillows. One behind my back, one or two between my knees, hugging one… my poor husband….

Keep the good times moving

Stay moving during your pregnancy.  Even the most religious of fitness buffs can often find it hard to muster up the gumption to stick to a routine during pregnancy, especially since some activities are not recommended for pregnant women. You will be tired, and cranky, your shoes won’t fit right, but go for a walk anyway. Walking is the easiest free activity that anyone can do at almost anytime. Too hot or too cold? Go to the mall. And if you happen to be a mermaid check out water aerobics, a great choice for pregnancy since the water keeps you buoyant and it’s practically no impact.
Staying active is important becuase pregnancy is basically a marathon with a sprint at the end. You will need every bit energy you can muster during labor and delivery and staying fit will help you maintain your stamina and endurance. Plus, the more active you are the more energy you have! And as an added plus you get the feeling of accomplishment for being healthy and staying fit, things that benefit both you and baby. So get moving, but don’t over do it, and double check with your health care provider before trying a new fitness activity.

Looking good – for cheap

Maternity clothes are absurdly expensive, and you don’t really need special maternity clothes except for a few items.
Maternity pants are necessary, for your comfort and for baby’s. But you can make your pre-pregnancy pants stretch a little farther with a couple of neat inventions, a belly band (sew lace on the bottom for an added touch!) and waist extenders (in a pinch just use a thick rubber band around the button hole and button).  Yoga style or dance style pants are often extremely comfortable, buy them in black and pair with a nice shirt and they look like dress pants.

Maternity shirts, are in my opinion, often unflattering (You’re already pregnant and feel like a whale, why do you want to wear a tent and look like one?) and overpriced. I looked for regular shirts that were long, stretchy, or had an empire waist and just bought a larger size. I got tons of compliments and saved money too!

I hope that this helps some moms-to-be out there and feel free to add your suggestions in the comments!

Just the essentials- what you really need for baby

Ok. Being pregnant and registering for your baby registry or a new parent is nerve wrecking and can get expensive if you try to follow everyones recommendations. You get all kinds of answers when you ask what you do and don’t need.
Here’s my take on new baby essentials. (and be sure and check your area consignment stores and consignment sales!)

Clothing

Depends in time of year for some things- but all in all the basics stay the same.
For a newborn I really really really recommend the kimono style/side snap t-shirts.
Onesies are cute as are those frilly frocks- but dressing a floppy baby isn’t easy, especially if it’s your first and you will come to hate anything that makes diaper changes take longer than necessary.
Also our baby was a spring/summer baby in Texas and the shirts and diapers were plenty as it was pretty hot.
I would say 6-10 shirts should be suffient for a newborn.
For cooler climates go for Sleep n’ Plays. (4-10)
Forget the socks and shoes- they NEVER stay on. Never.
Hats (3)

Travel

Diaper bag is a necessity. But not a suitcase. Although I do understand the better safe than sorry mentality. I ended up getting a larger diaper bag, and  small diaper change kit. That way I could stuff the diaper bag full of everything I might need, but then leave it in the car an just carry the diaper change kit when I went in somewhere.

Car seats, strollers, and travel systems oh my! What’s a new parent or parent to be to buy? It’s all so confusing.
In the end it comes down to how much you want to spend and how much room you have. Travel systems can be convenient but also more pricey and take up a lot of trunk room.
If budget is a big concern I recommend getting a frame stroller and a compatible infant car seat.

For colder weather I recommend getting a bunting bag or car seat cozy to help protect baby. Two other things that we really liked for our baby were a toy for the car seat and car seat seat belt covers/pads.

Feeding

If you are going to breast feed I cannot recommend enough the “My Brest Friend” breast feeding pillow. Silly name, great product, and worth every penny. I tried a boppy and it just didnt work for me, although many swear by them.

A good pump is also a life saver and a necessity if you are going back to work or want any time away from baby at all. On the expensive end are the electric dual pumps. I was extremely blessed with the gift of a Medela Pump in Style. But manual pumps can work just as well and are easier to transport. Don’t forget breast milk storage bags/bottles.

