Morning Sickness

If you are one of the lucky ladies to
experience morning sickness, which actually feel more like every day sickness,
this one is for you.

For the first trimester I was SICK! I couldn't keep anything down, and at my first appointment I had actually lost weight. There were a few things that seemed to help, hope it helps you too!

3 of my FavoriteTummy Settling Snacks

1.) "Chimes Original Ginger Chews". My aunt actually found these at
Marshalls but i believe you can find them at a local drug store. They are very
strong chewy pieces of ginger candy. I've tried both original and mango flavor
and they work wonders on unsettled stomachs. Keep a few in your purse or at
your desk at work.

2.) Lemon drops. These can be found at Walgreens. I kept these in my purse as
well and alternated between the Ginger Chews.

3.) Ginger Ale. Juice and water was like drinking acid water. The only thing
that I could tolerate was Ginger Ale. Try different flavors as well such as
Cranberry Ginger Ale or Raspberry Ginger Ale. Other soda pops were too sweet
and intensified my sickness.

Morning (or ALL DAY) Sickness Tips

1.) Eat small snacks throughout the day. Try to keep something in your stomach,
even if it’s a few crackers. Ironically, food can help with the horrible “nauseousness”
you may be experiencing. Keep saltines by the bed and pop one in as soon as you
wake up and before you go to bed.

2.) Avoid greasy foods and spicy foods. It will only aggravate your tummy and
make you feel worst.

3.) Stay active. As much as you may want to lie in the bed, staying active and
moving around can help alleviate morning sickness. Being active can help keep
your mind off how sick you are feeling.

4.) If you crave something (that won't harm you or the baby) eat it! It’s hard
keeping food down so when your body craves ice cream and potato chips, EAT IT.

5.) Make sure to take your pre-natal vitamins. During this time your baby is
beginning to develop and since you are unable to provide all the nutrients, or keep
them down, pre-natal vitamins are very important to ensure you and baby will be
healthy.

6.) Avoid foods with strong smells. Everything smelled horrible to me. I would
walk around the house with my nose covered to avoid the smell of boiling water.
Let people know to be sensitive to your overly strong sense of smell. Hey
you're pregnant, they better, you can't help it!

7.) Chew gum! The minty flavor of Winterfresh for some reason settled my tummy.
Peppermint hard candy can be helpful as well. Also try mint tea, but make sure
its CAFFEINE FREE!

8.) Eat bland foods. Crackers, toast, rice cakes, etc. Overly sweet, fried, or
flavored foods can intensify nausea.

9.) Get some fresh air. Remember those crazy nights after drinking in college
and how the number one remedy was to drink water and go outside to get fresh
air.....well it works. Open your bedroom windows at night if the temperature
permits and ride in the car with the windows cracked.

The very THOUGHT of food made me sick, so I understand how hard it can be. But
be strong ladies, this too shall pass. :-)

Eatin' for Two (or more)

Derek (for the record Derek is Dreux's daddy and my wonderous boyfriend) and I have probably read every article made to man on what to expect when you are "expecting". From Baby Center Apps to countless episodes of Baby Story, we wanted to make sure we were well prepared. But as I've read, and took a few notes of my own, I decided to provide a few tips of my own.

Working like crazy and still eating a healthy balanced meal can be difficult. Many sites would suggest all these wonderful healthy snack choices such as low fat string cheeses and nuts. While these are great snack choices, lets me honest, these get old and HELLO we are pregnant...we need a little more. Just reember we can eat pretty much anything, in moderations of course.

While I'm not a nutritionist or doctor, I will suggest 5 healthy, yet tasty, snacks that worked for me.

1.) PRETZELS! During my first trimester I was EXTRMEMLY sick. Pretzels seemed to be the only thing to settle my stomach, which can be attributed to the salt. However, before you divulge in a huge bag of pretzels, take note that these snacks can be very salty and can cause preclamsia, or high blood pressure. Eat in moderation or select unsalted brands. They are also a good substitue for chips.

2.) FRUIT! I absolutely love fruit and ate ALOT during my pregnancy. Apples, strawberries, bananas, grapes, cherries, plums, pears, peaches, you name it! I had an aversion to pineapples while pregnant however, and I was devistated. Some women can "develop" certain aversions while preganant. If this happens, take note and avoid it. These can be signs that the baby doens't like what you are eating. Try frozen grapes, they make great snacks, especially if you are having a summer baby. Also fruit cups travel well, but watch out for fruit cups with heavy syrup.

3.) OATMEAL! My fav! Oatmeal is filled with all kinds of goodies. Make sure you read the labels and invest in ones fortified with fiber. (Which also helps with that pregnancy annoyance we like to call constipation). Top it off with bananas or Craisons (dried cranberries). My favorite was Maple Brown Sugar oatmeal with craisons. You can also do regular oatmeal and add fruit and/or brown sugar as opposed to adding bleached white sugar.

4.) GINGER SNAPS and OATMEAL RAISON COOKIES! Every now and then we need a little more! Ginger snaps and oatmeal raison cookies were my fav. Both healthy and give you and baby a little treat. Ginger snaps also help settle nauseous tummies.

5.) CARROTS AND DIP. This snack is very easy to pack and very tasty. Pair baby carrots with your favorite veggie dip. My fav: carrots and ranch dressing.

Busy Season Baby Blues

If you know anything about the accounting profession, you have probably heard the horror stories of "busy season"; early mornings, late nights, and endless "ticking and tying". Oh the joys! If you haven't heard about busy season, let me explain. Every year between about Janurary and March, us audit professionals dedicate out lives, and yes OUR LIVES, to our clients. Let me paint the picture. We sit in a luxurious room at the client's office, normally the size of a janitors closet, or a small inoperable conference room. This closet is our new home for at least the next 10-12weeks. If you value personal space or privacy...ya won't find it here. But its not all bad...if you're into working 13hrs a day, giving up your weekends to head to the office, and eating from the same takeout restuarant every night. But then again, remember its only for 3months....


At the beginning of January, I was entering my first busy season as an audit associate....I was also entering my thrid trimester of pregnancy. Wonderful cocktail for insanity! Coupled with hormomal imbalances, food cravings and aversions, and exhaustion...the last thing I wanted to do was sit in an uncomfortable chair for 13hrs reviewing excel workbooks and interviewing clients who don't seem to want you there anyway.

Tears, prayers, and hours of venting sessions with my boyfriend, and Dreux's father, I made it through! What I learned from this experience was how much strength I would have never known existed. All things work for good, and I look at this trying time as preparation for motherhood. Busy Season may last 3months, but motherhood lasts forever :-) If I can get through my first busy season while 9months pregnant, I feel I can conquer the WORLD!

Countdown to Labor!!!

As I rode the bus home from work yesterday, I sat with my headphones in thinking about what my boyfriend and I had just discussed regarding Dreux's arrival. 38 weeks pregnant; only 2 weeks left and I still don't feel we have everything in order. Working in "Corporate America" fresh out of college, and 9 months pregnant!!!! What are we doing?!?!?!?!?