Go ahead - rub that belly!

I saw this posted on Facebook this morning, and while I can understand the sentiment, I have to admit that I have never felt like this.  Now granted, I have not had a lot of strangers touch my belly, and the few who did had the decency to ask first, but I have always been so excited to bask in the glory and wonder of pregnancy that I never minded.

What makes this particularly weird is that I am very much a person who needs her space.  Whenever my husband and I travel, I am always eager to get home after about two weeks because I just need to be back in an environment where people respect the bubble.

But when it comes to the belly or questions about our baby, I have to remind myself to rein in my enthusiasm and not talk the ear off of each kind person who takes what she thought would be only a moment to politely inquire about gender or due date.  I just cannot help myself.  

Rationally, I recognize that I am not the first woman to become pregnant and experience all the wonderful feelings - emotional and physical - that come with pregnancy, but I am just so overwhelmed by how awesome it all is that I find myself gushing on and on about it to anyone who will listen (or pretend to listen), including women who have had multiple children of their own and already know all about how fabulous it all is.

People often ask me if this is my first, as they ask with a knowing smile that seems to say that this must be my first child because I am so excited.  But the funny thing is that I believe I could be like this with every single one of our children, just because that's how I am.

For example, my husband laughs at me when we go places because I get so excited over every hotel room and every little amenity that comes with it.  Although we have done a lot of traveling in the past few years, I continue to exhibit this enthusiasm.  As he once described it, "She walks into a hotel room and gets really excited when she sees that there is indeed a bed, a television, and a shower."

I do.  I know it is ridiculous, but there is something so luxurious about staying in a hotel where someone comes and straightens up, empties your trash, and makes the bed.  It never gets old.

Similarly, I can never imagine that pregnancy will wear on me.  Even with all the aches and pains, it is the greatest experience I have ever had.  Recently, my sister, a mother of two, and I had a conversation in which we discussed all of the aches, pains, and unpleasant side effects of being pregnant.  She paused for a moment, then said, "Don't you just hate those women who say they love being pregnant?"  To which I responded, "No, because I do.  In spite of everything, I love it."

On that note, I am going back to bed.  I was up almost all of last night alternating between searing pain in my chest - the kind caused by swollen breasts, not the scary kind - pelvic pain, and leg cramps. Ha!

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Independent Travel vs. Tour Travel

On Tuesday, Jesse and I returned from a two-week trip to Spain and Ireland.  We first planned the trip back in August when my aunt and uncle showed up at the family reunion with information about a week-long tour of Ireland.  They had been trying to organize a family trip to Ireland - we have Irish roots - for several years, but although people expressed interest, it never quite seemed to happen.  So, they said, "Hey, we're going.  If you want to go, too, then here's the information."  Jesse and I decided to go along, mostly to make the memories with my aunt and uncle.

Jesse wanted to add on to the trip and go somewhere else.  His philosophy - and it's a good one - is that if you are going to spend all that money to fly over the ocean, you might as well make it worth your while.  Flying internally in Europe is a heck of a lot cheaper than flying to Europe from the United States, so it makes sense to capture a couple of different sights while you're there.

In March, he settled on Spain, which was somewhere that I always wanted to go.  Of course, a large part of why I wanted to go was for the wine, but being nearly 7 months pregnant, I had to settle for churros and palmeritas.  I got by.

Our time in Spain was our own.  We spent four days there before flying to Ireland and three more days there after flying back from Ireland.  We did not have a tour guide or any set schedule.  We planned a two-day trip to Salamanca and spent the rest of our time in Madrid.

With the exception of two days during our week-long visit to India in 2010, we had never done a guided tour before.  Our first day on the tour, we took a ride around Dublin and saw some of the major sights, which would have pretty cool except that we happened to be seated across the aisle from one of the more annoying people the world has to offer and directly behind a couple from Canada who talked so slowly and deliberately it made us want to leap over the seat and throttle the words out of them.  (Part of this was due to excessive drinking later that evening - on their part, not ours - which exaggerated the slow talker effect.)

Fortunately, the tour company rotated our seats during the trip, so we were never forced to deal with these particular people for very long after that first day.  The rest of our seatmates were delightful.

However, it did not take long for us to both decide that tour travel is not for us.  When you travel with a tour, you have to conform to their schedule.  For us, that meant waking up every morning by 6:30 and having our bags all packed and waiting outside the door by 7:30 at the latest so that the hotel porters could pick them up and stow them on the bus for our departure.  We would then all be herded into the breakfast room at a designated time, usually between 7 and 7:30, where we would spend the entire breakfast checking and rechecking our watches to make sure we had time to go back up to our rooms to grab our hand bags and get back down to the bus before its scheduled departure.