Nursing bras are a necessity. Target has some cheap ones, as well as Motherhood Maternity. Don’t forget the breast pads. I also recommend Lily padz.

My husband refused to use anything other than Playtex Drop-ins and they are very convenient as well as BPA free.
If you are going the formula route, don’t forget to get bottle brushes, a bottle drying rack, and a microwave bottle sterilzer.

Sleeping

Typically Moses baskets, bassinets and cradles are all used for newborns up to 15-30 pounds, at which time you can switch to a crib. You can always just use a crib from the beginning, or even use an expensive pack n’play with a built in bassinet, but a cheaper one works just as well with a blanket and a sleep positioner.
If you are wanting to co-sleep you can go the expensive route and get the Arms Reach co-sleepers or get an in-bed co-sleeper.

Accessories

Recieving blankets…lots of them.
Pacifiers (don’t use before a month old- can lead to nipple confusion).
Wipes- lots of them. lots and lots.
Diapers- decide if going cloth or disposable. Don’t buy them in bulk until you know they will work for you. We got a case of Pampers as a gift that we couldn’t use becuase they broke our daughter out. For more info on cloth diapering go to www.diaperpin.com

Those are the basics. I will probably ad a few things to this as they come to mind, but I hope this helps! Cheers!

3 Months in- What I wish I knew being a new mom

So I’m three months into this mom thing and I’m still alive. That’s a good sign, right? In all honesty being a mom will be much harder than you expected and much easier than you think. Here are a few things that I learned along the way.

Sleep when they sleep- No really- Seriously, I mean it!
After a few days of recovery I was up and trying to clean and cook and do laundry when she slept. That just led to a very tired and cranky me, which lead to a very tired and cranky baby, which led to a very tired and cranky hubby…
You just had a baby, relax while you can, sleep as much as possible, and let the house be a mess (or call a friend or relative to come help you). Also take it easy the first 2 weeks at least to keep your bleeding under control.
Speaking of that… I have on word for you- Depends. Yes, really.

Breastfeeding doesn’t always come naturally- Don’t take it personally
It didn’t for me. I had flat nipples (something I had never even heard of) that made it very hard and very painful at first. There are some gadgets you can try to help with this- like nipple shields and the like.
The bottom line for me was that our problems breastfeeding led to huge feelings of inadequacy and a lot of emotional turmoil. While to some extent feelings like this are natural, don’t be afraid to ask for help, call your mom, your doctor, your mommy friends, or hop online- and that goes for any questions you may have about anything. In the end our midwife came over and helped us get latched and it was smoother sailing from there.

Your life is not your own- but thats ok
The biggest adjustment I think is realizing just how selfish we are. Nothing brings that home like having a tiny, helpless, thing that depends on you for life becoming the center of your waking (or semi-waking) world. You can’t just get up and go to the mall, or the movies, or even Starbucks without a game plan. Everything, from the clothes you wear (black shows spit up, go for patterns, and stretchy shirts work well to nurse) to the accessories you choose (dangle earrings will be a thing of the past once they start using those hands) are now determined by this tiny overlord. I’m not going to lie, it’s going to feel like there is no YOU left at all sometimes, between feeding the baby, changing the baby, and entertaining the baby… not to mention going back to work and keeping your hubby happy.
But in the end that is ok-take a deep breath and enjoy this time as much as you can. You may resent having to hold them all the time now- but there will come a day when you wish they would let you hold them. The dishes and laundry can wait- they will be there tomorrow, but your baby is changing ever second and needs you now.

Don’t feel guilty for feeling depressed and maybe a teeny bit resentful
It’s so normal. I cried every day for the first 3 weeks pretty much and wondered if I had made a wise decision in having a child. It does pass if you let it, and remember that a large part of it is hormonal. I was way more emotional after having my baby than I ever was pregnant. Talk to someone or have someone watch the baby so you can have a few moment to feel like you again.

Don’t feel guilty for having someone else watch the baby
It’s good for you and the baby, and everyone loves babies; so take advantage of all the people that want to help watch her and grab some you time, or better yet, you and hubby time.

