To contact us Click HERE
A notable number of women experience dizziness during pregnancy. The scientific explanation for this is that, during that period, the body of a woman's body undergoes a lot of cardiovascular changes. The body is supposed to undergo self-initiating adaptive changes in its cardiovascular and nervous systems to enable normal functioning, especially in maintaining continuous supply of blood to the brain. The consequences of failure of such adaptive mechanisms include fainting and giddiness.
One of the significant changes that occur to women during gestation is an increase in the rate of heart beat. This is accompanied by increment in blood volumes by about 45%. They also undergo dilation of blood vessels, resulting in low blood pressure. A woman experiences the lowest blood pressure levels at around mid-pregnancy. This drop is only restored to normal close to the end of gestation period.
Medical experts have identified a number of ways that can help in handling dizziness. It is critical that a woman lies down if she experiences vertigo. This prevents her from suffering injury by falling. She should also stop doing any activity that may bring harm to her or others, for instance operating machinery or driving.
The basic cause of dizziness and fainting is an inadequate supply of blood to the brain. First aid measures, hence, should aim to restore this supply. One way of achieving this is by resting the victim in a horizontal position, but with the head slightly lower than the rest of the body. Where there is no space to lie, it is advisable that the victim sits, then put her head between her knees. The woman may also lie on her left side, since this increases blood flow to both the heart and the brain.
A woman's actions may increase the risk of her fainting or experiencing lightheadedness. Top on this list is a quick shift in position from either lying or sitting to standing. Blood pools around the feet and in lower legs during resting periods. The body may not be able to restore blood flow to the heart and brain upon springing from the rest position, hence resulting in dizziness. Therefore, it is advisable for pregnant women not to spring from resting positions to standing.
Blood may also pool around the feet when a person stands at the same position for prolonged periods. Expectant women are advisable to walk around after short periods of being stationary. In case this is not possible, exercising legs could also help improve blood circulation. Wearing support stockings has also been proven to improve circulation.
Pregnant woman should take note of their sleeping positions since how they sleep may increase chances of experiencing lightheadedness. A woman should not lie on their stomachs or backs during their second and third trimesters. This is because such positions cause the uterus to exert extra pressure on inferior vena cava, slowing circulation in the lower abdomen. They should lie of their left side instead.
Vasovagal syncope may also result in dizziness during pregnancy. This is a condition resulting from straining during activities such as urination or coughing, dehydration, pain or anxiety. Symptoms associated with this condition are a feeling of warmth, nausea, yawning, sweating and paleness. It is advisable to lie or sit upon experiencing such symptoms.
10 Ekim 2012 Çarşamba
Peter's Baptism
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This past weekend, we celebrated as the Church welcomed Peter Francis into the fold! The ceremony was held after Mass with our family, Grandma Pam, and the Godparents with their children.
Peter was NOT happy. He had his mind set on nursing and wanted nothing to do with this whole Baptism thing. He cried and cried!
There were, of course, many more photos. Grandma took some fabulous pictures of Peter in his baptismal gown...and I forgot to get them off of her camera before she left for home...ugh! The gown is an heirloom which Todd wore at his baptism and all of our children have been baptized in it as well. They each have their own bonnet as a keepsake of their first sacramental celebration.
I hope that your Lent is going well and you are preparing to enter into Holy Week. We haven't kept all of our resolutions and have had to let many things slip. We had some fabulous plans laid out. Of course, those were all made pre-Peter. So, for now, I am offering up many sleepless nights...such is life with a newborn. We all do what we can, right?
God Bless!
Heather :-)
Peter was NOT happy. He had his mind set on nursing and wanted nothing to do with this whole Baptism thing. He cried and cried!
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| Father Larry holding newly baptized Peter Francis. |
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| Peter with his Godparents. |
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| Our first family photo with Peter! |
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| Peter's lovely Godmother made these adorable cookies. Esther could not wait to get her hands on them! |
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| Here is a better look at the cookies after I took the wrapping off. |
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| Going, going, gone! They were as delicious as they were cute! If you're in need of cookies for a special occasion, consider contacting Grace. She really does excellent work! |
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| And as if cookies weren't enough to celebrate, we had a scrumptious cake from the local grocery store....yum! |
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| Peter is happy to wear his new sweater from his Godmother. |
I hope that your Lent is going well and you are preparing to enter into Holy Week. We haven't kept all of our resolutions and have had to let many things slip. We had some fabulous plans laid out. Of course, those were all made pre-Peter. So, for now, I am offering up many sleepless nights...such is life with a newborn. We all do what we can, right?
