Crowdtap'n

Recently I’ve been looking into doing product reviews for companies in my down time. It’s amazing how many companies out there will send you free samples for a review on your social media accounts, or give you gift cards for you doing surveys.

I’m a Stay-at-Home-Momma on a budget so free stuff is always welcome! I actually enjoy testing the stuff out too & writing reviews are fun!

A Lot of sites I have found have been trash. The kind where you do a 10 min. survey for a few points, cents, or free magazine subscription that no one wants. Or even better where one survey leads to another where they ask the same questions only to direct you to another site where they make you register then say no samples available. Pssht exhausting!

There are a few great sites out that will do what they say.

I am in love with Crowdtap now. So far I’ve redeemed $25 worth of Amazon Gift Card Credit. 

You get $5 every 500 points in the beginning, then every 1000 points. But the points are easy to come by because they have surveys everyday and these only take seconds. They're actually interesting surveys to! Some may ask you to do something as simple as type the first 3 words that come to mind when you hear a certain brand name. Or share an add on your social media. I do these when we’re riding down the road, or while the toddler has taken over my tv with PJ Masks & I have down time. Also the more of the brands you sign up for to do surveys for, the easier it is to gain points! 

They host campaigns from time to time where you can get great samples from companies, samples you’ll actually want & use! And full-sized! I have not got chosen for one yet, when I do I will surely share a pic of the sample!

I truly recommend Crowdtap for everyone! You can redeem your amazon cards and let them stack up or use them right away!

And this is just me sharing with you guys, I don’t get anything if you sign up, I just love to share good stuff when I find it! Hope you enjoy!

3rd Trimester Struggle

I’m in the home stretch now, the last two months of this pregnancy. I have noticed my will to care about my food intake has drastically declined. I am trying to not give up completely, but it’s almost to the point of I’m too tired to care. I haven't had any cravings this pregnancy. So there's nothing in particular I want, or have binged on. It's just been a combo of bad, easy choices.

The last two weeks have probably been the worst two, when it comes to food of my whole pregnancy. I’ve eaten carbs on carbs and sprinkled with more carbs!

You got to admit, that's some beautiful food!

I have been consistent at least, with doing some type of workout 2-3 times a week so I 'm guessing that’s helped me maintain thus far. If I hadn't been I surely would've put on at least 6 lbs or more from the past 2 weeks.

So hopefully me putting it out there for the world to read will help me regain my focus & stick to a healthier pregnancy diet. I have done so good this pregnancy with keeping a lower weight gain. I can’t give up now!

I really don’t want to blow up and gain a ton in these last two months. I know I will gain the most this time of pregnancy because baby is packing on all the fat he needs, but I am perfectly fine with him packing on the pounds, as long as they leave with him when he's delivered & not left remaining on my thighs or belly!

I also need my body to be at its best for labor! I don’t wanna feel bloated and weak while trying to push a baby out. And if the VBAC doesn’t work out, being healthy now will help my recovery from a C-Section.

So today was my last Hoorah! (I have said that a million times, but 2 months of working hard is doable). Tomorrow is a new week and I’m refocusing on lower carb intake & 1800-1900 calories a day. Plus upping my water intake. I will keep my workouts where they are because that's all my body can handle right now. As we all know, nutrition outweighs exercise everyday!
I can do this!! In two weeks I will be updating my Pregnancy Weight-Gain blog, so check back and see if I was able to stick to my goals!

Have you had a hard time throughout your pregnancy trying to keep your appetite under control?

First vs. Second Pregnancy Symptoms

Today marks 31 weeks pregnant! In 9 short weeks, give or take a week or so... my baby boy will be out of my womb & in my arms. It is so surreal! Looking back there has been times I have felt like this pregnancy was at a stand still. The "I've been pregnant forever" moments. But now, I realize how fast it has actually flown by! 

The lingering "I'm over being pregnant" moments are probably stemming from the fact that this pregnancy has been SO different & SO much more uncomfortable than my first. You're always hearing each pregnancy is different, each woman is different & how right that is! You also might hear that different symptoms means a different gender. Lies. We thought for sure the way this pregnancy was treating me that we'd be having a girl. Nope, another little boy!

