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My little girl turns three today.


She was born on a cold January morning in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.


Ciara was born five weeks early weighing 6 lbs. She was also a little jaundice so we had to hook her up to a billy blanket for about a week.


Ciara was a cute little baby.


Baby girls grow up and become little princesses.


At six months Ciara developed her first attachments. She always had to have her pink blanket and nuk.


She loves her big sister.



When she was eight months Ciara started to crawl.



She loved the swings at the park across the street from where we lived.


Ciara's always been our little princess.



Her first Christmas.


Ciara loved her first birthday cake.


She met Mickey Mouse down in Disney World when she was 14 months old.


Ciara loved going to the community pool in the summer time.



Or, an occasional dip in a bowl of water.


She wasn't so sure about the birth of her new baby brother. After all, Ciara was only 18 months at the time.


It didn't take long for them to become best buds.


Ciara was a cute little toddler.


She survived the big move to California when she was two.


Hunting for Easter eggs was a lot of fun.


Ciara's smile always brightens my day.


She helped Mommy pick eggplant this summer.


And learned how to cool off during the long hot summers in California.


She had fun with the pumpkins.


Ciara will always be our pretty, pretty princess.


Happy Birthday, Ciara. We love you! I hope you have fun at your birthday party this afternoon at John's Incredible Pizza.

This week I interviewed Hyacynth Worth from Undercovermother.net. She blogs about a variety of topics from health, parenting to stories about her cute little boy, Gabe. She makes her blog interesting by writing in a journalistic style. Scroll down to read my exclusive interview with Hyacynth.




HM: Where are you from?
Hyacynth: The Chicago suburbs

HM: When did you start blogging?
Hyacynth: Dec. 2007

HM: Why do you blog?
Hyacynth: I blog to help other moms find a laugh, information and other moms.

HM:What is your blog about?
Hyacynth: I write about real-life experience. I am a journalist, and I speak with local professionals about topics like breastfeeding, pediatric health, natural pregnancy and labor and pediatric and prenatal chiropractic care. I also talk about many facets of attachment parenting like babywearing and gentle discipline.

HM: What are your ultimate goals for your blog?
Hyacynth: My utimate goal is to help other moms -- whether they need a laugh, cry, a place to connect or some sound information about parenting.



HM: What do you want your readers to get out of your blog?
Hyacynth: Sound, accurate information, laughs and thought-provoking reads.

HM: What do you do to get your readers to keep coming back?
Hyacynth: I post relevant information about parenting topics like breastfeeding and pediatric medical care by speaking with local professionals. I also post funny stories, upload cute pictures and tell about my real-life experiences. And I host contests and invite my readers to comment about topics.

HM: Do you have any favorite blogs or any blogs that you read regularly?
Hyacynth: I love diapersandwine.blogspot.com, shesewsseashells.blogspot.com, http://schreiberwriter.blogspot.com, adventuresinbabywearing.com and mycharmingkids.net. And your blog. :)

HM: Do you have any advice for other bloggers?
Hyacynth: If you would like to have an audience, you must first become an audience member. Use your blog as a method to connect with other mamas just as you would in real life. When they speak, you must listen and respond, and when you speak, hope they listen and respond.

HM: What is one thing that I did not cover in these set of questions?
Hyacynth: What makes my blog different?

I have the mind of a journalist. I ask lots of questions, and I analyze as well as research many topics. When readers come to my site, they can be assured that they will find accurate information about babywearing, cloth diapering, breastfeeding, natural birth and delivery, healthy pregnancy, prenatal and pediatric chiropractic care and pediatric care. I work with local professionals to bring reader accurate and sound information.

Visit Hyacynth at Undercovermother.net

I invite all Mommy and Health bloggers to be in the spotlight. Click here for more information on how your blog can be in the spotlight on Healthy Moms.

This is a physalis. According to Wikipedia, " The typical Physalis fruit is similar to a firm tomato (in texture), and like strawberries or other fruit in flavor; they have a mild, refreshing acidity. The flavor of the Cape Gooseberry (P. peruviana) is a unique tomato/pineapple-like blend. Physalis fruit have around 130 kcal for 100 grams^{[verification needed]}, and are rich in cryptoxanthin.

