11 Pieces of General, Yet Very Important, Advice
My name is Jenny. My internet last name is On The Spot. So, Jenny On The Spot is my full name.
But you can call me Jenny.
I am female. I have aged in the the early part of my 4th decade. I have 3 kids... 9, 12, and, 15. If you do the math I will soon have TWO teenagers, one of whom will be a licensed driver by the beginning of the summer.
Yes, I need a hug. Thank you for asking.
My name is Jenny. My internet last name is On The Spot. So, Jenny On The Spot is my full name.
But you can call me Jenny.
I am female. I have aged in the the early part of my 4th decade. I have 3 kids... 9, 12, and, 15. If you do the math I will soon have TWO teenagers, one of whom will be a licensed driver by the beginning of the summer.
Yes, I need a hug. Thank you for asking.
I am in no condition to run a 5k. But neither is my friend Sarah here, but she actually has a good reason... Related: COME ON LITTLE GUY! WE WANT TO SEE YOUR BABY FACE AND BABY TOES.
And mommy probably wants to SEE her OWN toes.
I just want to thank Sarah for entrusting me with prime real estate on her blog here today.
Inviting someone to share something on your blog is a lot like allowing a someone to throw a party at your house.
As the party thrower in this, Sarah's home... I had some concern.
WHAT IF I TRASH THE PLACE?!
WHAT IF SHE DOESN'T HAVE DISH TOWELS?
There was one time I threw a baby shower at another person's house (an acquaintance). Or was it a wedding shower? In any case... I got there with a whole lot of food to prep. and did you know SOME PEOPLE DON'T USE DISH TOWELS?
I have no idea what the alternative is, but I may or may not have a *thing* about dishtowels...
Especially white ones.
Piece of Advice #1: Always have plenty of dish towels. I recommend white because you can bleach out the shame that certain messes leave on dish towels.
I also have a *thing* about baby wipes.
Piece of Advice #2: Baby wipes aren't just for babies anymore.
That's not really an advice statement.
What I MEANT to write was... Never don't have baby wipes on hand.
That's better.
If you ignore the double negative and whathaveyou.
My babies are no longer babies... but I assert - babies are not needed to keep baby wipes on hand. I keep them in the car, and in the bathroom, and in the kitchen, and in the laundry room... Baby wipes are the rich uncle to the nephew who always has to get bailed out of jail.
In short: You never know when you are going to need a rich uncle/baby wipes.
Piece of Advice #3: Don't do anything that would put you in a place where you will need to get bailed out of jail/call your rich uncle. That should go without saying, but... PEOPLE THESE DAYS.
I'm not trying to mother you, but I am a mom. Don't go to jail. BECAUSE I SAID SO.
Piece of Advice #4: Don't trust anyone who offers advice without solicitation.
Except me.
Piece of Advice #5: Be kind to yourself... like that one friend you have that is way too sweet. Be her (or him), to yourself. I don't actually know how to do that, but I've read we people tend to be quite hard on ourselves and I've always wanted to take that advice.
Piece of Advice #6: Drink plenty of water everyday. That's always good advice. If I do say so myself.
Piece of Advice #7: Make time for friends. I have been really bad about this, so this is just as much a reminder for me as it is for you.
Warning: if you DO end up having to get bailed out of jail, it will probably be because of friends like my friend there on the left.
Totally worth it.
Piece of Advice #8: Don't wait until the day before you are supposed to meet with your tax guy to pull together all your stuff for your personal taxes and 2 small businesses. Just don't. Trust me.
Piece of Advice #9: If you are a dog owner... never give your dogs the benefit of the doubt. They WILL work very hard to consume the roll of tape/lip gloss/leather boots/Converse/paperback book/hardback book you left out... Your daughter's "very special" water bottle you saw sitting on the coffee table as you were running out the door very late and thought, "Oh that'll be fine."
It will not be fine.
#thugs
Piece of Advice #10: If you have children... your kids are smarter than you.
I guess that's not advice. It's a truth statement that you really need to be aware of.
Just because a person can't speak, tie shoes, or eat solid food... doesn't mean they're not smart. OH NO. They may not be able to sit up on their own but they have got you wrapped around their tiny (yet chubby) little finger. ALL OF THEIR FINGERS.
There's really no advice (a.k.a. WARNING) one can give when it comes to children and their cunning. The best I can give: Just beware.
They're worse than dogs.
But also way better.