Here's the breakdown.

First Pregnancy:

• Acne- during first trimester, face only, then it cleared up.
• Pelvic Pressure- 3rd trimester, as baby drops and gets bigger it puts more strain on your pelvis.
• Round Ligament Pain- Be careful how you move or you'll feel a SHARP quick pain in your lower abdomen/pelvic region. Feels like something ripping.
• Nausea- It was easy, cured by lemon ginger tea or some peppermint. 
• Food Cravings- I could've ate tacos, or anything Mexican all day everyday. No cravings with second pregnancy.

Both:

• Cold- I walk around in a hoodie in the house while everyone else is fine.
• Leg Cramps- This was actually worse the first pregnancy. They were pretty much my whole pregnancy, and horrible. EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. With none of the remedies working for it. This time they've started in my third trimester, and thankfully not every night.
• Crazy Dreams- Pregnancy dreams are the most vivid, weird & wild dreams you'll ever have! They also seem so realistic! 
• Lack of Energy- 1st & 3rd trimesters. Obviously because growing another human is exhausting.
• Baby Hates Coffee- My beloved. In first pregnancy it made me sick. This one it tastes like I'm drinking metal. I can do a frappe, but that's horrible for you, especially when you're trying to not gain a ton of weight. But some days I got to have my caffeine.
• Lack of sleep- Most nights this involves singing the same part of a song over and over for 30 mins. I feel like we're deprived sleep during pregnancy to get us prepared for the newborn who's up every 2 hours to eat or get diaper changed.
• Shortness of Breath- I'm sure this happens to just about all of us, as baby gets bigger more pressure is put on your lungs, so you run out of breath easier. Sometimes just emptying out the dryer has me panting.

Second Pregnancy:

• Acne- Throughout whole pregnancy, not just face it's on my back & legs too, so sexy. 
• Nausea- Not just morning sickness would be all day sickness wouldn't want to eat. Not cured by tea or crackers or peppermint. Would come in waves, where I wish I would just puke to feel better! Thankfully, at least no vomiting. Lasted until half way through 2nd trimester.
• Sensitive, Dry Skin- I cannot stay moisturized, especially my hands! 
• Shedding Hair- This usually happens postpartum but my hair was falling out so badly first trimester! I was afraid I was going to have a huge bald spot.
• Weak Brittle Nails- There's an old wives tale that says when you're pregnant with a girl they steal your beauty, LIE! 
• Headaches- These were some killer headaches! One time it lasted for 4 days, which ended up the doctor making me do a 24hr urine test to make sure nothing was wrong. Thankfully they have eased up in my third trimester!
• Seeing Spots, or "Floaters"- This is HIGHLY annoying. Vision can change during pregnancy, and last time my sight actually improved in one eye! This time I cannot be without glasses or hello headache! I see floaters constantly!
• Pelvic Pain- This is probably my worst symptom this pregnancy. I'm convinced I have SPD Any long amounts of walking, and I'm in pain all day, which is a bummer because this is my favorite exercise. Some days it hurts so badly, just switching my foot from the gas to brake pedal is awful. Putting on pants I have to sit down. Turning over in bed is my cardio, I have to be careful as to how I move. Around Christmas I had a horrible pain in my pelvic area, I am sure it was in the bone, never felt something so painful, not even a contraction, I was so sure something was going to be wrong with baby after that. The next day I could barely walk. I was around 18 weeks then. So I've been suffering with this for quite some time. Doctors just say "it's normal" ... "you just had a baby, your body is going to remember what to do and do it quicker this time"... As if
• Silent Reflux- This is my newest thing. I do not feel the burning sensation of heart burn, this just feels like my food does not go past my chest. Yesterday it felt like it was all trying to crawl back up my throat. It was an all day thing. I was starving & scared to eat. There are a ton of natural remedies. I tried quite a few. I broke down and bought some Pepcid AC last night and it did help once it kicked in. It's supposed to be a 24 hr pill. Today I can feel a little of it, but not like yesterday I'm interested to see once 8pm hits, when the pill wears off if I'm right back in misery. I do not want to have to take this everyday for the rest of this pregnancy.
• Numb Hands- This doesn't come with any pain, they just fall asleep every night, multiple times. 
• Braxton Hicks- I did not have any contractions my first pregnancy until they induced me. My experience with Braxton Hicks contractions has so far only been my uterus tightening and releasing you can feel it happen, belly feels like a brick, but it doesn't hurt... yet.
• Less appetite- There are days I'm HANGRY! But overall, I've not had cravings, or been food crazy. Which makes me happy because I've been able to keep the weight gain under control this time. Last time it felt like I never got full.
• Cry Baby- I cannot handle ANYTHING emotional right now. There are parts in movies that make the tears stream while hubby gives me that "Are you really crying... again?" look. Thanks hormones!