Wherever we stopped, we were on a schedule.  It makes it difficult to relax when you are constantly watching the time to see if you need to be headed back to the bus.  And while I enjoyed our time in Dublin, I could have spent another full day there seeing the sights that I did not get to see.

On the other hand, when we went to Salamanca, there were a few sights that we wanted to check out while we were there.  One was the famed Salamanca frog, which is carved into the side of a University of Salamanca building and promises good luck to all who find it.  Another was the beautiful Puente Romano, which offers a beautiful view of Salamanca, as well as a pathway to a much less touristy part of town.  We also climbed the 198 stairs to the top of another university building, which seemed like quite a feat for my pregnant self until a week later when I climbed to the top of Blarney Castle and kissed the Blarney Stone.

In Madrid, we traveled all over the city, usually via the Madrid Metro system, which is amazingly fast.  We got to see many different neighborhoods.  Just like New York City, different areas of Madrid have very different feels to them.  We visited Sol, a very touristy area near Palacio Real, as well as Bilbao, where there are some fabulous restaurants, and the area around the gorgeous Parque Retiro.  We also happened across my husband's firm's Madrid office near one of the city's train station, which is always fun.  (We have now seen PWC Zurich, PWC Madrid, and PWC Dublin.  We know how to party when we're on vacay.)

All in all, we were certainly glad we took the trip, but when it came down to it, what we enjoyed most was the time with my aunt and uncle and the opportunity to share the experience with them.  Had we not gone with them, the tour concept would have been wasted on us.  We do plan to work on getting the two of them to do some non-tour travel with us in the near future because they were a lot of fun.

To sum up the debate on independent travel versus tour travel, I will say that if you are the kind of person who needs someone to tell you when to get up and go, as well as someone to take you there in a sheltered environment, then by all means, do the tour.  It will be much less stressful for you, and after all, you are on vacation.  If that is what you need to feel relaxed, then go for it because the extra money you spend to have all the details taken care of for you will pay off.  However, if you want to be in control of your time and get a bigger bang for your buck, then I highly suggest you forego the tour travel and plan the whole thing yourself.  You will save money, and you will be the one who decides when it's time to leave.  Be smart about it and book hotels that will allow you to cancel on short notice.  Then, if you decide Dublin needs one more day, you can take it.

How Examiner.com is Helping Me Work from Home

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about how you can earn money for your writing and work from home.  For me, this is a major deal because, as those who follow this blog know, I am due in July with my first child, and I am really trying to figure out how to be able to stay home with him, even if it means working during his naps and when he (hopefully) sleeps.

Shortly after writing that post, I left for a trip to Spain and Ireland.  When I returned, I set about the task of really making the most from my Examiner.com writing role.  The first thing I did was take advantage of the resources that the website has available to help me improve my writing and tailor it to their standards.  I discovered that certain types of articles and media include incentive pay, so I decided to make sure that I completed as many of those article types as the site allows each week in order to get that pay.

Next, I studied what the site defines as newsworthy content.  For writers who consistently produce newsworthy content, the site will sometimes promote your content and eventually submit it to news partners. In the past week, I worked hard to find content that was both on topic and newsworthy.  This included such articles as "Couple weds after 21-year engagement", "Bakery refuses to supply wedding cake for same-sex couple", "Former Facebook president's $10 million wedding raises red flags", and a personal favorite, "Wedding invitation blown up after police suspect it is explosive device".  I am now eligible to have my articles promoted in the news section of the site, and with continued diligence, I can work towards even more exposure.

My earnings have continued to increase even just over the last week.  I still have a long way to go, but the more I learn through the information provided by Examiner.com, the more I can focus my writing to maximize my full earning potential.  I requested an additional title this week, and it is my hope that in a few months, I will be able to earn a significant income from my writing there, as well as here.

As I said in my previous post, Examiner pays a $50 referral fee for writers who apply through my referral link and are accepted.  THERE IS NO COST TO JOIN.  If you are interested in joining Examiner.com as a writer, please use my link to do so and then email me once your application has been submitted.  If you are approved, I will share $10 from the one-time referral fee with you once it is paid to me.

Safety of TSA Body Scanners for Pregnant Women

Jesse and I arrived in Madrid, Spain yesterday morning.  The flight here - my first trip ever in business class - was even better than I could have imagined.  I will come back to that in a moment, but first, I wanted to be sure to share something that I learned from my experience of traveling while pregnant.

When we arrived at the airport and got up to the front of the security line, a woman there directed me to go through a different scanner than the one where everyone else in my line was going.  My line was set up to go through a full body scanner as opposed to one of the regular, old-school metal detectors.  However, the woman specifically directed me out of that line and instructed one of her fellow guards to take me through the old metal detector.

Naturally, being six and a half months pregnant - and looking about nine months pregnant - I had to assume that the reason she directed me - and only me - to that line was because of my baby bump.  When I arrived at my hotel, I started doing some research and found that many doctors have advised their patients to avoid the body scanners when they are going through airport security.

