Moments of Musing

Virtual Fun for Baby #3’s Sprinkle

Filed Under: baby #3, motherhood, pregnancy //

This post is sponsored by Bar None Trivia. All opinions are my own.

 

When I was pregnant with my firstborn, we had a beautiful baby shower celebration at a garden restaurant. I went all out with decor and favors. For our second baby, also a boy, we decided to keep things simple. We had just moved into our home, after all. So, we had a baby sprinkle with family at our new home. 

 

For our third baby, another boy!, I have decided to celebrate, as well but I think I am combining it with an intimate and very small family-only Mother’s Day luncheon at our home to minimize my exposure to others, given the state of the world, and see my broader group of friends and family virtually. Despite being a little sad that I can’t celebrate with all of my loved ones as I would traditionally, I am still so excited. 

 

I can’t wait to share the theme and the decor with you all. But I am keeping those details under wraps until then. For now, I can share about an aspect I am planning on doing that I think would be fun for others hosting virtual baby showers or other virtual celebrations.


 

Bar None Games is the #1 virtual live trivia company that brings fun and joy to people with 60-75 minute team trivia games. It’s an exciting way to connect with friends from all over the country to celebrate your new baby! They’ve already hosted over 600 games, connecting 10,000 people from around the nation and the globe. It’s exactly what we need during these strange times. 

 

The Bar None Baby Shower trivia game, made especially for baby showers, features a baby celebrity picture round, specialty music round, and tons of general knowledge and pop culture trivia inspired by newborns. You can also add custom questions of your own or include specific rounds that focus on certain interests to personalize the experience for the expecting parents.

 

I recently attended a virtual baby shower and the trivia portion was my favorite part of the celebration. It was a fun and unique way to keep all of us guests engaged and interacting with the expectant parents. I highly recommend incorporating trivia into your next virtual celebration and I can’t wait for my sprinkle with Bar None Games!

 

“Put her on a leash and take her for a walk.” Why I Switched an OB-GYN + Want Women To Know They Have the Power in their Maternal Care

Filed Under: motherhood //

The purpose of this post is to inform and empower other moms and moms-to-be about the decision to switch from their OB-GYN during, and perhaps well into, pregnancy. This is not legal advice. 


“Put her on a leash and take her for a walk,” my OB-GYN said to my husband as a “recommendation” to get my labor going toward the end of my first pregnancy. 

When I learned I was pregnant the first time, I went to my gynecologist, only to be told that he did not deliver anymore. I was sad because he is so friendly and funny and just overall has a very good bedside manner. So, I asked around for recommendations for doctors. My first choice did not have availability so I went to another doctor.

My experiences with my new doctor were okay…until they weren’t. 
 
And yet, I never filed a formal complaint, though I sometimes wonder if I should have. And I remained a patient of his, even after my experiences.  
After all, he delivered my baby safely, and that was most important, I rationalized. 
When I got pregnant a second time, however, anxiety kicked in. After avoiding making an appointment for some time, I realized I could not be a patient of his anymore. 
I deserved to be treated with respect, and my baby deserved to be checked on as regularly as necessary.

So, at 25 weeks I switched to another OB-GYN. 

Now, looking back, I wish I’d switched after that leash comment was made. It was clear right then and there that he was not the doctor for me. I wish I’d felt empowered enough to make that decision even at that late hour in my pregnancy. And to this day, I wonder why so many women keep, and seemingly like, doctors who say and do inappropriate things. 
I’ve personally concluded that our patriarchal society, which breeds toxic masculinity, has conditioned women to accept unacceptable behavior from men, especially those in power. Unfortunately, we do so even if it bothers us deep down. We do so out of fear of what might happen if we raise concern and/or because our culture of toxic masculinity has conditioned us to excuse inexcusable behavior, i.e. it was “a joke,” just happened once, he is otherwise fine, etc. 
But we deserve better.
If you are not receiving the care you deserve, know that you have the power as the patient and mom-to-be. You are not crazy nor are you being crazy. Your feelings are valid. And you are free to choose a practitioner who makes you feel safe, cared for, and respected. 

Your unborn baby deserves it. 

You deserve it. 

Learn more about your rights as a childbearing woman.
 

