cigna's "healthy babies" program

i know that cigna has an incentive program, healthy babies, where you talk to a nurse once a month during your pregnancy, and they send you a check, postpartum, for $150... for the full $150, then you need to sign up during your FIRST trimester.  the amount lessens if you sign up in your second or third trimester.     
this program was one of the highlight of my pregnancy.  it was so easy to get a hold of my nurse, and whenever i had a quick question on which i'd like medical advice, i'd then call her.  plus, postpartum, she dealt with my medical issues, having them reprocess paperwork, called the benefits' department for me... because, i, obviously, had no time.  it was so nice.
see if your insurance has a similar program!  they're all trying to become extra friendly now, offering many incentives, programs for a "healthier" you....

free pump eligibility

- you may be eligible for a FREE double-electric hospital-grade breast pump via your insurance (they'd prefer not to scream this from the rooftops, though!).  i have an HMO, and it was still covered.  for me, i found out about it through cigna's healthy babies' program.  remember how i wrote that the nurse would call me monthly to see how i was and gave me super good advice?  well, she is the one who told me about it... IF my babies were to be admitted to the NICU and being preemies, then i'd be eligible.  since mine fit both criteria, then i was eligible. :)  yes!!!
- find out BEFORE you deliver if you're eligible.
- when you're in the hospital and should you be eligible, then ask your doctor to write a prescription for exactly this: "double-electric hospital-grade breast pump" because your "child/ren were admitted to the NICU and they're considered premature" (less than 37 weeks).  
- STAY ON IT!  one month into it, they sent me the standard double-electric breast pump (twice over) that you can get online for $70... definitely not the hospital-grade one i used in the hospital.  keep calling them, pestering them if they messed up, which they did in my case (shocker, right?!).  
- make sure they know that it's a PURCHASE, not a rental... to avoid any confusion and issues.  
- they sent me brand new attachments/bottles to use... obviously, for sanitary purposes.  the pump is serviced after any usage.  they first did mine as a "rental" (their mistake), and i'll keep this one for my pump! 
- i got a $1,600 pump for free!!!  yes, it's bigger than my medela pump instyle, but like i said before, it's AWESOME, so quiet, and works very efficiently!

safefetus.com

so, in the midst of researching what medicine is safe for breastfeeding, i came across this awesome site, Safe Fetus. and, i read about the meds that the doctors wanted to prescribe me for my infections BEFORE i went to pick them up.

it's absolutely amazing for any pregnant or nursing mom who has to take prescribed meds.

oh, another tip: always consult with the pediatrician BEFORE taking the medicine.  i just had an occurrence two weeks ago where my ob/gyn said that it was fine to take that medicine, and my pediatrician immediately nixed that idea!  just like in pregnancy, there are certain "levels" that are fine.  apparently, there are "grades" in pregnancy ("A" being extremely safe, can cause no harm... correct me if i'm wrong...) and "levels" in breastfeeding ("1"- extremely safe, "2"- semi, "3"- no way...).  guess what he wanted to prescribe me!  a "3!"  i ended up getting a "1" med.

look out for your babies because if you don't, then nobody will back you up... that's what i found.  the ob/gyn got mad at me that i consulted with the pedi.  who cares, dude, my babies are preemies... they're MY concern... not yours. 


:)

day 7 and then some...

jeez, i just need to get on it. sorry that it's been awhile for me to blog about the rest of what happened, so here we go to sum it all:

my wound vac was put on, and we were only concerned about my blood levels in order to discharge me. it took into the mid-afternoon until they told us that i would be discharged... i asked when... asap...


very nice, folks. :) but, you mean, i have to take these kids home and take care of them myself?! i mean, with gab and family??? that's it... that's how we do this...?

my sister and brother were driving in from back home (SoCal), and we weren't sure where we'd be by the time they were arriving... turns out, we were still at the hospital, so they met us there.  for the first time ever, my sis and brother were thrown into, hey... hi... we're packing, can you hold her?  and, we'd go back to packing... talk about wasting no time!