Apparently, there has not been much research done on the scanners and their health effects, whether it be on pregnant women, their babies, or the overall health effects of the scanners on the general population.  However, because of the radiation transmitted by the machines, doctors have been telling their patients to avoid them. 

Of course, this does make sense, and it is something that, in retrospect, I think I probably should have realized on my own.  However, since I did not, and since my doctor did not mention it, I figured it was worth bringing to the attention of my readers. 

If you are pregnant and getting ready to travel, talk to your doctor about it and even do some research on your own.  But also remember that the body scanners are not your only option and feel free to alert the guards to the fact that you are pregnant so you can go through the other scanners.  You may want to bring along a note from your doctor in case you encounter a guard who is hell-bent on getting you through that body scanner no matter what. 

On another note, flying first class is unreal.  My husband gets to do it all the time because he often travels internationally for business, but the flight to Madrid was my first time.  (Ironically, it was because my hubby travels so much that we were able to get the tickets.  He used all the points he has accumulated to get us our tickets for next to nothing.  First class would not have been nearly as sweet if we had to shell out all that cash for it.)

I could not believe how comfortable the seats were.  Granted, we were on a plane with seats that went all the way down into a flat position, which is not always the case, but for the first time ever, I was able to sleep on the plane.  In addition to adjusting into about a hundred different possible combinations of feet and body positions, the seats had built-in massagers to lull me to sleep. 

The service was amazing, too.  No sooner was I awake in the morning than someone was there with a hot washcloth and a glass of orange juice.  A few minutes later, I had a breakfast tray in front of me.  I felt like a celebrity.

Hot Iron Holster Giveaway

Enter to WIN a purple Hot Iron Holster - Ends 5/17 - Sparkle Me Pink

Hosted by Sparkle Me Pink 

Co-hosted by  Charlotte Raynor Writes & Simply Sherryl

Sponsored by Hot Iron Holster 

One of the coolest beauty gadgets on the market today is the Hot Iron Holster. 

Made of heat resistant silicone, this pocket of sorts holds your curling irons, flat irons or hair dryers. 

Perfect for those that live in apartments with limited counter space, are headed off to college dorms or even those with little kids running around to help prevent accidental burns.

Check out Sparkle Me Pink's Full Review HERE

One of the greatest uses for this holster is for travel.  There is nothing worse than waking up in the morning and rushing to get your hair done so you can leave, only to realize that you now have a hot iron that you do not want to pop right into your bag.  You can use the holster to hold it until it cools sufficiently! 

Enter to win a purple Hot Iron Holster through the Rafflecopter below 

Giveaway will run May 1st - May 17th at midnight

Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Pediatrician

My husband and I are getting ready for the birth of our son, and as part of that process, we face the daunting task of finding a pediatrician to care for our itty bitty.  Our appointment with the pediatricians we hope will be a good fit is set for May 28, and I have been working on putting together a list of questions for the doctor with whom we will be meeting.

We chose to interview this particular office because they have 8 doctors on staff, a daily walk-in clinic from 8 to 9 a.m., and their office is in the same building as my OBGYN and right across from the hospital where our little man will be born.  They also were all very nice to me on the phone, which was a huge factor in me deciding to meet with them.  Any time a doctor's office staff is rude or pushy, I run the other way.  If the doctor is willing to tolerate that in the people who often are responsible for first impressions, then he or she is probably rude or pushy, too.

Below are the questions I came up with so far.  Please share any other suggestions or experiences in the comments.

