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Today I’m 25 weeks pregnant! Ever had muscles in your cheeks or thighs jump or jiggle? That’s currently what the kicks are feeling like. We’re going to have to pick up some more pillows because my hips are starting to get sore when I sleep on my sides. I have to keep a rotation going throughout the night. I started using my BabyPlus on January 21st. I’m not sure if I can keep up with using it two times a day, but I’ll try. I will be following up with a review.

According to Baby Center, at 25 weeks I should do the following: Dedicate time to your partner this week. Treat your partner to a romantic surprise. Write down all the things you love about him, tell him why you think he’ll be a great dad, or just go for a stroll while holding hands. Take time to connect on a physical and emotional level and celebrate what connects you and makes you love one another. Try to do something at least once a week for 30 minutes that clearly communicates the importance of your partner in your life, says clinical psychologist Diane Sanford.

Hmmm.

Next week we go for the glucose test so I’ll be sure to mention how icky it was. I’m hoping that we can get some more ultrasound pictures taken. I want to see my buddha’s face again! I’m not sure just how many more of these weekly updates that I can do since so little can happen in a week, but I’ll try my hardest to keep up!

(We have been keeping weekly accounts of our pregnancy since the 22nd week. If you’re interested in reading weekly updates prior to or following this one, click here!)

I just stumbled across a Sears ad and it looks like they’re having their Biggest Baby Event of the Season. All baby clothes including tops, bottoms, outfits, sweater sets, dresses, one-pieces, sleepwear, Layette Collections, bibs, bath, blankets, and outerwear (whew!) are all on sale. Mommy and I may go check out some clothes for Jayden, although a shiny, brand spankin’ new lawn tractor may lure me away from the baby section. What does a baby need clothes for anyway? Now a baby that can mow my front lawn can write his own ticket!

And speaking of Sears, I think there’s only one way to properly end this post…

Question: What has made parenting easier for you?

Summer says “Physical items that helped: A sling! Oh, hands free baby care rocks and they are so much happier and peaceful. Cosleeping. No getting up for late night feedings, just roll over lift shirt fall back asleep.

The biggest help was learning to trust my gut instead of what the “experts” say or what society thinks I’m supposed to do.”

Mommy - Two summers ago, I purchased a Peekaboo pouch on sale to add to our “baby stash” and I’m eying a few other slings. Slings are definitely must-haves. There’s no way our baby would survive in our bed as Daddy already uses me as a teddy bear! Products such as the Co-Sleeper or Amby Baby Motion Bed may be of some assistance! Oh, just rolling over and lifting up your shirt sounds really convenient, lol!

Daddy - Trusting your gut is definitely important. Everyone is unique in their own way, so what works for one person just may not work for another. That also can be applied vice versa; what doesn’t work for others just may actually work for you. Sometimes you just have to go by your gut instinct to find what works best for you and most importantly, your child.

LOL @ “just roll over lift shirt fall back asleep”! Mommy suggested co-sleeping to me for when Jayden arrives, but then she retracted the idea due to the fact that (and I quote), “You might roll over him or fart on him.” Now I’ll admit, I can get a little tossy turny while I’m sleep, but I DO NOT FLATULATE IN MY SLEEP!!!

…ok maybe I do once or twice, but Jayden won’t care!

This post is a part of our Parenting Made Easier series. Our goal for this series is to help new and expecting parents learn ways that parenting can be made easier through tips and advice given by “veteran” parents. If you would like to be featured in this series, just leave a comment on the original post sharing your own tips and advice on what has made parenting easier for you. And be sure to subscribe to our feed so that you don’t miss out on any updates to this series!

Every Monday, beginning next week, Christine over at From Dates to Diapers, and beyond! will choose a stay-at-home mom or a mom who works from home, who she will interview and put in the spotlight! Words of encouragement, funny quotes, or tips to help the honoree navigate her way through mounds of dishes and loads of laundry will be left by commenters. So are you feeling unappreciated and need some lovin’? Go nominate yourself or someone who you feel deserves the spotlight and if you help spread the word about Christine’s Mom of the Week segment, you’ll have a chance to win a pair of handmade earrings made by Christine herself!