As you can see my first pregnancy list was a lot shorter. I had it pretty easy! Being pregnant comes with a lot of symptoms, some are actually good, like bigger boobs, & thicker hair! I hope my lists didn't scare any of you away from the idea of getting pregnant! But helped you to understand some of the things your body MIGHT go through! It's truly amazing how God created us! We go through so many physical & hormonal changes while pregnant, women are amazing. You can't expect every day to be perfect & comfortable while you're housing a human. But the experience as a whole, it truly is so beautiful & totally worth it. Seems so cliche to say but, I would do it all again for my sons. 

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Monday with my Toddler

I am a creature of habit. Mondays are my Cleaning days. The weekends are hectic, and everyone is home making their own individual messes. So Monday is when I try to conquer the chaos. It'd be easier if cleaning was my only focus, I'd be done within a few hours in the morning then have the rest of the day to binge Netflix & become one with my couch. In reality my cleaning is intertwined with keeping the Munchkin entertained, safe, fed, and happy. 

Here's the breakdown of how my typical stay-at-home Monday's go.

8 a.m. or a little before, Baby boy wakes up. He is always happy to see Mommy first thing in the morning & is usually a very happy guy in the mornings! Which makes life a little easier before Momma's Coffee (if I even get any).

We get his diaper changed, he tells me a story about his dreams, face & hands wiped off (drooler). Then we do our spiritual routine. We watch a few videos that teach young kids good values & morals. They're awesome and he LOVES them! (you can check them out here).  Then we pray together. This is our every morning routine, not just Monday!

8:30 am It's breakfast time! Which has become quite the task lately since someone has started getting super picky! I'm not the type of mom who makes the perfect balanced breakfasts you see online. I go with what's easy & what works. For now that's usually a pancake with peanut butter on it and a glass full of almond milk. While he's eating I start a load of laundry, and get the kitchen tidy. Once he's done eating I clean all the syrup off of him.

9:00-9:15 am After breakfast the first thing he wants to do is run to the TV to watch his PJ Masks. If it were up to him, he would surely be watching it from sun up to sun down!

But Momma can't let that happen! He has to exercise that little brain! Now, our living room is connected to kitchen, so after he's done eating, I let him do his own thing while watching Mickey Mouse Club House (at least they count and do colors) or something while I finish up the kitchen & Grab myself some breakfast. 

9:45ish am Time for some sort of learning activity. 

He loves his books, he'll sit and go through them "reading" and looking at the pictures for quite a while! I'm glad, hope this never changes! When he finds his favorite he'll bring it to you to read to read to him! There of course are TONS of ideas on Pinterest for toddler activites. I've pinned quite a few ideas. So far most he's loved, but he's not into the messy stuff, paint, play-doh etc... 

While he keeps himself busy for a few I sweep the floors, eat breakfast (Finally) and continue with laundry.

11:00 Little man starts whining for a snack. Like clock work!

I try to rest for a few while he snacks, I'm 7 months pregnant and need a break. Plus this is my coffee/tea time! 

12:00 I usually give in to the PJ Mask at this time, because I need to finish folding laundry, and mop the floors. If that's done by now, then it's time for me to try to do some sort of workout. So I let him have his alone time in his room with his 6yr old Crime Fighters. If I'm working out I have to put him in his playpen for him to watch so I can get 30 mins. of uninterrupted time to workout, or else he's whining on me while I try to workout, or running around me dropping death trap trails of toys around. He is usually still snacking at this time, so we do a late lunch.