1. Participation with insurance.  This one is huge, of course.  If the office does not participate with your insurance, you probably want to look elsewhere.
2. Travel preparation services.  Because the hubby and I travel a lot, we want to make sure that we choose a doctor who will be able to help us prepare our son for international travel in the years to come.  Obviously, we will not be taking him to any high-risk areas when he is very small, but any time you go to another country, it is good to check into any possible health risks.  Having a doctor who is well-versed in travel health is essential for traveling families like us.
3. Vaccination schedule.  Different doctors have different schedules for vaccinations.  It is good to know what you should expect for your child such as how often vaccinations will be given and at what age they will be administered.  Also, be sure to ask about how flexible the doctor is on the schedule and whether you can spread the vaccinations out more over time.
4. Recommended vaccinations.  I plan to get most, if not all, of the recommended vaccinations.  My father nearly died from polio when he was a baby, and in this global age, an outbreak of deadly disease is only a plane ride away, especially with so many people deciding not to vaccinate their children against diseases that still exist all over the world.  However, it is still important for me to know exactly what vaccinations are recommended by my baby's doctor, as well as which ones he or she may think are less important.  If nothing else, I want to make sure that my child gets protection against the horrific diseases that could easily make a comeback in this country, especially since there are now so many potential carriers.
5. Internet appointments and resources.  I hate the telephone.  If I can avoid using it, I will.  So one thing I love in a doctor's office is the ability to contact them via the internet, at least for general things.  HIPAA laws prevent some communications, but doctors who are willing to at least allow patients to request appointments via the internet are always going to get an extra vote in my book.  If I can also ask a general question via email and see whether I really need to be concerned about some issue with my child, even better.
6. Ability to get same day appointments.  If your little one does get sick, it is important to know how long you should expect to wait before getting an appointment.  If the practice is too busy, you might end up having to wait a day or two before you can get in to see the doctor.  When your child is suffering, that is an eternity.
7. Frequency of recommended appointments.  Different doctors recommend seeing children on different schedules for wellness checks.  Be sure to find out how often your doctor will want you and your little one in there.  World of Pediatrics offers printable forms for each recommended wellness visit.
8. Other office locations.  Usually you can find this information online, but if your pediatrician does not have a website, make sure to ask if there are any other office locations.
9. Cloth diapering.  If you plan to use cloth diapers, ask the doctor how familiar he or she is with cloth diaper specific issues such as topical creams, antibiotics, and rashes.
10. How to contact during non-office hours.  Finally, make sure you know what to do if you need the doctor during non-business hours.  Is there someone on call?  Also, if you are choosing a solo practitioner, find out who will cover the doctor's duties when he or she is on vacation or otherwise unavailable.  Make sure you get contact information before you need it.

Earn Money for Your Writing and Work from Home!

If you like to write like I do, the idea of finding a paid writing job sounds ideal, but unfortunately, the competition for such positions is fierce.  That is why I love Examiner.com!  Examiner.com is a website that brings together the work of many different local writers from all across the country and helps to promote it.

Because the website management promotes the site and site content, writers get much better earnings on their writing than they do when starting out with a blog.  Earnings can vary depending on a variety of factors, but I am currently earning about 1/2 a cent per pageview, which is significantly more than what I earn writing for Spare Time Super Mom.  (Of course, the trade off is that I get to write whatever I want here, but I am limited to my specific topic on Examiner.com.)

Since I am trying to find a way to make some extra cash from home so I can spend more time with my son when he arrives, I am trying to focus more on Examiner.com as a job rather than a hobby (although it is definitely both!), and I have really seen my pageviews and earnings increase as a result, even after just a few days.  My topic is Herndon Wedding Planning, and I am committing myself to writing at least one article every two days from this point forward, at least when I am at home.  (I do leave for Spain and Ireland in a few days, so I may not be able to keep up while I am away, but when I get back, I plan to be all over it!)  I would like to eventually get to two articles per day, and I have some plans up my sleeve to help me get there.

There are a ton of topics to choose from, so whatever your hobbies, interests, or areas of expertise, I am sure there is something for you.  Go ahead and browse the site for available topics, but make sure to come back here before you sign up because Examiner.com pays $50.00 per referral.  If you sign up through my referral link and get approved by the end of June 2013, I WILL SHARE $10.00 OF THE REFERRAL FEE WITH YOU!

Examiner.com also provides access to a ton of photos that are free to use for your articles on their website, as well as the comprehensive Examiner University, where writers can learn about all kinds of topics to improve their writing and their earning potential.  They have a vested financial interest in seeing their writers do well because the more you earn, the more they earn.  Their support for their writers is awesome!

It is really easy and, of course, FREE to sign up, and they usually process your application within about a week or two.  If you do submit an application, please email me at sparetimesupermom@gmail.com with your name and topic choice so I can watch for your application to get approved.  Happy writing and happy earning!

6-Year-Old's Fundraiser to Help a Friend is a Huge Success

6-year-old Dylan Siegel is showing that you don't have to be a big kid to make a difference.  When he found out about his best friend Jonah's rare liver disease, he told his parents that he wanted to help.  They encouraged him to help raise money by holding a bake sale or setting up a lemonade stand, but Dylan decided to aim higher.  He told his mother that he was going to write a book and sell it to make money, and that is just what he is doing.

With help from family and friends, Dylan's parents helped him to publish his book, Chocolate Bar, and it began to sell.  As more and more people have heard about this amazing tale of friendship between two little boys, sales have increased.  Dylan's goal is to raise $1 million for research towards a cure for Jonah's illness, which is known as Glycogen Storage Disease.

For a minimum donation of $20.00, you can get a copy of Dylan's book by visiting the Chocolate Bar Book website.  This is an awesome way to donate to a great cause and help to encourage both of these boys to always look around and see what they can do for others.  It will also make a great teaching tool for your children as you read it to them and remind them of the very important principles that these two boys are teaching us: the importance of being a real friend to someone and that anyone can make a difference if he or she is determined.

 

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