Focus on communicating with your partner
In the first few days/weeks after baby you and your partners world is going to revolve around baby. You will be caring for her, talking about her, and watching her every moment of every day- so where’s the You and Him in all that? You have to make it happen and it isn’t always easy. You may be spending more time together than ever while caring for the baby, but quantity does not equal quality. Carve out some quality time for you and he to reconnect emotionally and just have fun with each other… without the baby.
And know that intimacy issues are also very common, you are not alone if you have problems with libido or the like. Be open and honest with him about your feelings and willing to try things to get you two back on track. Again talking to another woman or couple thats been there can be a big help. Remember that your baby is just on loan to you for the next 18 years- you have a lot longer than that to be with your husband.

Those are the biggest things that I can think of at the moment that I learned. There are a lot of little mom tips and technical things that I can share as well- here are just a few:

Vaseline works better than any diaper rash cream.
Mylicon is a lifesaver.
You really DON’T need that suitcase sized diaper bag.
Slings/baby carriers are so worth the money.
Consignment stores and Consignment sales will save you a ton.
What works for one baby won’t work for another.
Wipe olive oil on your baby’s bottom after cleaning it- the oil will protect babys skin and make the gunky poo much easier to clean off the next time.

Baby smiles are the most addictive drug ever- hold on to you heart and your wallet- and enjoy.

And if you are just at your wits end, remember that laughter is the best medicine. Go here>  www.lets-panic.com

Has just signed up for Ping.fm > Do it.

Social MEdia and…

Me. Today is my first day back at work since having my baby. No tears, yet. It also marks my first day in a revised role. Before I was in charge of E-Mail Marketing as well as blogging. Now I’ve graduated from Spammer to Social Media Manager, which I was somewhat handling before anyway.
Before I left for leave I got our blog up and running but nothing has been done while I was gone, which reflects my biggest problem and anxiety in this new role. I don’t really know much about any sport or the associated equipment, much less the 5+ sports that we cover. Delegating isn’t really much of an option since our entire company is pretty understaffed at this point.
I’m trying to look at this lack of knowledge as an opportunity not an obstacle but I’m at a loss at where to start. The blog is supposed to be an outlet for Product Sneak Peeks, Product Reviews, Industry News and Ruling Changes, and How-to’s. With so many sports how do I get a line on each sports Hot New Thing? Without the know-how or support from others how can product reviews be successful? And of course- how can I market this mammoth undertaking aside from spamming the hell out of forums etc. (which I won’t do)? As far as I’ve searched there isn’t another blog like ours. No other sporting goods retailer is attempting to do what we are-which is awesome, except that I have no idea how to start paving the way.
I’m also trying to get my head back in the social media game. So I am now a SMUGle There is a lot of good info there for the n00bs, plus I love the name.
So i’m off to crack open the virtual books and hopefully get some answers…

A soon-to-be-mother’s prayer

Father God,

Thank you so much for the amazing and life-changing blessing of pregnancy, and for the blessing of a child that you are about to give us. I pray for your peace and joy during the pain and trial of birth and that she will be born whole and healthy and surrounded by your love and protection.
I thank you for your prefect grace and wisdom and know that this child is a gift from you for a time. I pray for this daughter that you will fulfill the promise of her name, Azaria, “One who is helped by God”. I dedicate her to you now, because I know that she is your child first. Help me to remember as a mother that I am a steward of this child’s soul and give me the grace, wisdom, love, and strength to be worthy of the gift. I pray that you will bridle my words and guide my actions so that everything I do will be for your glory, not only for my own soul but that I may be an example. Continue to raise me up and sanctify me, and show me who you would have me to be as a woman and as a mother. Help me to remember that your will is prefect and everything that comes from you is for the greater good of the kingdom.
I pray for her soul that you will protect it and raise it up for your glory. I pray that she is one of your chosen and that you will manifest in her a generous and joyous spirit. Protect her child’s heart and give her a spirit of wonder, that she will never be able to look at this world and not see you in it. Give her a sharp mind and strong spirit.
Thank you so much for your love and grace.
Amen