Words cannot describe the devastation we’ve seen in Haiti over the last week. Over 2 million people homeless, hundreds of thousands dead and millions more starving for clean water and food.

It puts our lives more and more into perspective… that materialist things are just that… material things that don’t really matter. What matters most in life is love, life, family and health.

Whatever nationality, religion, belief, etc. you are, just remember we all come from the same race… the human race. So while Haiti may be hundreds or thousands of miles away from us,

Are you looking for a gift for an expecting mom? Whether it’s a friend, your wife, your sister or even an acquaintance, every pregnant woman loves to feel spoiled! She’s tired, emotional and excited all at the same time, but most of all, she deserves a special treat!

Here are some suggestions:

- Get something just for her. Whether it’s jewelry, a nice handbag (my personal weakness) or something as simple as a cupcake, it will be well appreciated.

- Get something for baby. We all love to oooh and ahhh over baby clothes, so why not get something cute for baby? You can try adorable baby onesies, baby tee shirts or a baby shower gift set from Rattle Me!

- Take her out for a night on the town. Pregnant or not, everybody loves to be pampered, wined and dined! Try a spa day followed by a romantic (or a girl’s night) dinner and a bottle of, uh… sparkling cider.

Sometimes the smallest, most thoughtful things are enough to show you care. And remember, you can never tell someone you love them enough!

Nowadays I think parents go a bit overboard with all the classes, activities, lessons, etc. they put their kids in. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no exception… my kids have gym class, swimming and t-ball and they’re both still under the age of 5!

As much as I talk… the one class we definitely couldn’t do without is swimming. I don’t see it as a lesson or another fun activity, but a life skill that they need to have. Both of my kids have been taking swimming lessons since the age of 10 months and while some may argue that 10 months is too early, I think it’s just right. They’re too young to really understand and object to it, but still young enough to have the reflex of when you blow on their face, they suck in their breath (therefore they can hold their breath underwater). As much as dear husband and I dread going into the water (because prep before and after is so much work!), we love the fact that both our boys LOVE it and are on their way to being great swimmers.

These photos don’t lie!

I don’t usually post these things, but I thought this one was just oh, so fitting. Read on and see how many match up you!

1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can’t smoke any of them.
2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.
3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.
6. You watch the Weather Channel.
7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of “hook up” and “break up.”
8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as “dressed up.”
10. You’re the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won’t turn down the stereo.
11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
12. You don’t know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.
14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald’s leftovers.
15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
16. You take naps.
17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.
20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer “pretty good shit.”
21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
22. “I just can’t drink the way I used to” replaces “I’m never going to drink that much again.”
23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.
25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking “Oh shit what the hell happened?”
26. Bonus: You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn’t apply to you and can’t find one to save your sorry old ass. Then you forward it to a bunch of old friends ’cause you know they’ll enjoy it too.

Do you ever feel like you’re being watched? I mean, not in like the creepy Alfred Hitchcock kinda way, but when you’re out and about with the kids… you always sense at least one pair of eyes on you?

Frankly, I had a few eyes on me the other day when I trekked over to the Nordie’s Anniversary Sale with the kiddies and I let them run amuck in the kid’s shoe section. Now I’ll be honest, I’m usually very much in control of the kids. I don’t usually let them tear up the stores, unless of course… we aren’t getting the attention we deserve, where at that point, it’s game on.

Aiden has been complaining of his shoes being too tight the last couple of days. So I took this as a perfect opportunity to a) go shopping (which I LOVE to do) and b) have an excuse to go to the sale (which is very much tied to point a).

So we head over to the kid’s section where, let me tell you, isn’t designed for a double wide stroller. I grabbed the shoes I wanted, stood there with them in my hand waiting to get Aiden’s size. One salesperson walks by… nothing, another walks by… still nothing, a third walks by… still nothing! Not even a simple, “I’ll be right with you!” After 10 minutes of NO HELP and my kids getting antsy (‘cuz who likes to sit still in the same spot for 10 minutes straight), I decided if I can’t get the attention by being patient and polite, I’ll get it by being loud and distracting. So I did what any mother would do to keep from going insane… I let the kids loose.