Even at 9, 12, and 15 they still have me wrapped around their not-so-little fingers.
Piece of Advice #11: Take lots of selfies with your people...
You just have to. It's the very best. That is something you will never regret.
Your teen might regret it, but your teen is still living under your roof, so... SELFIE TIME!
The last thing I would like to add is...
MERRY NEW BABY TO MY FRIEND! I feel all the emotions when my friends add to their numbers. The excitement. The fear. Sometimes jealousy (I don't even know why I miss those sleep-deprived baby days, but golly I sure miss those days sometimes!). The joy... that new baby head smell!
There really is no new advice under the sun. Just the reminder to sleep when you can (I regret not heeding that advice), soak in all the baby goodness... revel in the beauty of new sibling love. It will never be more sweet than in the beginning. Because sibling rivalry kicks in and... I'm sorry. I am digressing...
Kiss those cheeks, take lots of pictures (SELFIES TOO, MAMA!), let that little guy melt into your chest for long naps. It goes so fast. As you know. Those moments are THE moments. And you just can't jump back in time to do it again.
At least I don't think we can time travel just yet...
How to make snow cream
When life gives you snow, make snow cream! For those of you who are just getting introduced to snow via the magic of climate change, let me walk you through how to make this delicious icy treat.
First, gather your ingredients: snow (surprise), milk, vanilla, and sugar. Some zealots out there use heavy cream. Then, there is always Paula Deen ready to take it to the next level with sweetened condensed milk. However, I'm a purist and prefer plain old whole milk.
I think it's easier to mix individual servings. In my experience, if you try to make a big batch you inevitably have a ton of quickly melting snow cream and the freezer is of absolutely no help to you. So, scoop your snow into a bowl and sprinkle about two spoons full of sugar and a splash of vanilla to taste. Mix in the milk until you have your desired consistency and ENJOY!
Trust us. We've got lots of snow cream experience.
Choosing to Love
Recently, I was listening to This American Life. For those of you who don’t listen to This American Life (no judgment but what is WRONG with you!??), every week they choose a theme and put together different stories on that theme. This episode’s theme was break ups. The first story revolved around the particular perfection that are breakup songs. It involved Phil Collins and was really everything that is wonderful about the type of storytelling on This American Life.
Specifically, I learned the story behind one of my favorite songs – breakup or otherwise – of all time Bonnie Raitt’s I Can’t Make You Love Me.
Recently, I was listening to This American Life. For those of you who don’t listen to This American Life (no judgment but what is WRONG with you!??), every week they choose a theme and put together different stories on that theme. This episode’s theme was break ups. The first story revolved around the particular perfection that are breakup songs. It involved Phil Collins and was really everything that is wonderful about the type of storytelling on This American Life.
Specifically, I learned the story behind one of my favorite songs – breakup or otherwise – of all time Bonnie Raitt’s I Can’t Make You Love Me.
Written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin, the idea from the song came after Reid read a newspaper story about a man who had shot up his ex-girlfriend’s car. At his sentencing, the judge asked the man if he had learned anything to which the man responded, "I learned, Your Honor, that you can't make a woman love you if she don't.”
Hearing that story with Bonnie Raitt’s mournful voice in the background, I burst into tears.
Now, I haven’t experienced a breakup in almost 15 years. Don’t get me wrong. It was a bad breakup. It involved betrayal on a scale my 19-year-old heart could barely comprehend. I still remember the pain of wanting someone to love you when THEY JUST DON’T.
However, that was not why I was crying.
I was crying because I wake up every morning to a man who does chose to love me. This is a man who is legally obligated to me and my children but whose heart holds no obligation at all. I forget that sometimes. I take it for granted.
As a mother, the love I feel for my children can outshine everything else. It’s so raw and instinctual and powerful, and yet, in a way, a little less special. I don’t choose to love my children. I just do. I have no control over it.
But I choose to love this man and he chooses to love me and when the reality of that hits me sometimes, it feels like the biggest damn miracle I’ve ever witnessed.
When Nicholas and I lost our baby, I expected my girlfriends to provide the most solace. Not because I expected less from Nicholas but because I just thought as mothers they might understand my pain in a way he couldn’t. And they did provide a huge amount of emotional support but over and over again it was Nicholas that kept me moving forward.
It feels unfair. It just so happens that the same 19-year-old heart that had been shattered by betrayal lucked into Nicholas’s possession only a few months later. I knew at that point what love wasn’t but really had no idea what love or marriage or companionship really WAS. I have friends that are still looking. I have friends that trust their hearts to people who chose someone else.