Maintaining Hope for Our Kids’ Futures

Filed Under: motherhood //

Thank you NY 529 for sponsoring this post. It’s never too early to get growing! Learn more about opening an NY 529 Plan for your child today.

These times are uncertain, and that reality is a nerve-wracking one. I might not be able to control what’s going on in the world and how others feel or behave, but I find peace knowing that I am not without control over everything else. So, I have decided to focus on what I can control: 

  • How we spend our money 
  • The energy in my home 
  • How I react to situations 
  • The time spent on my phone 
That first one is very important to me because one of my bigger 2020 goals was to pay off all of our debt. That might not be possible anymore given the current state of the world; however, we now really realize the importance of planning for the future, so our finances are in line. 
 During stressful times, I try to stay optimistic. I am doing my best to enjoy the present moments with my kids and husband while also being hopeful about their futures. College was one of my favorite times in life, and I want them to be able to experience it, too. That’s why it is important for us to keep in perspective that their future ambitions will be long-term and not bound by what is happening right now. Staying the course and saving money in the NY’s 529 College Savings Program Direct Plan is an essential part of keeping their future education in mind. 
 In times of uncertainty, it is understandable that people might be nervous about investments. If that is the case, adopting a “do-what-you-can” approach for continuing to save for college is better than not saving at all. If you’re not able to contribute as much to your 529 as you did previously, that’s okay. 
Give yourself a break. Any amount you can save is better than nothing, and every little bit can add up over time. Putting aside money for college now means taking out fewer, if any, loans later on. Saving rather than borrowing makes the overall college cost much lower. 
Here are a few important things that might interest you to make the decision to enroll in an NY 529 Direct Plan account: 
  • Your child can attend any eligible higher-education institution, not just a 4-year college or university. This includes vocational and trade schools, community colleges, and graduate schools. 
  • Unlike other types of accounts, such as a custodial account under the Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors Act, a 529 plan is generally considered part of the parents’ assets, not the child’s. Therefore, it will have less impact when it comes to financial aid eligibility. 
  • If your child, the named beneficiary, does not want to continue their higher education you still have options: 
    • You can stay invested in case he or she decides to attend school later, as there’s no age limit on using the money. Or you can change the beneficiary to an eligible family member. 
    • You can also withdraw the money for other uses. (However, a 10% penalty tax on earnings, as well as federal and state income taxes, may apply if you withdraw the money to pay for nonqualified expenses.*) 

 We tell our kids they can do anything they set out to do, and I truly do believe that. I also believe lessening the financial burden of their higher education will alleviate any added stress and help them excel in whatever endeavors they choose. 

 * Contributions of up to $10,000 are deductible annually from New York State taxable income for married couples filing jointly; single taxpayers can deduct up to $5,000 annually. New York State tax deductions may be subject to recapture in certain circumstances such as rollovers to another state’s 529 plan, federal nonqualified withdrawals, or withdrawals used to pay elementary or secondary school tuition, registered apprenticeship program expenses, or qualified education loan repayments as described in the Disclosure Booklet and Tuition Savings Agreement. State tax benefits for non-resident New York taxpayers may vary. Please consult your tax advisor about your particular situation. 

 Earnings on federal nonqualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. Tax and other benefits are contingent on meeting other requirements. Please consult your tax advisor about your particular situation. 

Investment returns are not guaranteed, and you could lose money by investing in the Direct Plan. 

For more information about New York’s 529 College Savings Program Direct Plan, download a Disclosure Booklet and Tuition Savings Agreement or request one by calling 877-NYSAVES (877-697-2837). This document includes investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other information. You should read and consider them carefully before investing. 

Before you invest, consider whether your or the beneficiary’s home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in that state’s 529 plan. Other state benefits may include financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors. 

The Comptroller of the State of New York and the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation are the Program Administrators and are responsible for implementing and administering the Direct Plan. 

Ascensus Broker Dealer Services, LLC, serves as Program Manager and, in connection with its affiliates, provides recordkeeping and administrative support services and is responsible for day-to-day operations of the Direct Plan. 

The Vanguard Group, Inc., serves as the Investment Manager. Vanguard Marketing Corporation provides marketing and distribution services to the Direct Plan. 

No guarantee: None of the State of New York, its agencies, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), The Vanguard Group, Inc., Ascensus Broker Dealer Services, LLC, nor any of their applicable affiliates insures accounts or guarantees the principal deposited therein or any investment returns on any account or investment portfolio. 