Sure enough, three minutes later and after about 5 pairs of shoes tossed on the floor, someone finally came up to me to get me the sizes we needed. Now in any other scenario, I would have gladly started cleaning up and shushing my kids back to their home base (the double-wide stroller), but because of the rudeness of the salesperson, I decided, I would let them run loose a bit longer. It was past 9 on a Friday night, after a long, rough day at work. Needless to say, I wasn’t in the best of moods.

Well, to make a long story short, I bought the shoes (still irks me that she gets commission regardless of how she treats the customer) but we did leave the place a disaster zone. So much that I had to get the kids to “clear the way” for my double-wide because I couldn’t get through!

Somehow, thinking back on it still puts a small smile on my face and quite honestly, I wouldn’t have handled it any other way.

What is it about the workplace that brings out the worst in people? I mean, seriously… I know the economy is bad and everyone is fighting to keep their jobs, but you don’t have to be vicious and mean to prove your importance! Or worse… you don’t have to run down everyone you THINK is in your path just to get where you want.

I’ve never been one to really understand office politics. I mean, you kiss ass to everyone and anyone above you and then you treat the people below and around you like crap for no reason whatsoever. Then you show no respect and try to shoot down great ideas just because they didn’t start off in your head. How does that make sense?

Anyways, I’m having major issues with politics in the workplace right now and I can say, it truly sucks. Especially ‘cuz I’m not one to kiss ass or be fake about things. I keep it real, regardless if anyone agrees with me or thinks my ideas are genius, which I can’ tell you now, they don’t. And I don’t think it’s because my ideas aren’t FAB, but it’s because it’s not their ideas. And when I try to argue my points, I’m seen as (in their words, not mine) “combative and defensive”. Are you kidding me?

Anyhow, I just had to vent the only way I really knew how (without of course, blowing a gasket in the office). All I have to say is TGIF… this weekend couldn’t have come any sooner.

Do you ever feel like you didn’t even get a weekend? Like your week just goes from Friday to Monday?

That’s the feeling I get every Monday, with today being no exception. It’s like by the time you’re done with parties, classes, obligations, etc. it’s Monday again! Your house is still a mess, you still have laundry to do and you’re already filling up your calendar for next weekend!

Don’t get me wrong, I can’t complain. I don’t remember what life was like before kids. I’m sure it wasn’t as fun and exciting (oh, and hectic) as it is now. I mean, who wouldn’t trade bars, clubs and a nightlife for birthday cupcakes, poopy diapers and wet, slobbering kisses?

This weekend was action packed and full of different activies that kept us busy. In addition to the beautiful weather, it was a perfect weekend to be running around outdoors all day!

Saturday started off quiet with errands to run, the we had a preschool graduation at my son’s school where they performed five songs! Too bad my son was the ONLY one that wouldn’t sing! He knew the songs… he was singing them all day, then all of a sudden he got hit with stage fright! It’s alright, you’ll hit those notes next time, Aiden!

Sunday we participated in Ryan’s Ride. This was so much fun for all of us! Although at 6 months pregnant, the 90 degree weather wasn’t very comforting. There were kids there from 6 months to 12 years old riding for the Ryan Phua Memorial Fund. After the ride, all the kids got medals, goody bags and most importantly, ice cream! The best part was, we all raised a ton of money for local cancer foundations!

After the event, we all packed into the car and ran more errands (never ending!). We ended up at the mall where the avid shopper that I am, discovered Nordstrom Personal Shopping for the FIRST TIME! They had a pre-sale to the Anniversary Sale (which starts on July 17) and we were able to see the clothes on sale for pre-purchase, which of course, I took full advantage of. Shopping at Nordie’s will never be the same again! =) (Don’t get me wrong… I LOVE my Rattle Me baby clothes for the kids, but I needed shoes!)