LOLOLOLOLOL.  so funny!

they relished their first moments as a new aunt/uncle.  the girls were so fragile and small that they looked like little dolls as my siblings held them... of course, many photos later, we finally were leaving this room that we had called "ours" for so long.  leaving the babies' first home... to bring them to ours.

since it was so late, and i pretty much had missed my final hospital dinner (bittersweet feelings about that), we decided on salvadorean food down the street... which is what i really wanted originally when i found out that i'd be delivering at that hospital... lol.

mind you, i hadn't been OUT of the hospital in seven days.  it felt like a strange new beginning... to.finally.leave.  BUT, supposedly, hospital policy (and, i can't remember if i posted about this before) is to have the mom "carry" out the baby because we carry them in our bellies and we have to "carry" them out... nobody else.  isn't that strange?!  i've never heard of that, but then again, i've never been a mother until now.  yet, i thought that the women always held the baby(ies) because they were so proud... didn't know that it was hospital stipulation.  :)

anyway, since my girls had been discharged the day before, i "technically" didn't have to "carry" them out.  however, i had gone through a battlezone and i earned every gold medal to carry them in my arms and be pushed through in a wheelchair to the entrance... and, along the way... goodness, babies are precious.  when you carry twins, let alone girls, let alone identical TWINS... they are instant celebrities.  the most random people walked up to gab and me, commenting, congratulating, sharing their baby stories... it was such a beautiful moment of which to be proud... these girls are OURS, and "welcome to the world," girls!  this is what life looks like outside of a hospital room.  lol.

my mom had chosen their "going-home" preemie outfits the night before... and, they were still swimming in them!  they wore their hospital hats with "A" and "B" written on them (for my brother and sister to identify them since they just met them... what am i joking!  until weeks later, we couldn't ID them if not for their hospital anklet and bracelets! lol).

the girls looked darling in their outfits, and... while gab went to get the car, i was counting the moments and hoping to God that they wouldn't start wailing at the same time in front of the hospital entrance where i'm waiting in a wheelchair for my husband to pick us up!!!  LOL!!!  and?!  they didn't!  they made me look like such a good mom.  :)

on the way home after picking up our tamales and pupusas, they did start to cry in the car, but calmed down immediately.  they weren't used to the movement.  when we got home, i made sure that i got out and approached our pups inside by myself... i read that.  make sure that you approach the animals by yourself and allow them time to smell you... then, slowly we let the pups near the babies once we brought the babies in... a gradual process.  and, they were fine.  there was no jealousy, just acceptance, which was a relief!

since then, i'll narrate it very quickly:
my wound vac was D/Ced because the home health nurse didn't administer the tape before the black sponge; therefore, i got many blisters and rashes around/under the tape/incision... it was awful.  we ended up going with another nursing company.  that one was miserably awful.  my new girl was from nigeria and such a lovely woman!  they moved me to a wet-to-dry dressing (with an open wound!!!), which means she had to pack my incision every day with gauze, place a bandage around it, and put adhesive around it that i wasn't allergic to.
from that, i obviously got three infections, one which was quite UNcommon.  of course, that's me!  medically, i go all out!!!  they placed me on antibiotics, which then turned into further infections... for my lack of taking a probiotic in place.
women: take a probiotic whenever you take an antibiotic.  otherwise, your body is imbalanced, and all of your good bacteria is also killed.
weeks later, my wound finally closed... my sister, my nurse, and gab all had to change the dressings some time or another... each day.  i have so many medical supplies left that it's insane. :)  yay, i should put together our emergency kit with them! :)
just to let you know... it took seven weeks for my wound to finally close naturally.  towards the end, they used a calcium alginate dressing, which helped close it.
on the other hand, i still have an infection that i'm fighting... oh, happy day!

it's amazing all that i've gone through... medically, emotionally, physically, mentally... and, am still going through.  i remember what one of the nurses from the first company said to me...

at least, you got two girls to show for it.  some people don't have that when a wound vac is placed... and, you got two beautiful girls to show for it.

absolutely.  we do.

belly button a-poppin'!!!

when i was staying in CA for two weeks in june/july this summer, i was flabbergasted when i noticed something.