New York’s 529 College Savings Program currently includes two separate 529 plans. The Direct Plan is sold directly by the Program. You may also participate in the Advisor-Guided Plan, which is sold exclusively through financial advisors and has different investment options and higher fees and expenses as well as financial advisor compensation. 

©2020 New York’s 529 College Savings Program

Baby #3: Boy or Girl? Old Wives Tales Answered

Filed Under: baby #3, motherhood, pregnancy //

baby, ultrasound, baby announcement, gender reveal, pregnancy, second trimester, old wives tales, latina, latina mom, latina blogger, mom blogger

The time has come to find out Baby #3’s sex! 

I’ll start off by saying that my pregnancies with my two boys felt pretty different, and this pregnancy feels more similar to my second pregnancy. 

I had a strong feeling that S was a boy (I had a very vivid dream with my baby boy in it at the very beginning of my pregnancy) so I wasn’t really surprised when we found out that he, indeed, was a boy at his reveal. I didn’t have as strong a feeling with R’s pregnancy and many people thought it might be a girl. 

The same goes again for this pregnancy with me not having a super strong feeling one way or the other. One one hand, I have felt it could be a girl because of how much more sick and tired I’ve felt (though working from home while caring two little energetic boys could have something to do with the more tired part lol). 

On the other hand, this pregnancy has felt similar to R’s and my appetite increased toward the end of the first trimester, which made me think it could be another boy. (With my previous pregnancies my appetite was increased (S) or normal (R)).

Before we spill the beans, here is how this pregnancy has compared to my other pregnancies, old wives tales-wise:

Cravings?

This pregnancy: Sleep lol jk Sweet (fruits + candy) earlier in pregnancy; more salty later

R’s pregnancy: Sweet (fruits please!)
S’s pregnancy: Salty (pickles + pizzeria chicken rolls lol)

Morning sickness?

This pregnancy: Bad nausea for 10/11 weeks followed by intermittent nausea (still occurring as of 17 weeks)

R’s pregnancy: Nausea for ~16 weeks

S’s pregnancy: Nausea for 14 weeks

Glow?

This pregnancy: No – bad acne in the earlier weeks & felt uncomfortable in my skin and body for most of the first trimester

R’s pregnancy: Some people say yes and my body confidence was highest of all pregnancies, but I had bad acne in the earlier weeks

S’s pregnancy: Yes!

Moody or Mellow?

This pregnancy: Pretty moody at times.. increasingly so as the pregnancy has progressed

R’s pregnancy: Moody/ Moodier than my first… according to my trust Hubs haha!

S’s pregnancy: Mellow-ish

Shape of belly?

This pregnancy: Wide

R’s pregnancy: Round 

S’s pregnancy: Round 

Carrying high or low?

This pregnancy: Low
This pregnancy: High 
Last pregnancy: High


Heart rate?

This pregnancy: Above 140

R’s pregnancy: Above 140

S’s pregnancy: Above 140 sometimes, below sometimes

Clearly, the Old Wives Tales have been all over the place for all three of my pregnancies haha! 

Sooooo, what do you think – boy or girl? 

Check back for the reveal soon! 

baby, ultrasound, baby announcement, gender reveal, pregnancy, second trimester, old wives tales, latina, latina mom, latina blogger, mom blogger

Christmas E-Card 2020 – Less Stress this Holiday Season

Filed Under: Christmas 2020, christmas 2020 cards, christmas cards, motherhood //

christmas cards, holiday cards, christmas 2020, christmas photos, family photos, holiday photos,

They make our world go round.

I hope you are having a very Merry December! I am very happy to be at the end of the year. My mental health was shaky in the spring and summer so the winter holidays are very welcomed.


This year, I’m doing things a little differently to minimize the holiday stress, including not mailing out Christmas cards.


So here is our e-card, and a friendly reminder to do what’s best for you, what works for you, and what you can handle.

I know there are lots of holiday photos, holiday cards, matching pjs, and elaborate gift wrapping and decor being posted on social media but that doesn’t mean you have to do any of those things. Being truly merry and less stressed this Christmas and holidays is more important than “keeping up” with the crowd. 

Hope you enjoy this holiday season!