God Bless!
Heather :-)
I Can't Wait!
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It's less than a month away! The Minnesota Catholic Home Education Conference and Curriculum Fair is coming up on June 1-2. This is an event that I look forward to all year long. Todd and I secured childcare for the oldest 6 children (no easy task!) and will bring little Peter along for the ride.
I am particularly excited to attend the high school and beyond workshop during the day on Friday. With Madeline entering 7th grade in the fall, the reality of high school, transcripts, PSEO, and a whole bunch of other stuff is starting to stress me out. Todd has graciously agreed to be there with me so that we can hear the same information as we tend to process things differently.
The keynote speaker is Marcel LeJeune. I've heard him on Relevant Radio a couple of times and think that he'll do an awesome job. They always do a great job bringing in quality speakers. The past two years featured Andrew Pudewa and Ray Guarendi. They were absolutely amazing and hilarious which is a winning combination if you ask me!
Now I need to sit down and get my "lists" together. It is so nice to have all the vendors in one location where I can actually talk to them and pick their brains with questions I have about curriculum and different learning styles of my children. The hardest part for me is keeping to my list of things that I need and holding back on the impulse buys...there are so many fun things that I would like to add to our school!
The best part is seeing all of the other families who are doing what we do. No matter how secure I feel in our decision to home school, there are days when I feel alone and isolated. Home schooling is definitely more mainstream than it was 20 years ago, but it is not the "normal" thing to do. In my neighborhood of over 300 homes, there is only one other family I know of who teaches their children at home. It's hard to put into words the feeling I get being surrounded by hundreds of people who are walking the same road as we are.
How about you? Do you have a home school conference in your area that you attend? If you live in Minnesota, do you plan on attending this year? I'd love to see you there!
God Bless!
Heather :-)
It's less than a month away! The Minnesota Catholic Home Education Conference and Curriculum Fair is coming up on June 1-2. This is an event that I look forward to all year long. Todd and I secured childcare for the oldest 6 children (no easy task!) and will bring little Peter along for the ride.
I am particularly excited to attend the high school and beyond workshop during the day on Friday. With Madeline entering 7th grade in the fall, the reality of high school, transcripts, PSEO, and a whole bunch of other stuff is starting to stress me out. Todd has graciously agreed to be there with me so that we can hear the same information as we tend to process things differently.
The keynote speaker is Marcel LeJeune. I've heard him on Relevant Radio a couple of times and think that he'll do an awesome job. They always do a great job bringing in quality speakers. The past two years featured Andrew Pudewa and Ray Guarendi. They were absolutely amazing and hilarious which is a winning combination if you ask me!
Now I need to sit down and get my "lists" together. It is so nice to have all the vendors in one location where I can actually talk to them and pick their brains with questions I have about curriculum and different learning styles of my children. The hardest part for me is keeping to my list of things that I need and holding back on the impulse buys...there are so many fun things that I would like to add to our school!
The best part is seeing all of the other families who are doing what we do. No matter how secure I feel in our decision to home school, there are days when I feel alone and isolated. Home schooling is definitely more mainstream than it was 20 years ago, but it is not the "normal" thing to do. In my neighborhood of over 300 homes, there is only one other family I know of who teaches their children at home. It's hard to put into words the feeling I get being surrounded by hundreds of people who are walking the same road as we are.
How about you? Do you have a home school conference in your area that you attend? If you live in Minnesota, do you plan on attending this year? I'd love to see you there!
God Bless!
Heather :-)
Sickness, Baby Love, and New 'Dos
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The past few weeks have flown by in a blur of sickness. We've had ear infections, sinus infections, walking pneumonia, bronchitis, high fevers, body aches, coughing, sneezing, and just all around misery. It came to a head last Sunday when the fevers sky-rocketed in three of the children. We took all last week off from school and just focused on getting better. Of course, there were two dance rehearsals and recitals late in the week that couldn't be missed...but other than that we laid low. So, many doctor visits and a few prescriptions later, we're back at it this week! It feels good to be back in our routine.