i couldn't believe it.  my belly button started to pop out!  i called my husband, and told him (he was in AZ, painting while i was out there) that i kept trying to push it back in.  LOL.

i started to ask around, when did your belly button start to pop out?  i kept hearing late in the pregnancy, and honestly, i just felt ridiculous and out of place that mine started so soon- 20 weeks early?!  serious?!  i couldn't understand.  i researched, and couldn't find an answer.

i just learned to accept it.  i don't know why it happened so soon, but perhaps, it's because i'm carrying twins.  :)  i guess that's just how my body is, but it has been a strange transformation to see my innie as an innie, and now it's an outie... i just press against it, and it feels jelly.  LOL.  sometimes, it's even more peculiar to see my belly button move when i'm motionless, lying still...  that makes me feel like aliens are in my body, even though, i know that they aren't. :)

babies in the ultrasound photos

i may not have posted photos from the ultrasound as of late, but it's because it's really hard to get a clear image of one or both of the babies...

IN FACT, we cannot get both of them in a single shot anymore!  isn't that wild?  that is because they are TOO BIG!  LOL

at 26 weeks (i'm almost 27- my age! lol), they are the size of the ENGLISH HOTHOUSE CUCUMBERS at 14 inches long!  wow!!!  i'm always fascinated with how long these are in the store!  also they weigh about 1lb., 11 oz...!!!

and, here's what a baby looks like at 26 weeks... in my case, i have two in there- both flip flopped!  i do know that A is in correct position, but B is breech as of our last visit (which, of course, i need to update on here!)!

linea nigra

well, my "line" has shown up.  not that i welcome it at all- it's here.

i googled some images to show you what mine resembles mostly, and honestly, some people's linea nigra's lines look just plain nasty.

at first mine trailed from my b. button down south, and it was in the same location where i've always had some light-colored hair.  well, the line took charge.

i have read that it does fade, and i'm hoping that mine will, too. :)

borax... a versatile cleaning miracle!

since i found out i was pregnant, i have tried my best to not be around chemicals or use them in our house.  growing up, we always used comet and had to keep a window open because of the smell.  as much as i can, i try to find an alternative natural solution, which has proven to be time and time again...

BORAX!

this cleaning powder is MIRACULOUS.  you can use it for a billion different problems!  so, that's slight exaggeration.  ;)

regularly, i use it for laundry, to clean my sinks, clean my counters, scrub the shower down, clean the toilet bowls... and, the amazing thing is that it cleans so wonderfully with hardly any time!

here i found more usages for borax, and here's borax's website that also suggests varied uses. :)  if you go to this site, then you can download a booklet on the many usages. :)

the best part- a box will last a couple of months (if you use it as much as i do), and it's roughly $2.50 at wal-mart or $2.99 at target!!!  such a bargain!  you'll find it in the laundry detergent aisle in a white box!

hair accessories

lately, i've just found headbands and decorative bobby pins so easy to wear when i'm running out the door. i suppose this is a glimpse of what is to come.  :)  i've found some great headbands on Etsy Headbands, as well as some cute bobby pins that really dress up any outfit: Etsy Bobby Pins.  i don't know if it's because i get warm easily when i'm PG, but i know that it is just nice to keep my hair out of my face when i could care less!  :)  i've bought some similar bobby pins from DawnWillBreak, but mine are of the white/opal-colored tone.

now, i'm a crafty person, and i know that these are really easy to make with wire (supposedly, lol- but when i tried it, i felt foolish for even attempting!!!), but i don't have time for that right now.  my mom, however, crocheted some cute bobby pins like these with beads for me, and i love to wear them!!! :)

one size up

i'm running out of shirts to wear.  i decided to take care of that after my pedi this evening.  even though two stores that i went to tonight didn't have any maternity clothing, i branched out, and bought some shirts anyway. 

normally, i'm a medium, but i only searched the large section. :)  simple tees, dressy shirts, lightweight wraps... i kept myself from feeling discouraged when some shirts didn't fit well... because i am PG after all! :)

so, my tip?  if there's no maternity, then buy one size up (for shirts, at least).  also, stick to solid colors so your outfits are more versatile. :)

a soapbox at 18 weeks

tomorrow, we go for our 21-week ultrasound ("u/s" for danielle :)). our previous appointment was very different than any other.