Its uses are similar to the common tomato or to fruits with a refreshing taste. Once extracted from its husk, it may be eaten raw or used in salads, desserts, as a flavoring, and in jams and jellies. They can also be dried and eaten much like figs, apricots or grapes."

Morning sickness or nausea is very common in early pregnancy. Some women can't even think about eating while others can only handle certain foods. Some women get sick right after they eat. This icky feeling in your stomach might not only occur in the morning. Some women have morning sickness only in the afternoon while others suffer from it all day.

It's okay if you can't keep much down during the early weeks of pregnancy. As long as you continue taking your prenatal vitamin you and your baby should be just fine.

Some women have nausea and vomiting that is so severe that it can lead to weight loss and loss of fluids. This condition called, hyperemesis gravidarum if not treated can put the unborn baby at risk. If you can't keep any food or liquid down, lose weight quickly, have dark, scant urine or vomit blood you could have hyperemesis gravidarum and should call your doctor right away.

Treatment of this condition is usually hospitialization along with fluids given intravenously. Your doctor may also treat you with anti-nausea medications. Most women with this condition are not allowed to eat any food until the vomiting stops.

Hand washing is very important to fight germs and help prevent the spread of infections. You should teach your kids at a young age the proper way to wash their hands. Here are some hand washing tips from Mommydocs.com.






Please keep in mind that hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the
spread of germs and illnesses. Believe it or not, there is actually a correct
way to wash hands. Follow these steps to help you and your family stay
healthy.

• Wet hands with clean, warm water
• Apply soap (it does not matter whether you choose to use anti-bacterial soap or regular soap, both are proven to be effective when used correctly)
• Lather the soap over the hands and vigorously scrub all aspects of the hands including the fronts and backs of the hands, the wrists, between the fingers, and under the fingernails
• Continue scrubbing for at least 20 seconds (it takes this long to loosen up the germs)Many recommend using a timer or having a young child sing a 20 second song in order to ensure proper length of scrubbing
• Rinse hands with warm, running water to remove all soap
• Dry hands with a clean towel or a paper towel
• If possible, use the towel to turn off the water from the sink, and to open the door (this will help prevent germ contamination to your just washed hands. If the paper towel dispenser is not automatic, be sure to push the lever and get some paper towel out before washing hands. After washing, you will just have to tear off the paper towel and contamination of your clean hands can be avoided.
• Alcohol based hand sanitizers are a great option when soap and running water are not available. Just be sure to use a product which contains at least 60% alcohol. If the hands are soiled (meaning they have dirt or residue on them) then washing with soap and water is the preferred method.
  

Directions for alcohol based hand sanitizers are as follows:
o Apply an appropriate amount of the product to the palm of the hand
o Rub into both hands, being sure to cover all aspects of the hands and
fingers
o Be sure to continue rubbing in the sanitizer until it has completely
disappeared and hands are dry (this is especially true when using on
children). Also, please keep the alcohol based hand sanitizers out of
the reach of children!!

Hands should be washed:

• Before eating meals
• Before, during, and after preparing foods (in particular uncooked meat/chicken/etc.)
• After using the bathroom (both at home and in public restrooms)
• After changing a diaper
• Before serving food
• After going to the store
• As soon as a child arrives home from school or daycare
• After touching pets or any type of animal
• After wiping your nose, coughing/sneezing, or touching the face
• After touching the trash
• After coming in contact with someone who is sick or touching any open areas of skin

For more health information for parents visit Mommydocs.com.

Related articles:
How to Stay Healthy During Cold and Flu Season
Study Finds that Women Have More Bacteria on Their Hands Than Men

Valentine's Day is coming soon! Make your sweetheart happy ever after with magical Disney gifts perfect for the occasion, at the DisneyShopping.com Valentine's Day Shop.

Enjoy $5.00 shipping at Disney Shopping for all your Valentine's Day purchases. Don't forget to try out the DisneyShopping.com gift finder to find the perfect present for friends and family, and see what's currently featured in the Spotlight! You can also create your own shop only at DisneyShopping.com.

