Today is April 1, also known as April Fools’ Day, a day which traditionally involved people playing pranks on one another, dating back before the 1800s.
Jokesters have gotten bolder and more brazen with their tricks and a few have taken things too far, and so far that people have actually gotten hurt, physically, emotionally and mentally from jokes.
There are tons of harmless pranks to play: switching out salt with sugar at the coffee station, putting a whoopee cushion in someone’s chair, rapping on someone’s door and disappearing before they open it. Silly stuff like that, but there are others that should be avoided because they can be triggering.
One common prank is telling other people that you’re pregnant, or that your girlfriend/wife/friend is pregnant with your child.
That is not a good one to pull because it is insensitive to thousands, if not millions, of couples out there are are trying to actually get pregnant but cannot.
Briefly, they may be happy for your news, wish it was them, think about their own struggles, and possible losses, and go through a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions at their expense….only to learn later you were joking! Ugh!
It has been done before casually and aloofly without forethought to this very large group of people in the TTC (Trying to Conceive) community!
Easter is around the corner. If you are in the hunt for new or different ways to have fun with the kids on Easter weekend, here are 10 unique and innovative ideas compliments of SheKnows:
1. Easter bunny tracks
A full-blown Easter egg hunt guided by the Easter Bunny himself? Surely there could be nothing more adorable. The kids will love waking up on Easter morning to find that the Easter Bunny has left them a personalized note and a few bunny tracks pointing them in the direction of the hidden eggs. These cute printables make setting up the bunny track hunt a breeze.
2. Easter egg garden
For very young children, this is as cute as it comes. If they’re too little to hunt well in the yard, you can make your own Easter egg garden that “grows” plastic eggs instead. Placing candy-filled Easter egg flowers in the grass or sand will make it easy for even the littlest ones to find their treats.
3. Indoor egg hunt
If you live in a part of the country where spring hasn’t sprung yet, all hope is not lost. You can turn a cold or rainy Easter day into an adventure when you tell your kids that they’re going to hunt for all their eggs and Easter trinkets inside the house. To make the indoor egg hunt even more unique, try hiding the eggs in a trail or with clues leading to one giant Easter basket.
4. Golden egg hunt
Little mateys at that pirate-loving age will get a kick out of this specialized Easter egg hunt. When kids know there is “buried treasure” involved — like a one-of-a-kind golden egg left behind by the Easter Bunny — they’re likely to take the hunt a little more seriously. Bonus points for putting some booty (read: money) inside or attached to the golden egg.
5. Letter hunt
Learning can be fun, right? For younger kids who are just learning to spell and read, they’ll enjoy hunting for Easter eggs that each contain a letter to spell out a hidden message. Kids can work together to find the letter-filled eggs and put together the Easter message (“Some bunny loves you,” for example) to earn their Easter prize.
6. Easter egg decoder
This is a great one for a larger group, since kids will need to be broken up into teams. Teams of three or four can hunt to find as many mismatched eggs as they can (where the wrong-colored halves of plastic eggs have been put together). Once the eggs have been found, teams can take apart and reassemble the right-colored halves of the eggs. The first team to “unscramble” their mismatched eggs gets a big, ol’ Easter basket filled with candy.
7. Kid-guided hunt
For any kid who loves to pull a fast one on their parents, they’ll be thrilled to be put in charge of the Easter egg hunt for the day. Ask your kids to hide a basket of candy-filled eggs around the yard and watch as you try your best to find them. Any eggs that aren’t found within a certain time limit — say, 10 minutes — the kids get to keep and eat.
8. Scavenger list
This one’s for elementary school and older kids who are looking for a little challenge: Make over your traditional Easter egg hunt using a scavenger hunt checklist. You can task kids with finding a variety of different objects hidden around the yard (like four blue eggs, six yellow eggs, two chocolate eggs and a chocolate Easter bunny) before time is up.
9. Exercise scavenger hunt
Kids have a lot of energy to burn — we know this much is true. So, if your kiddos have been begging for Easter candy all day long, why not make them work for it? Hide sports-themed Easter eggs that contain an exercise instruction along with a candy treat. Kids will have to do 10 jumping jacks, run a lap around the yard or jog in place before they can move on to the candy in the next egg.