they did the full-anatomy screening on both babies.  imagine having an ultrasound for an hour and a half.  yup, roughly 45 minutes each baby.  the worst part is that the tech was one whom we hadn't had before, and she was quite UNpleasant.  now, i go to u/s every two weeks, and yes, i have questions, AND i have the right to ask any question i want.  for heaven's sake, i have TWO BABIES in my womb!!!  apparently, she did NOT like that and could not multi-task... do her job and answer my questions whenever i asked them.  she got beyond annoyed, and i could tell by her facial expressions, voice, mood, tone, and body language.  for instance, i asked, are we going to be able to compare the fluid around both babies once both babies' screenings were complete?  (for twin-to-twin transfusion which they told us about at our last appointment)  she became frustrated and upset when i asked that and told me that we weren't at THAT point yet in the u/s.  i knew that we weren't at that point, but i was setting the foundation for which i wanted her to point out to me later.  that was only the beginning...

[note: it's UNUSUAL to carry multiples... especially WHEN they're unexpected joys like ours!   it's hard to explain, except i'm sure any woman who has experienced pregnancy has felt this newfound desire to protect everything about the pregnancy/baby.  to know everything, pay attention to everything because it is a RIGHT.   it's a necessity.

well, just imagine your first, you're carrying double, and instead of showing concern for one, you're now responsible for two.  that's where i am.  it's this overwhelmingly feeling of protection, responsibility to my babies, my husband, my family, and especially God.  throw some (sarcasm to it's highest degree) high-risk, 70 mg lovenox injections, twin-to-twin transfusion possibilities in there, and voila!  it WOULD be UNREALISTIC to not be REALISTIC about the situation and concerns that any new mother may have.  we have to prepare for anything and everything.  any answers are appreciated and encouraged.]

normally, we have the most awesome tech... this younger woman (probably late 30's)... she's great about answering questions, providing feedback, multi-tasking, and the face of professionalism!!!  for some reason, we didn't get her this time, which obviously wasn't the best scenario.

for the rest of the visit, she at least reassured us that, once again (for the third time "finding out") that we're having girls.  inside i was LOL!!!  also, she said that the babies are measuring right on schedule for how far along i am.... it's so weird that i have two little babies in there, and every time we go to an ultrasound, i'm genuinely shocked that they're still there.  it's still strange to admit, experience, and feel that i am even pregnant.  i mean, a year ago, i would have laughed if this is where you told me i'd be.... just because i was so sick and almost passing through to the other side... i honestly didn't think there was MUCH possibility in ever getting pregnant after what i went through.  i went through so much medically.

when we finally saw the dr. (who is my fav. by the way, and i hope he delivers my babies since he is well-renowned across the U.S. for multiples), he answered my few questions.  i asked if it's okay to be around my pups (yes), how to solve my problem with prenatals (take two flinstones), if my tailbone's stretching is common (yes, i'm further along than singleton pregnancies since i'm carrying twins), how i deal with heartburn (tum'... 1 every 4-6 hours), and is it normal that i'm having a difficult time coughing/breathing deeply (yes)?

for our 21-week appointment, we are going to the downtown office since it's closer to my work.  since we see a different dr. each visit, it doesn't really matter which location we visit.  we're just praying for healthy baby girls!!! :)

they are now as long as a...

banana!!!  isn't that so funny that my chief problem i'm having is with leg cramping which has to do with not eating enough bananas for potassium (i do have one in my smoothie every morning)!  LOL!  and, here, the babies are this long at 20 weeks!