Little Peter is 3 months old already! He is cooing and smiling up a storm. He is beginning to sleep better at night and will usually have 5-6 hours of sleep before waking to nurse. He has outgrown his first set of clothes and has moved into size 2 diapers....I wish babies didn't grow so fast! Needless to say, we are all smitten with our littlest man!
After their dance recitals, Madeline and Lillian both decided to cut off their hair and donate it to Locks of Love. My girls are so laid back about their hair. We pulled it back into a low ponytail and braided it. Then I got out the scissors and chopped it off. They are both quite happy with their new 'dos and I think they both look adorable. Perhaps I am a bit biased!
I'm hoping to get back into routine here and do a better job of posting more regularly. I spend a lot of time sitting and nursing the baby, so I have many thoughts going through my head. Now if I can just get some time to type them out...I'm sure you can't wait!
God Bless!
Heather :-)
Little Peter is 3 months old already! He is cooing and smiling up a storm. He is beginning to sleep better at night and will usually have 5-6 hours of sleep before waking to nurse. He has outgrown his first set of clothes and has moved into size 2 diapers....I wish babies didn't grow so fast! Needless to say, we are all smitten with our littlest man!
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| I couldn't get him to take his eyes off of the ceiling fan! |
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| Lillian before.... |
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| and after! |
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| Madeline before... |
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| and after! |
I'm hoping to get back into routine here and do a better job of posting more regularly. I spend a lot of time sitting and nursing the baby, so I have many thoughts going through my head. Now if I can just get some time to type them out...I'm sure you can't wait!
God Bless!
Heather :-)
To Bring You Up To Speed...
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Whew! Each day seems to fly by more quickly than the last. I can't say that we're busy doing anything spectacular, just the day to day "stuff" of family life.
Showings/Selling the House
We have a few interested parties and have had many showings. Of course, they all want to view the house over the dinner hour which is highly disruptive to our family. We spent an afternoon/evening last week viewing homes in the area that we would like to move to. Nothing is set in stone. I'm so glad that I'm not a realtor!
Haley's Foot
Haley has been having increasing discomfort and pain in her left foot. She is a tough kid and has actually been in tears a few times the past week which was a huge red flag to me. We went to see a foot doctor and he diagnosed her with Plantar Fasciitis. She's wearing some temporary supports and tennis shoes in the house. Ice, ibuprofen, and stretches have also helped. We're due to go back in two weeks to discuss future treatment options.
School and Field Trips
We're plugging away and fitting in school whenever and wherever we can. Last week we went to the aquarium at the Mall of America. The big girls had just finished up their study of sea creatures and it was amazing to listen to them recall various facts as we walked through the displays. It truly is a joy to be home with the children...most of the time! :-)
There were a few nice days last week where I just sent the kids outside to play. They rode bike and scooters, bounced on the trampoline, swung, and dug in the sandbox for hours. I do love the flexibility of homeschooling. As it turns out, those might have been the last "glory days" of fall as the temperatures have dropped and the windy, bitter days of autumn seem to have settled in here in Minnesota.
We have our home school co-op that meets twice a month and the children are really enjoying it. They like the interaction with the other children. I must admit, that I like it too. It can get a bit lonely in the day to day work of schooling the children and keeping house. Surrounding myself with other home school mamas lifts my spirits.
Crafting/Sewing
The first three weekends in November we have craft shows. We had a very successful crafting season last year, so we have had to replenish everything. Todd and I have been plugging away in the evenings. The list is slowing getting completed.
Madeline and Haley are going to have their own booth at a local craft show. They're crocheting and knitting like mad to have a good selection. I hope that they do well and are encouraged to continue. You've gotta love the entrepreneurial spirit in kids!
Praying
There are so many intentions on my prayer list right now. Please say a prayer for these dear family and friends who are struggling with various life issues.
- Ginny's recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
- Rod's irregular heart beats.
- Nick's recent heart transplant and recovery.
- Jim's unexplained weight loss and stomach issues.