10. Glow-in-the-dark hunt
This one might require a little patience, but it is so worth the wait. If you can get your kids to hold off on their Easter candy extravaganza for most of the day, then the reward will be even sweeter — an Easter egg hunt to find glow-in-the-dark eggs is perfect for older kids looking for a thrill.
11. Easter egg piñata
Or how about you forgo the logistics of an egg hunt altogether and just hit some stuff with a stick? Buying an adorable Easter egg piñata — or making your own — is ideal for smaller kids who may not understand how to hunt for eggs yet, as well as older kids who just want to do something different this year. To make things even more interesting, try your hand at mini piñatas so you can make a special candy-filled creation for each kid (to destroy).
Introducing your baby to solid foods is a daunting task.
It’s hard to know if you’re getting the right advice from well-meaning family, your mommy group – or Google.
According to Amy Shapiro, Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and advisor to Fresh Bellies , the first-ever savory kid product for palate training, parents should be aware of 5 common misconceptions when they start solids:
#1 YOU NEED TO START WITH BLAND FOODS For most parents, spices are out, and fruits are first for babies. Instead, first foods should teach young palates to learn to love savory food. Many typical pre-made baby foods add sugar, which changes baby’s taste profile to crave sweet. Go for unmasked veggies seasoned with herbs and spices (yes garlic!).
#2 YOUR BABY MUST WAIT UNTIL MONTH 6 There’s no set rule around baby’s first solid foods – it really depends on your baby. It’s totally okay to start at month 4 or even start all the way up to month 8.
#3 NUTS ARE A NO GO No need to avoid nuts. In fact, the earlier you introduce your kids, in pureed form, (as long as there is no family history of nut allergy), the less risk they have of developing these and other types of allergies. Introduce them at around 6 months.
#4 BABY’S FIRST MEATBALLS? Early on, your child does not yet have the enzymes necessary to digest meats. Always start with veggies, and avoid those chicken nuggets for now.
#5 CLEAN YOUR PLATE Worried your child isn’t eating enough? Don’t. Let your kid tell you when they are finished with their meal.If you teach them to ignore their natural “full” tendency, they will have trouble self-regulating their eating portions for the rest of their lives.
Getting confirmation that you’re pregnant is usually a moment filled with absolute euphoria. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for each day that follows. Being pregnant and being a parent later on will be filled with amazing moments but also challenges, crises and even a few tears.
What you need is an arsenal
of remedies to fight the onslaught of ‘feeling blue’ that’s bound to come your
way. Whether it’s momentary feelings or long bouts of depression, knowing there
are methods to counter those feelings may get you through the day a little
easier.
The good news: Even your
favorite topic—fashion—can help with that.
We listed five tips that you can try the next time the day seems darker than usual.
Watch What Colors You Put On
It’s common knowledge in
marketing thatcolors communicate certain messages. Businesses use this approach to influence customers,
partners and even their employees. Red is a popular business color because it
communicates power.
You can use this approach
by putting on certain colors to spark emotions in your mind:
Blue can calm you down
Black is all about feeling stylish
Green represents growth and could remind you of
the wonderful journey of life you’re part of
Grey does bring some calm but can also completely
dampen your mood, so put those dull pants at the bottom of the cupboard
Yellow can spark a feeling of warmth and comfort
A good idea is stocking up on the right colored pregnancy wear as soon as you find out you’re pregnant, so you’re ready for whatever comes.
You Have the Right to Buy Something
New
Of course, stocking up
doesn’t mean you can’t do some shopping later on. Fatigue often leads to
pregnant women and young parents not taking much care with their personal
appearance:
Wearing worn clothes
Not washing their hair
Putting on ill-fitting outfits
Unfortunately this often
leads to feeling even worse as you’re embarrassed about not looking as good as
those around you.
So, why not take yourself
on a shopping spree? A new outfit that fits well and is comfortable is just the
ticket to get you feeling better. Also, if you’re anything like most people
you’ll look forward to putting on that new item. The excitement and the new
look may boost your emotions.
Keep it Comfortable but
Balanced
Being pregnant often leads to physical discomfort. While you’re on a shopping spree, picking clothes that are more comfortable could solve some of your frustrations. Just be careful: Dressing in baggy clothes that don’t compliment your look all the time could make you feel less positive about yourself.
Manage Others’ Perception of
You
Let’s face it: We all want
to look good in our own but also other people’s eyes. Putting on weight could
be a huge factor in losing faith in your own appearance.