Okay, so the hectic weekend left me with aches and pains I didn’t want. Last night was full of Braxton Hicks contractions and downing huge glasses of water to keep them away. Which then, of course, led to the getting up every 10 minutes to empty the tiny bladder…

From this day forward I promise to TAKE IT EASY! It’s easy to forget about yourself when you’re chasing two small children around all day. But take it from me, pregger women out there… you and your baby need to be first priority! So if you see me carrying my little one around while carrying a handful of groceries with my older one in tow, remind me to knock it off!

Atlantis Resort… where do I begin?

Let’s start with our favorite spot, the kid’s water park, better known as Splashers… this is just about the coolest spot for kids (young and old) at the resort. Why? Because you have access to everything! The kids have four water slides they can choose from, there’s a huge bucket of water that fills and spills every few minutes and at the same time, you’re surrounded by heated, two-feet deep water anywhere you go! Want some cool adult time? Head to one of the lounge chairs overlooking the water park and order yourself a pina colada or two (or three!). We hung out here every day, all day and have missed it every day since leaving.

You think you’re local aquarium is cool? Check out all the lagoons at Atlantis! You’ll see sharks, sting rays, mantas, dolphins, fish, etc. in beautiful, well-kept habitats. This is not your ordinary water pool… and don’t forget to visit The Digg… the bright green (humongous) eel and the giant grouper that live here are something to ooh and aww over.

The lazy river is not just for the lazy, but also for those looking to just relax. Fun for the whole family, you can use either a single tube or a double tube, depending on your cruising preferences.

Water slides galore! Unfortunately, as preggers as I am, I couldn’t get on any of the water slides, but I tell you, after seeing how high the drops were and how steep some of the slides were, I was actually quite thankful I had a reason not to go! From what dear hubby said (he rode on all of them), some were pretty damn scary! All the water slides live in Aquaventure which is basically the heart of all the pools and water slides.

Finally, the Atlantis beaches… the beautiful white sand, clear blue water beaches… what more can I say? Bring your snorkel gear and head out to the Cove Beach where the fish will literally swim right at your feet! You can cheat a little too.. bring some cracker crumbs and they’ll be fighting their way to get closer to you.

What do you bring on this ultimate vacation? Well, your swim suit, of course… but also bring your OWN sunblock. At $40 a pop on the resort, you’ll smack yourself for not being more prepared. Oh, and bring your own snorkel gear ‘cuz who wants to borrow someone else’s drool-ridden masks? And last, but not least… grab a great underwater camera before heading out! Trust me, the shots you’ll get are priceless.

We just got back from the Bahamas last week and I can’t begin to describe what a fabulous time we had! I can honestly say this was our best vacation EVER and we love to travel so that says a lot! We stayed in two different areas, Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island and the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort on Cable Beach.

Two entirely different experiences, but we wouldn’t have planned it any other way!

Let’s start off with Atlantis. First and foremost, all exaggerations aside, this was the best place EVER! Don’t get me wrong, you pay for all the experience (and it ain’t cheap), but the fun we all had, including the kiddies, was well worth it. We spent four nights there and we spent every day on the beach and their fabulous toddler water park. The kids were too young to ride any of the water slides, although Aiden went on the Current with his dad, and all the fun little water slides at the water park, so they didn’t miss out on much. I, of course, as preggers as I am, couldn’t get on ANYTHING. But it was ay-okay with me… I don’t mind lounging on the beach/pool all day.

Atlantis Resort is a place where you couldn’t possibly run out of things to do. I mean, between the dozens of pools, the white-sand private beaches, the aquarium (aka The DIgg), the Dolphin Key, sharks, water slides, fabulous restaurants, casinos, kid’s club, movie theater, etc. it really isn’t possible!

I plan on breaking up these posts so they don’t get too long. For this one, I’ll write about our fabulous dining experiences. Stay tuned for the rest of my critique in following posts!

We stayed on Pacific Standard Time so this means we would eat breakfast at 10:30-11AM and basically slept around midnight. But it actually worked out well for us because at this late hour, the breakfast places were just getting ready to close meaning there were no crowds. Same with dinner… the late dining times were perfect to avoid the rush.