But here I am with a man who does choose to love me.
I know that could change. Life is hard and marriage is harder but for now I’m going to be grateful for my little miracle.
I can’t make him love me, he just does.
Why I went back to a cheater
My first love cheated on me. Repeatedly.
And I went back to him. Repeatedly.
He was my first real boyfriend and had followed me from high school to college. (Mind you, he did not attend the college - just moved to the same town.) I was head over heels in love with him, as only a teenager can be. I truly believed I was going to marry him. Then, I found a love note in his apartment from a sorority sister — not just any sorority sister but a close friend who had taken me under her wing and showered me with affection.
It is a betrayal that still stings eleven years later.
My first love cheated on me. Repeatedly.
And I went back to him. Repeatedly.
He was my first real boyfriend and had followed me from high school to college. (Mind you, he did not attend the college - just moved to the same town.) I was head over heels in love with him, as only a teenager can be. I truly believed I was going to marry him. Then, I found a love note in his apartment from a sorority sister — not just any sorority sister but a close friend who had taken me under her wing and showered me with affection.
It is a betrayal that still stings eleven years later.
I believed at the time I could end their relationship. I made him call her in front of me and tell her it was over. I checked his email and followed up on every story he told me. He continued to see her and continued to lie. I knew he was lying but I remember vividly calling my mother from his apartment and crying that I just could not make myself leave.
We weren't married and didn't have children. We'd only been together for two years. I can't even begin to imagine the pain of adultery inside marriage. All I remember is the self-doubt and crippling confusion.
If everything I believed about this person I loved and trusted is wrong, how can I ever trust myself about anything—including whether I should stay or whether I should leave?
Eventually, a very wise friend (who I ended up marrying) advised me that I was trying to reason with idiots and idiots don't understand reason. This was not about me. Their betrayal had everything to do with them and their issues and very little to do with me. And I finally realized nothing I could do would end their relationship (they eventually married... and divorced) or save mine.
It was one of the hardest lessons of my life and one I still carry with me. I married a man I truly don't believe would ever cheat on me. HOWEVER, I am not a fool. My husband loves me but he is not perfect, nor is he above basic human psychology. I've seen Love Actually, even the best husbands aren't impervious to a flirty, determined young woman. However, I would not be as kind as Emma Thompson. I wouldn't say I'm zero tolerance but I would add I take the upkeep of my marriage very seriously and the presence of any new women in my husband's life even more seriously. (In other words, stay away from my husband or I will cut you.)
None of us really know a marriage - except our own. And even then, when a lie makes everything you once believed was real suddenly seem fake, you can't really count on anything ... including the belief that Tammy Wynette was full of shit all these years.
Catch up, Gwynnie.
"You're going to have a v-steam...I'm not telling you what that is," says The Other Sarah upon my arrival in L.A.
It's a good thing I like surprises.
"You're going to have a v-steam...I'm not telling you what that is," says The Other Sarah upon my arrival in L.A.
It's a good thing I like surprises.
I arrived at Tikkun Holisitc Spa on Wednesday morning and was greeted by the owner Niki Han Schwarz. She was as revealing as Sarah was secretive.
"You're having a vaginal steam. Are you familiar with the procedure?"
Well... I'm familiar with my vagina and I'm familiar with steam but I sure as hell never thought I'd be putting the two together in the same sentence - much less the same physical space. She politely explained it was an ancient procedure that was performed on Korean royalty and that it would release toxins while increasing hormonal balance. Basically, I pieced together that I would be sitting over a steaming pot of herbs.
She tooks me back to the treatment room and wrapped me in a purple strapless robe that would trap the steam. I sat on a big fancy chair (felt sort of like a throne, which in combo with the purple did feel a bit royal) and she informed me I would sit with the steam for 30 minutes.
Whoa. Thirty minutes!
At this point, I had given her my cell phone to charge during the spa treatments. I smiled. "Is there anyway I can get my cell phone back?"
No way I was going to sit there for a half an hour getting my vagina steamed without telling half the planet...which I proceeded to do once she brought me my phone. I basically texted every girlfriend I had (as well as Nicholas). Seriously. If we've shared so much as a fun coffee date, you probably got this text from me last week.
"FYI. I'm currently having my vagina steamed. Just thought you should know."