So why not use fashion to
your benefit:
Usebold
jewelry on your wrist and neck to draw
attention away from your stomach and hips.
Wearing
black is always slimming
Put makeup
on even if you don’t feel like it so people focus on your face.
That’s the power of
fashion!
Last Tip: Use the Power of
Favorites
If all else fails and the
blues really hit you, don’t underestimate the power of a favorite piece of
clothing. It can provide the comfort you need or even make you smile when you
remember memories associated with other times you wore it.
Use fashion and come to
your own rescue. You’ve got this!
Continuing in my Mommy and Daddy Makeover Series of articles is this article with tips from Dr. Andrew Jacono, an expert plastic surgeon who delivers results and keeps his patients as his number one priority.
Facial surgeries are common in the United States, but to ensure the results match the results you want, you need to first consult with a reputable and well-known surgeon who can answer any and all of your questions.
To avoid mistakes and to have the surgery performed perfectly the first time make sure you consult with your surgeon, check their credentials, see previous before and after photos, and ask questions about the procedure.
Benefits of a Face Lift Surgeries
Having any kind of facial surgery can be a challenging thing to undergo, but the results and benefits of the surgery can leave a lasting impression for the rest of your life. Facial surgery can help men and women alike gain more confidence and have higher self-esteem. They can help people look twenty years younger or more and can help you achieve your ideal self. Everyone has an issue with some part of their face and would like to have it changed.
Having a facelift performed can help eliminate sagging skin, can address under eye bags, can make skin more firm, reduce wrinkles, and improve your overall look. Dr. Andrew Jacono will consult with each client before performing surgery and ask them about the areas of improvement they would like to see. Rather than suggesting a full facelift for each patient, Dr. Jacono only recommends the necessary surgeries to help his patients reach their ideal self. If a patient would like to have the bags under their eyes corrected and removed, Dr. Jacono can make this happen. Each person who likes to improve different parts of their face does not need full facial surgery but rather can have one part of their face worked on.
Procedure
Many plastic surgeons use various methods and procedures to perform face surgeries, however, Dr. Jacono is one of the few surgeons in the world that can perform Deep Plane Face Lifts. During this procedure, he repositions the sagging skin and soft tissue that result from aging and gravity. This procedure helps patients look natural. It is difficult to tell that patients had ever undergone surgery since only the deep tissue is worked on.
A Minimal Access Deep Plane Extended Face Lift was created by Dr. Andrew Jacono and uses the best techniques from various types of procedures. It is designed to give patients the best results while looking natural. It has minimal scarring because it involves a very small incision. This procedure moves both the tissues and muscles inside your skin to produce lasting results. Unlike other surgeons who pull the skin tight during facial surgery, Dr. Jacono does not do this. The result is more natural, younger looking, rejuvenated skin.
The area that the patient feels like needs to be improved, such as under eye bags, sagging neck, or wrinkles, determines which procedure the surgeon will use. Before undergoing any type of surgery the doctor will be sure to explain the procedure to you in depth. Any questions that you have will be easily answered and before and after pictures of previous patients can be shown.
Undereye bags are one of the most common facial procedures since they are a common sign of aging. Lifting under eye bags helps make the skin look younger and more rejuvenated. If you are not looking for a full facial surgery and would only like to have one feature fixed, like under eye bags, this can easily be achieved. Raising the tissue in under your eyes can make you look naturally younger.
Recovery
Recovery from facial surgery can be challenging and the depth of the surgery can affect how long it will take one to recover. Most patient’s recovery within one week, but daily activities can normally be resumed the next day. Typical recovery includes pain and discomfort in the face. Occasional bruising can occur but will go away within a week or so. Swelling usually peaks around three days after the surgery so it is important to wait a full week before taking you’re before and after photo. In order to cope with the pain and discomfort, your doctor will usually prescribe pain medications for you to take for the first week. The longer you wait after recovery the more your incisions start to fade. To help reduce any scarring you can use lotions and creams over time.
Consultation with Dr. Andrew Jacono
Dr. Andrew Jacono is a well-recognized and famous plastic surgeon, who has patients from across the globe. To accommodate his diverse patients he performs consultations online for the continence of his clients who are out of the city or the country. He is based in New York City and is part of the New York Center for Facial Plastic & Laser Surgery. He has many years of experience and is an expert in many types of facial surgeries. Before undergoing surgery, Dr. Andrew Jacono will answer any questions that you have, show you before and after photos of previous patients, and describe in detail what will happen during the procedure and after.