Piece of advice… if you go, opt for a dining plan! Food there is incredibly expensive and the dining plan will save you tons of money! Unless of course you plan on eating hot dogs and smoothies all day, every day… The best part was, kids under 6 eat free and if your kids have an appetite like my kids, this is a true PLUS.

All the places we ate were fabulous, but I think our favorite dining experiences were Bimini Road and Carmine’s.

Bimini Road was Bahamian Cuisine. Now saying this, we had no idea what to expect except of course, the unexpected. But the food was great! It was our first taste of spiny lobster and conch salad, which are specialties out there. We also enjoyed plaintains (tasted very similar to Cuban-style plaintains), peas and rice and rum cake. The food was definitely good, but the entertainment was even better. They had a band outside that you could easily hear while dining inside, but both times we went, their servers, waiters and kitchen staff pulled out their instruments and had their own musical parade through the restaurant! Everyone, including our kids, were very much into it. Aiden, our 4 year old loved it so much he wanted to come back the next night!

Overall critique: Excellent home-style Bahamian cuisine and fabulous environment for the family! A must dine.

Price for our meal? Around $250, but if you opt for a dining plan, it’s included!

Next up… Carmine’s. Now if you’re from New York, you’re no stranger to Carmine’s. It’s legendary family-style italian meals have been around for ages. Since we’re on the West Coast and have only been to the original Carmine’s a couple times, visiting here was a MUST. We had a late meal, which was great because as I mentioned earlier, the crowds had already dispersed. We started off the meal with Fried Calamari and for entrees we had Frutti di Mare and Spaghetti with Meatballs (remember we have kids with us!). Their portion sizes were HUGE… so huge that after we ate as much as we possibly could, the food didn’t even have a dent in it! For dessert, we had tiramisu, which also was large enough to feed a cavalry!

Overall critique: The food was divine, the atmosphere was lovely… romantic yet still casual and comfortable enough to bring the family. Definitely come for a meal and awww over the insanely large portion sizes!

Price for our meal? A cool $230 (thanks again, dining plan from saving us!)

Don’t get me wrong, the buffets were also fabulous… for space and time sakes though, I only wrote about the MUST VISITS!

Stay tuned for the next post… about the Atlantis Resort hotel itself!

With my oldest, I gained 50 pounds, but aches were to a minimum and I was still able to sit on the ground cross-legged until basically the day I gave birth. With my second, not so easy… 40 pounds (thanks to bed rest) and achiness all along my legs and pelvis starting in the 3rd trimester. With my third (which is still in my belly), I’ve been aching for weeks already and I’m only 5 months in!

They said the aches with previous pregnancies would come back with future pregnancies, but this soon?!? I mean, come on… I’m waddling already!

From what I’ve been told by doctors and experts (experts being other Moms, of course), to help alleviate the leg cramps and the pregnancy aches, you should:

• Rest! Put your feet up and relax whenever you can.
• De-stress and get pampered… nothing like getting a little spoiled to help you forget your everyday woes.
• Get help…. with the kids, the housework, anything and everything that will keep you off your feet. (Yes, this means you hubby need to pick up some slack!)
• Stop wearing heels! And yes, get into those Crocs or flip-flops.
• Stop crossing your legs. If you’re anything like me, you’re ankles, legs, etc. are always crossed! Break the habit now!
• Wear support hose. Yes, I said it… wear those terribly ugly, unattractive, ill-inspired (shall I say more) support hose that you swore you would never, ever wear! These support hose, or better known as compression stockings are not just to humiliate you or make yourself more self-conscious, but they really are supposed to help with circulation. So suck it up, remember it’s for that beautiful baby growing inside you and strap these suckers on! Here’s a couple I thought weren’t as ugly as the rest:
• A Pea in the Pod Hue Age Defiance Compression Sheer Hosiery
• Mimi Maternity Graduated Compression Trouser Socks

For all those mamas who are aching like me… hang in there! We’ll be greatly rewarded with our cute little babies soon!