A new report from the United Nations Development Fund for Women declared that more than half a million women all over the world every year die during pregnancy or childbirth. Over 90% of these deaths occur in developing countries.

The report laid out eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for positive changes for women world wide. According to the report, MDG 5 to improve maternal health is "the most off-track off all the MDG's."

The report states that maternal deaths between 1990 and 2005 has had a decrease of less than 7 per cent. This is a decrease in the maternal mortality ratio from 430 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 400 in 2005.

The World Health Organisation estimates that this rate falls for short of the 5.5 percent annual reduction in maternal deaths required to achieve the global target.

Sub-Saharan Africa experienced the largest increase in the number of maternal deaths from 212,000 in 1990 to 270,000 in 2005. But they also experienced a large increase in the number of live births. From 23 million in 1990 to 30 million in 2005.

The report points out that women who die during pregnancy did not have a choice for their prenatal care and other health services. Some of them lacked the financial resources or were not educated on the importance of prenatal care.

The report also states that these deaths could be prevented if more women are educated on how to prevent unplanned pregnancies. I believe that our young people world wide need to be educated more on abstinence. Although, the report which was probably put together by liberal feminists, states that these women should have better access to contraception.





Source: United Nations Development Fund for Women

Related Content: India grapples with high maternal death rate In Medicine Blog

Dr. Marcus Cooke from the University of Leicester has begun a new study funded by the World Cancer Research Fund in the UK that will examine whether consuming caffeine during pregnancy might affect the unborn baby's risk of developing childhood leukaemia.

Leukaemia, a cancer of the bone marrow and white blood cells affects people of all ages. It is also the most common form of childhood cancer but is still rare. Only one out of every ten leukaemia patients are children.

With this new study Dr. Cooke hopes to find out if consuming caffeine could lead to the sort of DNA changes in the baby that are linked to the risk of leukaemia. Currently nobody knows the cause of childhood leukaemia. Childhood leukaemia could be the result of changes in the DNA during pregnancy. But experts believe that there may be a secondary trigger to the disease.

Currently there isn't a link between caffeine and cancer risks but studies have shown that caffeine does alter the DNA, which has sometimes found in newborn babies.

Scientists know that unborn babies do come in contact with caffeine because it can pass across the placenta. Dr. Cooke and his research team are trying to determine what impact this can have on the unborn baby.

The researchers will be working with 1,340 pregnant women. A blood sample will be taken from their newborns heel's. These samples will be tested for DNA changes. The DNA changes will be compared to the levels of caffeine the mother consumed to try to determine if the two are linked.

If it is decided that the two are linked the researchers will continue with the study to find out if these babies are more likely to develop leukaemia. They will also look into other agents that the children could be exposed to that may also alter DNA. Other lifestyle and dietary data will be collected to see if there is anything else that might increase the risk.

The UK Food Standards Agency has recommended that pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to less than 200 mg of caffeine a day – the equivalent of two mugs of coffee. Experts believe that drinking a lot of caffeine during pregnancy could lead to low birth weight.







Related Articles
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Aneurysms are more common than most people think. Today the Healthy Moms Dictionary will explore all the different types of aneurysms with a major focus on brain aneurysms. An aneurysm is a localized widening of a vein, artery or the heart. There is usually a bulge at the point of the aneurysm.

There are several different types of aneurysms. A few of these types include:

• Abdominal aneurysm- a balloon- like swelling in the wall of the aorta within the abdomen. This can rupture due to the weakening of the aorta wall and great volume of blood. An abdominal aneurysm can be monitored by ultrasound and surgery is usually recommended if the aneurysm is more than 2.2 inches in diameter.
• Aortic aneurysm- an aneurysm of the largest artery in the body, the aorta.
  
• Arterial aneurysm - An aneurysm involving an artery.
• Arteriosclerotic aneurysm- An aneurysm that occurs because a vessel wall is wekened by arteriosclerosis.
• Berry aneurysm - A small aneurysm that looks like a berry and classically occurs at the point at which a cerebral artery departs from the circular artery at the base of the brain. This type of aneurysm usually bleeds.
  