Question: What has made parenting easier for you?

Raquita says “What has helped the most for me (I just had kid #2) is backing off the idea that I had in my mind about what parenting was going to be for me, and learning to go with the flow. I’m still figuring out what works best for my family and my kids, but we are getting there and it seems better every day.

As far as material items, I couldn’t live with out my stroller, its the one that accepts this one. My travel swing, and a good monitor, it will help you keep from spoiling the baby. The more comfortable you can be with the baby in another room the easier it will be for both of you (you and the baby- that is) to learn to be independent of one another… for me that took a pretty high tec monitor.”

Mommy - Going with the flow is definitely what I’m all about. Life’s full of surprises and you have to be able to adjust to them for the benefit of your family. Independency is something I may struggle with because I plan on practicing some forms of attachment parenting. This is where going with the flow and seeing what works best for our family comes in!

Light-weight strollers are a definite must-have! When you’re traveling with kids in tow you don’t want to have to struggle with lifting and getting a bulky stroller out of your vehicle, especially in extreme weather conditions. I will wear Jayden, but in situations when wearing him becomes uncomfortable we will definitely benefit from a stroller.

Thanks for your suggestions and congrats on babe #2!

Daddy - First of all, congratulations on your second child! I totally agree with you on going with the flow. I’m a go-with-the-flow type person myself, and I’ve learned that some things are just best taught through trial and error. That way, you can figure out what doesn’t work, what does work, and what works best. And when it comes to family, as you said, you want what works best!

I also agree with you on a parent and a child becoming independent of one another. I already know that Mommy and I are going to spoil Jayden like crazy since he is our first child. But I don’t want to spoil him to the point where it has negative affects on him or us. So I believe establishing independency with the child is definitely a very good way to make parenting easier.

This post is a part of our Parenting Made Easier series. Our goal for this series is to help new and expecting parents learn ways that parenting can be made easier through tips and advice given by “veteran” parents. If you would like to be featured in this series, just leave a comment on the original post sharing your own tips and advice on what has made parenting easier for you. And be sure to subscribe to our feed so that you don’t miss out on any updates to this series!

www.thebabymarketplace.com – a great online spot for Baby Clothing, Shoes, Toys, Gifts and Cloth Diapers is hosting the Pippalily Baby Slings giveaway @ mommyknows.com. Go on over to Mommy Knows and comment to be entered to win one of two Pippalily Baby Slings! There are also 13 pairs of Bical Grippers up for grabs. Don’t miss out!

A few days ago, I asked a question: What has made parenting easier for you? My intentions in asking that question were to help new and expecting parents by allowing “veteran” moms and dads to give tips and advice on what has made parenting easier for them. I’d say that my intentions were definitely met as I received numerous informative, helpful responses. I honestly have to say that, speaking as an expecting parent, the responses I received helped me a lot in learning ways that parenting can be made easier. So, I’d like to personally thank each and every person that took the time out to share their knowledge and experience in wanting to help others!

Now, I believe that the responses by these people should not be buried in comments. So what I’m going to do is highlight each and every one of them in a series of posts entitled “Parenting Made Easier”. In each post I will highlight one response from the original post (in chronological order in which they were received), and Mommy and/or I will add our input while allowing others to add input also through comments. Since I believe that there are an infinite amount of ways that parenting can be made easier, responses are still encouraged on the original post. For each new, quality response received, a new post will be added to the Parenting Made Easier series featuring that specific response. Every post added to the Parenting Made Easier series will be added to this post below. So be sure to bookmark this post or subscribe to our feed so that you don’t miss any new entries to the series! Enjoy!

Question: What has made parenting easier for you?

Independency & Going With The Flow
A Sling, Co-sleeping, & Trusting Your Gut
Swaddling