Nicholas has still not responded. I can't decide if that's good or bad. Here is a sampling of responses from my nearest and dearest:
"Wtf? What does that even mean?" (Actually I got WTF a couple of times.)
"How does one find out about a vagina steam?"
"With what desired result?"
"California is a strange land!"
One girlfriend has even taken to calling me steamy.
When I wasn't giggling at the steady stream of texts coming my way, the procedure itself was pretty relaxing. The chair itself wasn't super-comfortable but apply heat to an (ahem) substantial part of your body for a long period of time and you start to feel the affects.
Unfortunately, you have to do a series of steams to really feel the long-term benefits and I don't see this procedure coming to Paducah anytime soon. However, it was really fun and a unique experience I would recommend it to anyone.
Also, you have no idea how much I've loved dropping this into casual conversation.
"How was your trip to LA?"
"Well! I got my vagina steamed!"
2015 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
This morning I stopped by WSIL News-3 This Morning and shared my picks for great Valentine's Day gifts for men and women with Kevin Hunsperger. I tried to find some unique twists on traditional presents so check it out!
This morning I stopped by WSIL News-3 This Morning and shared my picks for great Valentine's Day gifts for men and women with Kevin Hunsperger. I tried to find some unique twists on traditional presents so check it out!
Look, there's a box of chocolates then there's a BOX OF CHOCOLATES.
Michael Recchiuti has been crafting fine chocolate confections since 1997 and it shows. The Sweethome - my absolute FAVORITE review site - recently named the Recchiuti Black Box as the best boxed chocolate. The awesome team at Recchiuti recently sent me a box to sample and I couldn't agree with the reviewers at Sweethome more:
“Unlike many of the boxed chocolates we’ve tried, the Recchiuti offer a full sensory experience, which is part of the reason to give boxed chocolates in the first place. The flavors really set this selection apart from the competition. Classic concoctions, such as Burnt Caramel and Piedmont Hazelnut, offer just the right balance of sweet and bitter, while more adventurous flavors, such as Tarragon Grapefruit and Star Anise & Pink Peppercorn, are never overpowering (a problem we’ve found with most other flavored chocolates). And the black-on-black packaging—sexy, but not over the top or too obvious—looks and feels much more elegant than offerings from every other brand we looked at. Inside, the jewel box holds shapes and textures far more intriguing than the monotonous square candies in most other assortments. Overall, these bonbons are far more well-rounded than others we’ve tried.”
I also loved the Star Anise & Pink Peppercorn and the Burnt Caramel... and the Sesame Nougat... and the Lavender Vanilla... and the Kona Coffee... and the... well, you get my drift.
If you have a chocolate connoisseur or foodie for a Valentine then Recchiuti Confesions is the perfect choice!
Recchiuti is offering 15% off their special Valentine Amour Box with promotion code “Amour2015”. The promotion code expires February 11 at 1pm PST which is also the deadline for delivery by Valentine’s Day!
Jewelry is always a great choice for Valentine's Day and there are a thousand personalization choices out there. Unfortunately, they all start to look... the same.
I absolutely love this personalized necklace from Winifred Grace. You can add up to five special dates from the date of your engagement, child's birth, important anniversaries. I added the date of mine and Nicholas's first kiss, wedding, and 10th Anniversary renewal and I absolutely LOVE it.
Winifred Grace is currently offering free shipping with the code "freeshipvalentine". All orders must be placed by February 10th in order to arrive by Valentine's Day!
So, underwear (or - God save us - lingerie) is a popular gift for Valentine's Day. However, what if instead of something that's going to get worn ONCE you get your Valentine something they'll love to wear over and over again?!?
MeUndies is an underwear startup that makes a very basic assertion - that they make the World's Most Comfortable Underwear. They seem to have all the evidence to back it up as well. Each pair is made with Lenzing Modal - a fabric that wicks moisture, is anti-microbial, and retains color. The underwear is also made with flat lock stitching, which MeUndies says is the most comfortable stitching technique in the industry.
I can personally testify that this is some of the softest most comfortable underwear I've ever encountered.
Lucky for you (or your Valentine), MeUndies is giving one lucky reader a 5 pack of briefs to try out!
I'm going to be honest. I thought I'd seen all that could be done with salted caramel.
I was wrong.
Laughing Moon Chocolate - a family-run chocolate shop in Stowe, Vermont - handmakes the most amazing salted caramel treats I have ever tried. Chewy but not too chewy. Sweet but not too sweet. Salty but not too salty.