1:00 NAP TIME! *does Momma dance* Such an awesome time I think! Him, not so much! For Momma a 10-2o min. nap fighting session usually happens. Like today, he was surely tired... It was about 1:18 today when I got him and sat down with him to get him into nap mode. Which consist of me holding him and begging him to chill. 

He whined for a bit. I changed him, let him have a fruit pouch, then took him to his crib. Whining continued, but for about 3 mins. until he passed out. Which is a record! Now, this he only does to me, because if Daddy lays him down, he just goes to sleep, no fight! It's crazy, he does me so wrong! When he's napping I rest & finish laundry (yes, laundry is an all day task, washing, drying, crying cause it never ends, folding, & putting it all away).

2:30-3 Lunch! Nothing fancy, usually some sort of chicken, if he'll eat it today... & a  pouch so I can get some veggies into his little body. Today lunch was a disaster. When he woke up from his nap he was a Grouch. His nap lasted from 1:25-3. He was crying real tears for some reason... My guess, he's still sleepy, do you think he'd go back to sleep? Of course not! Soe he cuddled on me for a while, didn't want his nuggets, didn't want his juice. Crying continued. Finally he ate his nuggets, while sitting on my lap. Some days, you got to go with what works. My cleaning is usually done by now, except the folded laundry staring at me waiting to be put up. So after his lunch that happens (I eat lunch while he naps). 

3-6 He does his own thing, making a mess playing with blocks, or some toy in his room. Or in the living room attacking his basket of toys. I try to get off my feet again. Not always easy, soon as Momma actually gets to sit down on the couch, he's usually crawling all over me like I'm a jungle gym. Not very comfortable these days with the 7 month old in my womb. So after about 30 mins of that and me getting annoyed with it, I go prep dinner. I also got the bills & budget for the pay period set up today. Daddy comes home around 5 (YAY! now I get a REAL break! because by now I am in true MOMBIE mode, looking like an exhausted bum. SO sexy for hubby!)

I forgot to mention cleaning up his messes throughout the day. This is the 2nd time today he's pulled all his clothes out the dresser. Happens a few times a week. I'm about to duct tape it shut!

6 pm is Dinner time for Toddler. We eat with him usually, sometimes later. After dinner he plays more with Daddy. Because I'm escaping to the shower! 

8 pm is BED TIME!!! He sleeps through the whole night thankfully! Me, not so much these days baby boy is growing so much making me more uncomfortable, plus fighting leg cramps or indigestion. But thankfully we both get what we need to face the next day!

The rest of the week keeping him entertained, safe, fed, and happy is top priority. But we get out of the house, to the park, library, to the grandparents, or whatever else we can find to do with ourselves! It is a lot and some days can be overwhelming. Especially if He's not in a good mood. Or I'm not feeling good from pregnancy. But we get it done, every single day! This all may sound very easy to some, or exhausting to others. For me now, it's normal & easy. When the new baby is here. I'm sure it'll be total chaos for a while until we all get on a united routine. So I'll enjoy this little bit of calm, if you can call it that, for now!

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Free Amazon Baby Box!

I received my Amazon Baby Box today! If you're wondering if it's worth your time, yes it is. This one is even better than the one I got for my first pregnancy! To receive your baby box, it's super simple if you're already a Prime member, you need to do a registry with Amazon. They make a checklist to make it easy, and you have to add something from each category to your list to qualify for the Baby Box. If you don't have a prime membership, you can sign up they give you a free trail! Me & Hubby decided to keep it, it will come in handy in the long run for ordering diapers & wipes, and you get free 2 day shipping. The last thing that needs to be done is, a purchase by you, or a friend of at least $10 needs to be made from your registry! Once all the steps are followed, you can claim your box! It came pretty quickly as well! I am super in love with the Muslin Swaddle I was hoping there would be one in my box!!!

(Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means if you click and purchase the suggested product,  I would get a percentage of the sale.)

Follow the Baby Registry Ad to the right to start your registry with Amazon today! You do not wanna miss out on these freebies!