- Tammy's brother diagnosed with West Nile Virus.
- Theresa getting treatment for early detected skin cancer.
Peter's Milestones
Peter is sitting on his own! He is so proud of himself! His siblings marvel at each new milestone he reaches. He has started finger foods and drinking water from a sippy cup. I don't like how quickly my baby is growing up!
Birthday Celebrations
We're getting ready to celebrate two birthdays this week. The excitement level has reached record levels in the house. I'm hoping to post pictures of the festivities!
The house is quiet...I must get some rest myself before someone is awake and in need of my services.
God Bless!
Heather :-)
Showings/Selling the House
We have a few interested parties and have had many showings. Of course, they all want to view the house over the dinner hour which is highly disruptive to our family. We spent an afternoon/evening last week viewing homes in the area that we would like to move to. Nothing is set in stone. I'm so glad that I'm not a realtor!
Haley's Foot
Haley has been having increasing discomfort and pain in her left foot. She is a tough kid and has actually been in tears a few times the past week which was a huge red flag to me. We went to see a foot doctor and he diagnosed her with Plantar Fasciitis. She's wearing some temporary supports and tennis shoes in the house. Ice, ibuprofen, and stretches have also helped. We're due to go back in two weeks to discuss future treatment options.
School and Field Trips
We're plugging away and fitting in school whenever and wherever we can. Last week we went to the aquarium at the Mall of America. The big girls had just finished up their study of sea creatures and it was amazing to listen to them recall various facts as we walked through the displays. It truly is a joy to be home with the children...most of the time! :-)
There were a few nice days last week where I just sent the kids outside to play. They rode bike and scooters, bounced on the trampoline, swung, and dug in the sandbox for hours. I do love the flexibility of homeschooling. As it turns out, those might have been the last "glory days" of fall as the temperatures have dropped and the windy, bitter days of autumn seem to have settled in here in Minnesota.
We have our home school co-op that meets twice a month and the children are really enjoying it. They like the interaction with the other children. I must admit, that I like it too. It can get a bit lonely in the day to day work of schooling the children and keeping house. Surrounding myself with other home school mamas lifts my spirits.
Crafting/Sewing
The first three weekends in November we have craft shows. We had a very successful crafting season last year, so we have had to replenish everything. Todd and I have been plugging away in the evenings. The list is slowing getting completed.
Madeline and Haley are going to have their own booth at a local craft show. They're crocheting and knitting like mad to have a good selection. I hope that they do well and are encouraged to continue. You've gotta love the entrepreneurial spirit in kids!
Praying
There are so many intentions on my prayer list right now. Please say a prayer for these dear family and friends who are struggling with various life issues.
- Ginny's recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
- Rod's irregular heart beats.
- Nick's recent heart transplant and recovery.
- Jim's unexplained weight loss and stomach issues.
- Tammy's brother diagnosed with West Nile Virus.
- Theresa getting treatment for early detected skin cancer.
Peter's Milestones
Peter is sitting on his own! He is so proud of himself! His siblings marvel at each new milestone he reaches. He has started finger foods and drinking water from a sippy cup. I don't like how quickly my baby is growing up!
Birthday Celebrations
We're getting ready to celebrate two birthdays this week. The excitement level has reached record levels in the house. I'm hoping to post pictures of the festivities!
The house is quiet...I must get some rest myself before someone is awake and in need of my services.
God Bless!
Heather :-)
9 Ekim 2012 Salı
The Music of Seven Sorrows
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Today, I'm going to tell you about the band called Seven Sorrows.
This is the bio I pulled off of reverbnation.com Incidentally, this is where you can download some of their songs for free.
"Seven Sorrows is a Catholic band unashamed toproclaim the truth of the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church. We are proudto be conservative, bound to the Holy Father, faithful to the Magisterium,consecrated to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, and we are notafraid to speak against that which goes against Catholic beliefs, such asabortion, contraception, pornography, premarital sex, immodest dress,drunkenness, etc."
They are considered a Catholic metal band, but I think they createsomething beyond any easy genre classification. Check out their website.
I'll pick just two songs to review for you.