He is a professional surgeon who helps teach and lecture future students and patients about the field of plastic surgery and the most current clinical research trials. He is up to date on the most recent techniques that deliver the best results to patients. Dr. Andrew Jacono is Dual Board Certified in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Head and Neck Surgery. He heads the Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at North Shore University Hospital and is the director of The New York Center for Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. In order to help his patient’s recovery from their surgeries, he created the J PAK Systems that feature homeopathic remedies to help speed up the rate of recovery.
If you are looking to schedule a consultation with a facelift surgeon in New York City, you can reach Dr. Andrew Jacono’s office at 212-570-2500.
Also, you cannot compare this to traditional horror, I do not think or something Alfred Hitchcock would come up with though it is in the vein of Hitchcock’s Vertigo or Wes Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes but with surreal quirkiness of the adaptation of Marvel’s Legion on FX.
When it comes to celebrating firsts, there’s something special about celebrating that first Easter together. While your baby is a bit too small to help you with a lot of things, she’ll enjoy watching you decorate the house, color Easter eggs and prepare yummy foods. During your celebration don’t forget to take lots of photos. You’ll want to be sure to include them with her other “firsts” in her scrapbook.
Coloring eggs
This time honored tradition of coloring Easter eggs started because eggs are a symbol of rebirth. More than 500 years ago the first book was written mentioning Easter eggs. Some Christians would not eat meat during Lent and so Easter was the first time they could eat eggs and meat again. One common game that was played was an egg rolling contest which symbolized the rolling away of the stone on Christ’s tomb. Your baby will love the look of colored eggs. Beware, though. It may be a good idea to wait until your child is older to let her eat them. If you’re looking for egg-coloring inspiration, check out these five blogs.
Many churches and cities hold large Easter egg hunts every year. The nice thing about these places is that they let the groups go according to age. You and your little one can run out looking for eggs. Many times the eggs are just lying on the grass and easy to find. Invite some other kids over and throw your own Easter egg hunt. Of the many kinds of events you can host this is probably one of the easiest ones you can do. If money is tight you can always ask each guest to bring a dozen filled eggs with them so that you don’t have to provide all of the filled eggs and the food for the event. Have a good time and take a look at these five blog entries to get some tips on egg hunts.
Everyone needs a dessert for Easter dinner. For baby’s first Easter he may or may not be eating a lot of solid foods, but these desserts are kid-friendly desserts that are perfect for the whole family. Traditional Easter desserts might be carrot cake or pineapple cake. Bakers have branched out over the years to include all sorts of edible delights for Easter dinner. These five blog posts will show traditional, light and decadent Easter desserts.
Typically the Easter bunny leaves a basket for little boys and girls. You can buy a pre-made Easter basket at the discount store if you are pressed for time, but why would you when it’s so simple to put one together yourself. There are different levels of Easter baskets, from simple to over-the-top. These basket ideas have so many cute things that no one will even miss the candy. So no matter what kind of basket you want to give your little one on her first Easter you should be able to find some ideas within these five blog posts.
When you become a mother yourself, something funny happens, and you see your own mother in a totally different light, and it is wonderful. Your relationship with your mother changes undoubtedly, immeasurably, and forever as it’s almost impossible to fully understand the perspective of your mother – until you are one yourself. It is likely that you and your Mom fight sometimes as all mother/daughters do and if not so much as an adult there will sure to have been cross words as you were growing up. There are often things that mothers and daughters fight about over and over again, and you cannot understand why your mom won’t change her opinion on the matter or budge even the tiniest bit in her stance. You might think its something in her personality? A stubbornness? But in all honesty, it is probably to do with her being your mom and putting her concern for you before anything else. Take a look at this list to see how your relationship with your mother changes when you have kids:
You Have Empathy For Past Situations
Between the morning sickness and going crazy from your hormones to every single terrifying and emotionally dizzying part of having an actual child, you suddenly have a lot of empathy for what your mom was going through when she had you. Often you just assume your Mom knew what she was doing, she had some kind of manual to tell her and that she would have been perfect when she was going through all this back then, but you soon learn that that is not the case.