• Brain aneurysm - An aneurysm of a blood vessel in the brain, usually due to a defect in the vessel at birth or from high blood pressure. When a brain aneurysm ruptures it can cause a severe headache, nausea, vomiting, decreased consciousness, and can be live threatening.
  
• Cardiac aneurysm - Cardiac aneurysms usually occur in the left ventricle because the blood pressure is the greatest there. These types of aneurysms are described as an outpouching of an abnormally thin portion of the heart wall.
• Dissecting aneurysm - An aneurysm in which the wall of an artery rips longitudinally. This occurs because bleeding into the weakened wall splits the wall.
  

When most people hear the term aneurysm the first thing that comes to mind is a brain aneurysm or severe headache. According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, an about 6 million people in the United States have an unruptured brain aneurysm (1 in 50 people).
About eight in every 100,000 people with unruptured brain aneurysms will experience a rupture. About 40% of those with ruptured brain aneurysms will die as a result. Four out of every 7 people who recover from a ruptured rain aneurysm will have disabilities. Brain aneurysms are most likely to occur in adults ages 35-60, although rare, children can get brain aneurysms too. Women are more likely to get brain aneurysms than men with a ratio of 3:2. Ruptured brain aneurysms account for 3-5% of all new strokes.


Look for these warning signs if you believe you may have a brain aneurysm.

• Dilated pupils
• Double vision
• Pain above and behind your eye
• Localized headache

If you have these symptoms you may have a ruptured brain aneurysm.

• Localized headache
• Nausia and vomiting
• Stiff neck
• Blurred or double vision
• Sensitivity to Light
• Loss of Sensation

Do not use this information to self diagnose. If you have any of these symptoms you should see your doctor right away. He may rule out an aneurysm. It could be migraines or another form of headache.

My family loves eggplant and these unusual looking vegetables are very good for you. Winco had beautiful eggplants on sale for 98 cents each last week so I bought one for a treat for my family. I thought I'd share with you this great healthy recipe using eggplant.




Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:
1 eggplant, about 1/2 lb.
1 egg
3 1/2 Tbsp. 2% milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbs. olive oil
3/4 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/3 cups cooked angel hair pasta
2 cups cooked broccolini (Broccolini is a green vegetable not unlike broccoli with small florets and long, thin stalks.- Wikipedia)

Marinara Sauce
1 cup onion chopped
1 Tbs. garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
1/2 Tbsp. fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. ground dried thyme
1/2 tsp. ground coarse black pepper
1/4 tsp. red chili pepper flakes
1 tsp. olive oil
6 1/4 cups canned diced tomatoes
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. parsley, freshly chopped

Preparation
Eggplant Parmesan
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut eggplant into 8 slices, each slice 1/4 inch thick. In a small bowl, beat egg with milk. Dredge eggplant slices in flour, then in egg mild mixture, then in breadcrumbs. In a large saute pan saute eggplant in olive oil over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side. Transfer cooked eggplant slices to a baking dish. Top with marinara sauce and sprinkle cheese over the top. Place in oven and cood for a few minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve 2 eggplant slices with 1/3 cup cooked pasta and 1/2 cup cooked broccolini.

Marinara Sauce
Ina large sauce pan, saute onion, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, black pepper and red pepper flakes in olive oil until onions are soft. Add diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add remaining ingredients except for parsley and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours stirring frequently. Stir in parsley.

Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Each 1/2 cup serving contains:
360 calories
15 g. of protein
56 g. carbohydrates
10 g. fat
63 mg. cholesterol
310 mg. sodium
6 g. fiber

I again would like to thank everyone for participating in the prayer chain. We are getting more and more prayers every week. If you are new to this you shall find what you can do to help spread the prayer chain and how you can add your prayers. I update the list every Sunday.

If you want to spread the prayer chain on your blog all you need to do is add the prayer chain button and blog about this once a week. Ask your readers to post their prayer intentions as comments. Then you can either e mail those intentions to me at talbertcascia at yahoo dot com or post them as a comment on my prayer chain post. You can also direct your readers to this post so they can post their prayer intentions directly to my site.