"Forgotten Virtue part 1" combines raw metalwith what I'll describe as a sort of alternative/indie sound. Guttural and melodious vocals combineto present poetic lyrics on the theme of dignity and modest dress. Here is ataste of the lyrics:
Claim to want respect
Then you must change your ways
Your clothes are revealing and all they show is shame
Check out "Forgotten Virtue part 1" on youtube.
"Saints and Sinners" is my favorite of theirsongs. It portrays Jesus' raw, pure, love. For some reason it reminds me of howpassionate for my babies I felt right after giving birth. You know, when you're sweaty and exhausted, but exhilarated, and you just want to hold, gaze at, and protect your babies? Oh man, you feel the same way when your babies grow up and become runaway teens. (Trust me on this.) Then, I'm reminded of howmuch more God loves than we humans ever could and I'm blown away. Anyway, that's how I feel about that song.
A sample of the lyrics:
You may trip
You may stumble
You may fall
But I don't want to watch you burn
I will suffer for you
Go to youtube to experience this "Saints and Sinners" for yourself.
Here's a more eloquent review of "SevenSorrows" at CatholicMetal. I'm no music reviewer (as you've probably gathered), but I know what I likeand I enjoy sharing it.
Oh, I nearly forgot, you can also listen to Seven Sorrowson the catholic etc. music player.
Today, I'm going to tell you about the band called Seven Sorrows.
This is the bio I pulled off of reverbnation.com Incidentally, this is where you can download some of their songs for free.
"Seven Sorrows is a Catholic band unashamed toproclaim the truth of the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church. We are proudto be conservative, bound to the Holy Father, faithful to the Magisterium,consecrated to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, and we are notafraid to speak against that which goes against Catholic beliefs, such asabortion, contraception, pornography, premarital sex, immodest dress,drunkenness, etc."
They are considered a Catholic metal band, but I think they createsomething beyond any easy genre classification. Check out their website.
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| I love their logo. You can see it at their site, right here. |
I'll pick just two songs to review for you.
"Forgotten Virtue part 1" combines raw metalwith what I'll describe as a sort of alternative/indie sound. Guttural and melodious vocals combineto present poetic lyrics on the theme of dignity and modest dress. Here is ataste of the lyrics:
Claim to want respect
Then you must change your ways
Your clothes are revealing and all they show is shame
Check out "Forgotten Virtue part 1" on youtube.
"Saints and Sinners" is my favorite of theirsongs. It portrays Jesus' raw, pure, love. For some reason it reminds me of howpassionate for my babies I felt right after giving birth. You know, when you're sweaty and exhausted, but exhilarated, and you just want to hold, gaze at, and protect your babies? Oh man, you feel the same way when your babies grow up and become runaway teens. (Trust me on this.) Then, I'm reminded of howmuch more God loves than we humans ever could and I'm blown away. Anyway, that's how I feel about that song.
A sample of the lyrics:
You may trip
You may stumble
You may fall
But I don't want to watch you burn
I will suffer for you
Go to youtube to experience this "Saints and Sinners" for yourself.
Here's a more eloquent review of "SevenSorrows" at CatholicMetal. I'm no music reviewer (as you've probably gathered), but I know what I likeand I enjoy sharing it.
Oh, I nearly forgot, you can also listen to Seven Sorrowson the catholic etc. music player.
C.S. Lewis, Kids' Book Clubs, and Christ
To contact us Click HERE
I run a children's homeschooling book club and haverecently had the honor or leading the discussion of C.S. Lewis's The Magician's Nephew. Some members ofour club are not Christian, so I felt I must keep away from Christian themesand symbolism. Easier said than done.
The more I struggled to see past the Christian themes,the more they stood out for me. You have the struggle of good vs. evil, a manseeking power for power's sake who can't recognize God when he's standing infront of him, a Genesis creation story, temptation in the garden, a forbiddenapple, and the promise of a savior. I'll tell you how I skirted these topics ina moment.
I know neo-pagans, new agers, atheists, and even anti-Christianatheists who love the Narnia books. Why would they be drawn to them when thebooks so obviously deal with Christian themes? Sure, they are good stories. Butthey're only great stories if you seethe deeper meaning that is hidden (or at times, not so well hidden) within them.A child unaware of the Christian elements might enjoy them, but a grownup who'snot only non-Christian, but anti-Christian?