i don't know where they're fitting in me because i don't feel like they can be that big, but i guess our body has different plans for how to accommodate. :)

on a side note, i've been awoken the last few nights with leg cramping, especially three times last night (2, 5, and 7a.m.)- all of which weren't AS bad as they HAD been before, but it felt like the pain just kept circling around my upper calf like a merry-go-round!  the pain didn't last as long as it had before.  still, i'm wondering if i should take potassium supplements... i'll ask at my next appt. which is in a week. :)

update: another site/weekly email said that the babies are the size of a cantaloupe, so who knows!  LOL

twins' blog

Emotionally Healthy Twins' Blog was just introduced to me by a mother of nine year old identical twins!  just sharing for whoever needs it... :)

are they leg cramps or DVT?

since i have the history of DVT (blood clotting in my left leg) and PE (pulmonary embolism- side of my lung), i started to get super nervous when i started to develop leg cramps in my SAME problematic leg!  it started around when i was 8 weeks, and i went to ER since i had the SAME exact symptoms as my DVT- i mean, the pain hadn't gone away for several days, and for that, i grew even more nervous.

well, i went in, and hours later only to find out that they were severe leg cramps.  oh great, i felt silly and frustrated.  how do you know when they are for real or just the pregnancy taking its toll on you?

all i know is that i mentioned to my dr. and chiro my situation.  the recommendation was to eat a banana for potassium each day.  okay, got it.

then, i started drinking smoothies quite frequently, such as every morning, and regularly, i would throw in a  banana....

didn't develop anymore "cramps" until about 17 weeks... we were staying in CA, and suddenly it's 5a.m., and what do you know!  i feel like i'd rather chop off my leg than scream in pain!!!  the pain was so similar, if not identical, to my DVT, and the thing is- i developed my DVT a year ago at 5a.m.!!!  so, you see why i was extremely nervous....

well, i put my husband right to work to massage my left leg while i was screaming for bloody murder!  who knows how long it took for me to be able to get comfortable again, but the weird thing is- the pain shot to my right leg, and i thought, oh great, how's he going to massage both?  that leg!  no, that leg!  back to that leg!  it was so frustrating for both of us!

then, this past week, again, 5a.m., and bloody murder!  this.pain.was.the.worst.  blood curdling screams.  my right toes felt like they were on fire and going numb, and this pain was just bad.  the following night (or should i say 5a.m. morning?  lol), similar episode, and just felt like my toes were bending weird... know what i mean?  that awkward feeling... well, throw in there some fire-burning feet and annoyingly painful cramps!

FINALLY, i thought- i ran out of bananas!!!  nooooooooo!  need them now!  haven't had them in a few days, which is why i got the stupid, but avoidable cramps!  when we woke up that morning, i immediately sent my husband to go buy some bananas, and threw a few of them into that morning's smoothie!!!  lol

coincidentally, just read that leg cramping is super bad right around now... halfway through the pregnancy!  FYI!

had a minor cramp since then, but seriously... EAT A BANANA each day!!!  if you don't like them, then throw them in a smoothie- tastes yummy!  prevent this awfully painful episode!!!  your sleep, your legs, and your loved one will thank you.  :)

(oh, disclaimer: for a DVT, your leg swells up, hardens like a rock (especially when you touch it- rock hard), red like a tomato, feels boiling hot, and the pain is beyond unbearable.  go to the ER if you have leg cramping that is like that and it doesn't go away!!!)

this will become your new best friend...

the library!!!

i actually haven't had to purchase any books for my pregnancy.  friends have lent me books or i have researched the good books based on others' feedback, and then i check my glendale and peoria libraries to see if they have any of these books on hand.  most often, THEY DO, which is AWEsome!!!

my friend lent me my most favorite of all pregnancy books... I'm Pregnant by Lesley Regan, M.D.   it's really up to date with information, clear colorful photos, and it's a very easy read!  the book that i found for my husband is... Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads by Gary Greenberg and Jeannie Hayden  this book is BEYOND LOL!!!  it's SO written for a guy.  if your guy doesn't like to read (yup, that's mine), then this is totally for him!!!  yes, i found this lovely book at the library!  i've also seen this book at Burlington Coat Factory's Baby Depot section for inexpensive. :)

the best part about the library is that you can renew for many times, which is what i've done for the latter book.

have fun book reading at your local branch!  :)
(later on, i'll add other books that i recommend, too)

yummy smoothies

ever since i "officially" found out that i was PG many moons ago, i've woken up... STARVING.  literally, waking up between 5-7a.m. (depending on work), and my stomach is  GROWLING.