Send the Salted Caramel Heart Box to your Valentine for just $16. You won't regret it.
How we talk about vaccines
Let's get this out of the way. Both of my sons have received the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine. Not that I owe anyone that information, but I thought I would make it clear from the beginning considering the current fervor surround the measles outbreak.
My children have received all of their vaccinations but on an alternate schedule. I do not believe that vaccines cause autism. However, I also do not believe that every child should be pushed through a system that treats every child (and their immune system) the same. I'm also not sure just because we can vaccinate that means we should vaccinate (I'm looking at you chicken pox).
I understand that our modern vaccination system has saved millions of lives. Overall, it is a medical marvel that does an incredibly good job at what it is supposed to do—prevent deaths from infectious disease. However, just because it is a good system doesn't mean it's a perfect system. It can and should be improved upon and not just by adding more vaccinations to an already crowded schedule.
Let's get this out of the way. Both of my sons have received the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine. Not that I owe anyone that information, but I thought I would make it clear from the beginning considering the current fervor surround the measles outbreak.
My children have received all of their vaccinations but ... on an alternate schedule (except the flu shot). I do not believe that vaccines cause autism. However, I also do not believe that every child should be pushed through a system that treats every child (and their immune system) the same. I'm also not sure just because we can vaccinate that means we should vaccinate (I'm looking at you chicken pox).
I understand that our modern vaccination system has saved millions of lives. Overall, it is a medical marvel that does an incredibly good job at what it is supposed to do—prevent deaths from infectious disease. However, just because it is a good system doesn't mean it's a perfect system. It can and should be improved upon and not just by adding more vaccinations to an already crowded schedule.
For me, I approach vaccinations the same way I approach health care in general. In a nutshell, if we're talking about any kind of medical intervention, I'm going to start at "no" and you're going to have to convince me. If you want to perform a surgery on my child or inject my child or medicate my child, you better have a darn good reason. I'll listen to science and the opinion of my physician, but I'm also going to listen to my gut.
My gut said I did not want anything entering the body of my minutes-old infant except my own breast milk. So, I said no to Vitamin K drops, eye ointment, and the Hepatitis B vaccine. The reasons provided for interventions were just not good enough for me. That's not to say my children will never receive the Hepatitis B vaccine (Griffin already has), but I decided the risk of infection wasn't high enough for me to administer the vaccine at birth.
My gut also says I don't want my child receiving upwards of four to five shots at a time. First, because OUCH!. Would you want that many shots at one time? Second, side effects are rare with vaccines but should my child have one how the heck would we figure out which vaccine was causing the problem? And third, our immune systems are tricky, tricky things and what I don't want to do is piss it off. (Scientific, I know.)
So, I've decided to follow Dr. Sears alternative schedule, which only allows for two shots per visit. As a result you come in once a month instead of once every two months, but I've decided it's worth it. I also think he does a great job of analyzing the risk of each infection with regards to the child's age and using that information to schedule the vaccines. Therefore, because whooping cough or rotavirus are particularly dangers for infants, those vaccines are given at the beginning, while chicken pox or Hep B are pushed to a later date.
Now, the mere mention of Dr. Sears would classify me for many as an anti-vaxxer worthy of scorn and there has been A LOT of scorn going around with regards to parents who chose not to vaccinate and the recent measles outbreak.
Honestly, it makes me really uncomfortable.
First, I don't think it's productive. When was the last time someone called you an idiot and you thought, "You know what? They're right! I'm going to really examine where that person is coming from!"
Yeah, that's what I thought. Me either.
Alienating families who choose not to vaccinate their children by calling them names and insulting their intelligence accomplishes absolutely nothing.
Second, I know a lot of these families. Families who make very different choices then I do and - let me tell you something - they love their children just as much as I love mine. Now, I understand this is not a Similac commercial. My decision to have a home birth or breastfeed or home school doesn't affect the safety of your child. However, my decision to vaccinate or not vaccinate can and does affect your child.
That's why emotions are high. I'm about to have a newborn who will have no immunity to measles AND not be a candidate for vaccination - believe me, I GET IT.
However, if the goal is to educate on the science of vaccines and change people's minds, then maybe we should also examine the science of PERSUASION - specifically how it relates to vaccines.
“Facts and evidence, for one, may not be the answer everyone thinks they are: they simply aren’t that effective, given how selectively they are processed and interpreted. Instead, why not focus on presenting issues in a way keeps broader notions out of it—messages that are not political, not ideological, not in any way a reflection of who you are?”