I have a theory. Thoughsociety tells us to love self, in ourhearts, we want to love God and imitate Him by loving our fellow human beingsin a selfless manner. We are made to love and know God. This is why Narnia ispopular. It's why we admire self-sacrificing heroes in books and films. It'swhy we grow disgusted at villains using power to step on others as they striveto rule the world. It may be why mynon-Christian friends and family celebrate Christmas. I'd thought it was acultural tradition thing; now I'm not so sure.
Still, the loving selfthing pops up in a couple of ways in our society. One has a bad reputation--theover consumption of goods, such as expensive cars, jewelry, and other luxuryitems. The one that is gaining in popularity (at least in my sphere) is themore new-agey idea that you are your own god or goddess. An atheist relative ofmine posted on Facebook, "Be your own savior."
Of course we should love and respect ourselves. Godcreated each of us as unique human beings. We have an inherent dignity as hischildren. But when self-centeredness gets in the way of loving God and others,there's a problem.
But back to the topic. What did we discuss at book club? Good and evil (because everybody understandthat dichotomy), the similarities between Uncle Andrew and the witch and whatmakes them villains, the nature of the Cabby (aka King Frank), the children, thehorse, and we also touched on Aslan. We discussed the similarities between theWood Between the World and the attic tunnel (both being in-between places, notreally places where things happen), and the similarities of Charn and how thecharacters feel about London. Both were described as hard, cold places.
So, I thank the Lord for the works of C.S. Lewis. Theirpopularity fills me with hope for our society.
BTW IMDb says the film The Magician's Nephew is in production and might not be out until 2014.
If you enjoyed this post, you might like the post I wrote on self-sacrificing mothers in books and film.
I run a children's homeschooling book club and haverecently had the honor or leading the discussion of C.S. Lewis's The Magician's Nephew. Some members ofour club are not Christian, so I felt I must keep away from Christian themesand symbolism. Easier said than done.
The more I struggled to see past the Christian themes,the more they stood out for me. You have the struggle of good vs. evil, a manseeking power for power's sake who can't recognize God when he's standing infront of him, a Genesis creation story, temptation in the garden, a forbiddenapple, and the promise of a savior. I'll tell you how I skirted these topics ina moment.
I know neo-pagans, new agers, atheists, and even anti-Christianatheists who love the Narnia books. Why would they be drawn to them when thebooks so obviously deal with Christian themes? Sure, they are good stories. Butthey're only great stories if you seethe deeper meaning that is hidden (or at times, not so well hidden) within them.A child unaware of the Christian elements might enjoy them, but a grownup who'snot only non-Christian, but anti-Christian?
I have a theory. Thoughsociety tells us to love self, in ourhearts, we want to love God and imitate Him by loving our fellow human beingsin a selfless manner. We are made to love and know God. This is why Narnia ispopular. It's why we admire self-sacrificing heroes in books and films. It'swhy we grow disgusted at villains using power to step on others as they striveto rule the world. It may be why mynon-Christian friends and family celebrate Christmas. I'd thought it was acultural tradition thing; now I'm not so sure.
Still, the loving selfthing pops up in a couple of ways in our society. One has a bad reputation--theover consumption of goods, such as expensive cars, jewelry, and other luxuryitems. The one that is gaining in popularity (at least in my sphere) is themore new-agey idea that you are your own god or goddess. An atheist relative ofmine posted on Facebook, "Be your own savior."
Of course we should love and respect ourselves. Godcreated each of us as unique human beings. We have an inherent dignity as hischildren. But when self-centeredness gets in the way of loving God and others,there's a problem.
But back to the topic. What did we discuss at book club? Good and evil (because everybody understandthat dichotomy), the similarities between Uncle Andrew and the witch and whatmakes them villains, the nature of the Cabby (aka King Frank), the children, thehorse, and we also touched on Aslan. We discussed the similarities between theWood Between the World and the attic tunnel (both being in-between places, notreally places where things happen), and the similarities of Charn and how thecharacters feel about London. Both were described as hard, cold places.
So, I thank the Lord for the works of C.S. Lewis. Theirpopularity fills me with hope for our society.
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| Plaque on the Unicorn Inn |
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