for twins, the dr. wants me to eat 3,500 calories A DAY!!!  i was eating all of the time... every couple of hours.  STILL, it wasn't enough.

so, i started to make smoothies every morning, and it turns out it's been a great creative way for me to get even more nutrients than i was before..... what i love best about making my own smoothies is controlling what i put in my smoothies... the ingredients that i cannot control at a smoothie shop/jamba.

i especially love strawberries in them!  the trick is to put in half & half, frozen fruit, regular fruit, a bit of sugar, a bit of vanilla, and a bit of ice.  :)  usually, it's enough for my husband and me.

one night, i made my favorite smoothie, razzmatazz from jamba.  not to be biased, but i think that mine was greater. :)  here's the razzmatazz recipe:

1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 sliced banana
2 cups raspberry sherbet or sorbet (about 3 large scoops)
1 1/2 cup ice

blend ingredients until smooth.

every morning, i enjoy myself a sweet drink of a yummy smoothie with a straw... yum!

more, more sites...

thanks to some friends or just hard 'ol research, i keep finding all these useful sites and my browser has thousands of tabs open.... SO, to alleviate that, i'm going to post them here, so it'd be a quick trip instead of this disaster that i now have.

before i do, i will admit that i am overwhelmed.  there are so many sites to read, look at, and i feel like i barely have enough energy/time to do all of that considering i still have a home to maintain its organization.  why does the internet have to be THAT resourceful?!  

SIGH.  

but, i know that God only gives us what we can handle, and with that... i move on:

CLOTH DIAPERS -

Arizona Diaper Service - found a local diaper service!  thank GOD!

Nell's Natural Baby - all about cloth diapers (courtesy of helayne)

Nicki's Diapers - cloth diapers (courtesy of jessica)

Kelly's Closet - cloth diapers (courtesy of jessica)
envibum - cloth diapers (adorable!!!)
http://stores.homestead.com/hstrial-KRyan546/StoreFront.bok - more cloth diapers

NECESSITIES FOR TWINS -

http://multiples.about.com/od/toppicks/tp/twinbabygift.htm - top 10 baby gifts for twins

http://multiples.about.com/od/breastfeeding/tp/nursingtwinitem.htm - tips on necessities for moms who breastfeed twins

http://www.amazon.com/MUST-HAVES-FOR-TWINS/lm/R1T82XE9NP685 - finally!!!  someone who can relate as to what we will NEED and not WANT.

MilkSmile - looks like various items i'd need on my registry for cheaper!

INFORMATIVE/GOOD DEALS - 

Twiniversity - an informative site created by a mom 

BabyBootCamp - OMG!  i've seen everything... baby boot camps?  but, a free prenantal class?!  i think that sounds good!

BabySteals - each day, a new "deal" (courtesy of jessica)

http://video.about.com/multiples/Double-Stroller-Tips.htm - which double stroller?  until i watched this video, i totally thought that we knew what we needed.

NATURAL/ORGANIC (local companies)-

Zoolikins - natural, safe products for a baby

Natural Territory - organic/natural safe products for home, including baby

Red Rock Studio USA - natural products for baby and mom created by a local mom/daughter

Susan Brown's Baby - natural products featured on The Doctors, but... looks like they might be pricey.

Oh, Baby Organic Skincare - organic products for a baby

Organic Style for Kids - everything organic for a baby!

babysuperwarehouse - organic items...