So, let's stop insulting one another. As parents, our goal to keep our children safe and healthy but it is not our only goal. We also want to present examples of behavior that include empathy and compassion and understanding - behaviors worth emulating.
There's a lot on the line but that doesn't mean we need to sacrifice our basic humanity.
How to speak to a pregnant woman
Hello ladies and gentlemen,
We’ve come to the part in our program where Sarah needs to let off some serious steam about the ridiculous things people say to pregnant women in their last trimester. Of course, I’m always gracious in the moment after someone uses the word “huge” or “miserable” or - God forbid - “twins” but here among friends there’s going to be a little less grace and a lot more honesty.
(deep breath)
Hello ladies and gentlemen,
We’ve come to the part in our program where Sarah needs to let off some serious steam about the ridiculous things people say to pregnant women in their last trimester. Of course, I’m always gracious in the moment after someone uses the word “huge” or “miserable” or - God forbid - “twins” but here among friends there’s going to be a little less grace and a lot more honesty.
(deep breath)
shut up shut up shut up I do not want to hear what you think about my pregnancy shut up shut up shut up before I kick you in the face for commenting on how giant I am shut up shut up shut up I don’t want to hear some unrelated and unhelpful anecdote about your brother’s girlfriend’s cousin’s baby’s daddy’s niece and her fourteen pound baby shut shut up SHUT UP!!!!!!
(exhale)
I feel better. Don’t you?
Now, let’s take a step back for some take away lessons.
I know I’m huge. I know people see pregnant women as some type of community property that must be touched, smiled at, commented on. I get it. I really do. My belly arrives in the room before I do, so I know it’s hard to ignore. And in all fairness, I had four perfect strangers come up to me in a span of two weeks and exclaim, “You look adorable/so cute/precious!” and it made my day.
I’m not saying never speak to pregnant woman. I’m just saying let’s all agree to some ground rules.
- Never use the term “any day.” As in, “you must be due any day!” Well, no, I actually have two months left but thank you so much for inquiring. I think I got my first any day with Griffin when I was six months pregnant. It was awkward. It was unpleasant. So, let’s leave the due date prediction to the professionals and move on.
- Don’t reference popping, blowing up, or any other type of explosion. It’s come to my attention that there are some people out there fundamentally confused about how a baby is born. (This is particularly frustrating when it is women who have had children!) It is exciting but there is no special effects team. I am not going to blow up. My belly is not a balloon and it is not about to pop. If everything goes as planned, the baby will pass through my vagina. I’m sorry if this is disappointing for you. Deal with it.
- Leave your assumptions about how I’m feeling at home. I love it when I’m feeling good. Nothing aches or hurts. I’m not tired. I’m bending over with ease. Everything is going as planned until someone looks at me like I’ve just stepped off a Titanic lifeboat and says, “You must be miserable!” Nope, not miserable but now a little pissed you rained on my sunny day. I also hate, “You must be ready to go!” No, I’m not ready. I have a to do list a mile long so he can just stay right there, thank you very much. Not to mention, for my friends who have dealt with pre-term labor, they probably walk around in fear of the exact thing you assume they want most of all.
- Take your scary labor stories and shove them where the sun don’t shine. I got this ALL THE TIME with Griffin, particularly when people heard I was planning a home birth. It was like a contest to see who could tell the most frightening details of the birth that never ended/baby who weighed as much as a toddler/tear that started at your throat and went to God only knows where. (Funny how these stories seem to disappear once you’ve delivered one 9 lb 7 oz baby at home with no drugs.) It’s not helpful. It’s not supportive. If you have some issues you need to work out about your labor and delivery, I suggest you see a therapist and not take it out on the nearest pregnant woman.
- Treat others as you would want to be treated. This is an easy one. Perhaps you remember it from childhood? Before you speak, put yourself in her very pregnant shoes. Would you want someone commenting on your weight? Would it hurt your feelings if someone assumed you were having twins and you weren’t? Is your comment helpful AT ALL? Just because we are growing a human being doesn’t mean we stopped being a human being. Like anyone else, we just need a little kindness to get through the day. Perhaps instead of commenting, you could just hold the door, offer a helping hand with the groceries, or - I don’t know - buy her a milkshake.
- No, seriously, if you live in Paducah and you see me around town, feel free to buy me a milkshake.
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