I should have hundreds of comments from people that need prayers. I know they are out there. When you say your prayers at night, in the morning, or whenever you pray visit our chain and read the intentions. God is listening.

Here's the latest list.

Please pray for:

The mother with the child with Asperger's and Asthma and her son

That my family can get the needed health insurance so I can have proper prenatal care

In prayer of thanksgiving for the continued good health of baby Stellan

Comments from readers
"My grandson is on his way back from Iraq and I'm praying for him to return safely. He is due back in the states on January 6th and I'll breathe relief when he's back.

This was his second seven month tour in Iraq as a marine.."

Dorothy from grammology
___________________________________________________________________
1>Gracie Martin-age 95,still at home with her family but she has gotten very ill and alzheimers is bad.pray for her family as well.

2.>Pray for my friend linda s.,she is 45 and has lung cancer.She is still trying to work and spend as much time with her 3 grandkids as she can...

3.>Dorothy carter-hurt her back at work and they found what they thought may be tumors on her back during xrays-she is 43 and just had her first grandbaby

4.>Rita b.-strength to be a single mom of 3 and a way to come so that they can get a vehicle for the family.

5.>johnny n.-health problems

6.betty r~simply southern-to get rid of this awful congestion in my chest.been fighting it 2 weeks..little summer also has this,it is rough on her at times.she is only 6 mos old.thank you"

Betty from Simply Southern
__________________________________________________________________

"I have one to list..

The family of Barbara C. She just lost her battle with cancer."

Felicia from Go Graham Go!
__________________________________________________________________

"i'd also like to add my prayer...

please pray for the soul of Al my neighbor (15 yrs old) who passed away last saturday. (January 10) he had bone marrow cancer."

Liza from hMoms... Check Nyo
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"What a great thing you are doing here.

My aunt has a best friend who just got a bad cancer report."

Thanks,
Toni
It Is Nap Time
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"You are a person with a warm heart!

I want pray for all people who still live in the disaster area of China WenChuan earthquake, Hope they all have warm place to live and warm food to eat!

It's the first Chinese new spring festival after earthquake, I hope they have a happy new year!"

IWalk
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Comments from message box

"Hi Cascia, my 60-year-old 2nd-brother has been in ICU since 30Dec08. Chances are 50/50. Let's pray that he will make it thru. Jus me, Wenny of Inside My Bubble Today."
Please pray for Wenny's family. Her brother passed away on January 7.

For some reason the message box isn't working right this morning. I will try to fix it later.

If you have prayers you want to add to the prayer chain please leave a comment or message me in the prayer chain box. If you want to promote the prayer chain on your blog all you need to do is blog about it along with our list of prayers and a link back here. You can use the button code to link back to the prayer chain. I am working on creating a better button. I noticed that it is hard to read the purple words. I'll let you know when the new button is done. When you are saying your prayers at night or whenever you pray don't forget to add the intentions on the Healthy Moms prayer chain.

I had a tough time trying to figure out what to write for Faith Filled Sundays (I've said that before, haven't I?). But after much thought I decided I would tell you all a story.

There once was this 3 year old girl. She was cute and innocent and always asked questions. One day her mommy had to go to work so she left her with friend, Dan. Dan was a very nice and caring young man who loved Jesus. He took the little girl to this big building full of pictures, models and statues all relating to science.

The building had maps of the stars on the walls, pictures of famous scientists and models of the human body. The little girl felt so small in this massive building. When they approached the models of the human body her curiosity took over. "What is that, Dan?" She would ask. He told her all about the brain, the muscles, and bones.

When they got to the human heart Dan told her it was the heart. He showed her where her heart was. Then the little girl as innocent as could be asked, "Where is Jesus?"

Yes this is a true story. The little girl is my daughter, Courtney. The moral of the story. Talk to you children about Jesus. They are never too young to learn about our Lord and Savior. Even though Courtney could not see Jesus in the model of the heart he is present in her heart. She still believes that and now at age eleven she has a very close and personal relationship with Jesus.