"morning sickness"/organic honest kids' juices

so, i didn't really develop the typical "morning sickness."  i actually would feel nauseous starting at the sixth week or so and it lasted for about five, six weeks.  the symptoms would usually develop late evening (six or 7), and from the rest of the night on, i would just be very careful to eat/drink anything. 

well, i take my medicine at night, along with my shot.  originally, i got these healthy organic prenatals at sprouts that the lady recommended after i looked at my various options (because i wanted the best for these babies).

that.did.not.work.out.according.to.plan.  these things tasted... like RANCID YEAST x1,000.  WHY- oh why would someone create/manufacture nasty smelling pills for PG women to take?  who was that stupid to make them?  i don't know, but after one attempt at those, i had my first symptom of "evening sickness."  it was "smells" that got to me... usually taking my pills at night.

so, off to sprouts to return.  got a different healthy kind.  (meanwhile, my insurance, cigna had filled a prescription when i first got PG for prenantals, and i was taking those, but i had wanted to switch to healthier ones.)  tried these out.  not as bad, but still TERRIBLE.  couldn't even stomach them.  anyone who would smell these would know... you just CANNOT give these to anybody PERIOD!

went back to my cigna prenatals.  LOL.  now, i take those, but these big 'ol horse pills aren't fun either!  so, i was at target one day, and got these Honest Kids' juices.  it was a carton of eight for less than $5.  it said 1/2 the sugar, so i wanted to give them a try.  i thought that i remembered a friend on FB mentioning these at costco....

tried the juices... so yummy- very light, not too sweet, but enough to do the job to take all of my pills, and still have a sweet snack right before bedtime. :)

went to costco... didn't have them.  "deleted" them.  WHAT!  i called HK, and they sent me out all these coupons, free vouchers for the inconvenience, but didn't understand why costco deleted them.  they were going to investigate.

three costcos later, found the juices... a 32 pack (four different 8 pk of flavors) for less than $10!

now, i am stocked up for six months. ;)  i especially like the "punch" ones!

we all grew up on capri suns, but really... you can taste the difference!!!  try these today!

toothpaste pillow

my cousin gave me her maternity pillow, and before that thing, i hadn't known how beautiful sleep could really be.  i don't know how i even slept without it BEFORE i was pregnant!  that's how comfortable it is!  sometimes, my husband likes to cuddle with it while napping- LOL!

here's what it looks like.

my cousin's husband calls it a "toothpaste" pillow... see why?  so funny!  i highly recommend getting something like this for everyday or maternity use... sleep is soooo much better!  i like to sleep on my right side with the pillow ends facing me.  i know that you're "supposed" to sleep on your left side, but it's not as comfortable for me as on the right....  also, gotta make sure that the pillow is between your legs so that they are not rubbing together- keep them spaced out.  i knew that, but also my chiro(practor) reiterated that.

happy sleeping!

helpful PG sites...

SO, i've done (or others have) a lot of research since i got pregnant (i have known since i was a couple of weeks), and here are the sites that i found to really benefit me:

week by week...
text4baby - get free updates/texts (3 or so per week) on your cell regarding your pregnancy week #
BabyCenter -  weekly emailed updates
How Big Is Your Baby? - compares your baby's size to a piece of fruit/veggie and i love this one!!!
thebump - theknot is its sister, and it gives you a great checklist

Babble - all around great site!

Baby Gaga - a site you can link to Facebook... :)
Planning Family
Twin Pregnancy and Beyond - excellent site for twin pregnancies!  (courtesy of danielle)
Baby Weekly - love the easy, quick updates...
What to Expect Week by Week - a cute site based on the famous book. :)

note: once you deliver, update the sites above, and they'll start to send you weekly updates on your baby's progress. :)

saving $$$...
freepeats - pass on/get free clothes, toys, maternity clothes, etc... just swap!
thredUP - swap/pay $13 for box of baby/kids' items that another parent is selling (courtesy of alicia)
freecycle - join a local group and you just pass on things instead of donating them in stores/selling them! 
IN STYLE Maternity - maternity clothes for cheaper than in the store
rebornmaternity- maternity clothes under $15
Magic Kids USA - buy kids' clothes for cheap

natural...
babybugcreationsLLC - a local mom who hand makes cute things
Banana Peels Diapers - cloth vs. disposable diapers (courtesy of jessica)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/babycakesanddecor?ref=seller_info - the most adorable, creative gifts! (courtesy of babycakesanddecor)... seriously, oh so cute!!!
Swift Mamas or Swift Mamas on Facebook - a fellow VU grad who hand makes useful items for nursing (courtesy of swift mamas)

what other sites do YOU love?