You Speak To Her A Lot More
When you’re pregnant or have a newborn baby, it’s likely that you’ll call or visit your mom a lot. You won’t even have to worry about missing her calls and taking a day or two to call her back because it’s you who is calling her every three hours now as she knows exactly what you’re going through and as the saying goes ‘Mother knows best’.
You Welcome Her Advice
While in the past you might have thought she didn’t know what she was talking, you would refuse her advice and stop her in her tracks when you felt advice coming on. Now, all of a sudden you want her opinion all of the time because her advice might enhance the wellbeing of your child. You also recognise that your mom has a little more experience in the mothering department than you do.
You Need Her
You suddenly become intensely aware of how much comfort your own mother can provide for you. You need her more than ever, and you feel very guilty for not giving her the chance to comfort you more often throughout life when you know she wanted to.
She Understands
When you have a baby, it can feel like your mom is the only person who understands what you’re going through. She is obviously an experienced mother, and you also share DNA, so there is a magical pull there that makes you feel like only your mom gets you right now.
She’s An Amazing Babysitter
You fully trust your Mom with your children, and you don’t feel the need to give her a long list of detailed instructions or call every half hour to check in. You might need to do that with your friends or other family members, but not with your mom. You know that your mom loves your child as much as you do and she’s got this.
You Forgive Her
If there are a lot of grudges and fights that you might have been hanging onto for many years, even your entire life. You’ll be amazed at just how much you are able to forgive your mother for and understand where she was coming from once you’re a mom yourself. In fact, you’ll realise that some of the things you thought she handled poorly, she actually managed pretty well.
You Get Mad At Your Dad
With this newfound appreciation for your mother, you might also notice a newfound disgust for anyone who doesn’t appreciate her. If you see your that dad is not thanking her enough for certain things; then it’s likely you’ll pick him up on it.
You Respect Her So Much More
You now treat your mother with far more respect than you ever have done before. Once you have a baby, you realise how frustrating it is when your own child disrespects you, and you don’t want to put your mom through that pain ever again. In fact, you want to spoil her and show her how much you appreciate her – you can do this with some of AVON’s great mothers day gifts – now that you’re older you know she’d prefer to be spoiled than you making something .
You Let Her Be Right
Before the baby came, you probably had all these ideas about how you were going to discipline them, raise them, feed them and have them sleep. Now that your baby is here and you realise parenthood is far more chaos than you could have ever imagined, you soften up on some of your idealistic parenting ideas and let your mom be right.
You Start Apologizing To Your Mom
Almost every day you will have a moment with your child that reminds you of your own childhood and a time you mistreated or didn’t appreciate your mom. It’s likely that you’ll find yourself calling her to apologise a lot.
You Realise How Strong Your Mom Is
You see you in a completely different light, and you realise that she did things and dealt with things that you never knew. She survived this, and she did it with grace and made it look easy.
You Want To Spend More Time With Her Your mom becomes one of your best friends. Not only do you have a strong biological bond, but she also has infinite wisdom and stories to share. Why would you want to hang out with your friend who doesn’t have kids and who you’ve only known for a few years?
Virgo’s are hardworking and practical, which make them likely to handle pregnancy with more grace than chaos. The Virgo’s enjoyment of healthy foods and books make them one of the most common of the zodiac signs to read all of the books on pregnancy and motherhood and eat just right for a healthy pregnancy.
However, the Virgo’s tendency to be overly critical of themselves means that they are quite likely to feel like “bad mothers” before the baby has even arrived. The Virgo is the most likely to take something as simple as slipping and having half a cup of fully caffeinated coffee and turn it into “I’m a bad mommy!”
There are a lot of opinions out there on the best pregnancy tips. Pregnant women are often bombarded with pregnancy tips from friends and family, websites, clickbait articles, and books. With all this information, how can pregnant women know what to believe?
Women often turn to trial and error, taking the time to discover the practices that work best for them and their bodies.
And of course, a doctor’s medical advice is important above all other opinions.
In general, pregnancy has changed for women around the world.
There are some basic pregnancy tips regarded as tried and true—like rubbing lotion on your belly to prevent stretch marks; taking prenatal vitamins; getting plenty of exercise; limiting caffeine; and eating as healthy as possible.
But it might surprise you to learn that over the centuries, women have resorted to downright grossness and discomfort to boost fertility, stay thin, and birth healthy babies.
To find out more about these startling pregnancy myths, Maeband decided to delve into the past. (Continue reading)
