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It’s no secret that for most adults, the magic of the holidays takes a back seat to the stress of being Santa, Betty Crocker, and Joanna Gaines all at once…while still managing to stick to a budget and stay civil with all your family members. More: Holiday Stress-Busters: Advice for Parents I used to feel the immense pressure of the holidays, running around like a chicken with my head cut off while the anxiety of all the things I needed to do drained me of my holiday spirit....

As mentioned, the gear you can get personalized run the gamut—from backpacks to water bottles and even crayons embossed with your kid’s name. Moms (and dads!) have turned to sites like Etsy and Instagram to launch their own business, selling directly and marketing with photos of a certain of-the-moment “aesthetic.” For some parents, it’s incredibly lucrative, especially if you already have a social media following (or the chops to build one)....

Effort: Fairly easy - little or no sewing required Materials: Brown or black headband Pink construction paper Brown or gray construction paper Brown or gray sweatpants and sweatshirt Any kind of tiny shoes Long, fuzzy fake tail (black, gray, or brown) Safety pins, glue, needle and thread Instructions: On a black or brown headband, glue brown or gray construction paper, cut into two circles. Then cut pink construction paper into smaller circles and glue them to the brown or gray circles....

Paper Pen or marker Clear contact paper Crayon or marker Damp cloth Directions

Materials 23 spring-style clothespins Paint and paintbrush Craft glue Clear acrylic spray Directions

The name Oliver is derived from the old Norse name Áleifr, meaning “ancestor’s descendent.” Introduced by the Normans to England, the name also has roots in France. In French, olivier means “olive tree.” It was later associated with the Latin word oliva, which means “olive.” The spelling of the name Olivier changed to Oliver, and it became a common medieval name in England. The olive tree has long been associated with peace, dignity, fruitfulness, and beauty....

Why Some Women Use Progesterone Progesterone is a hormone that is associated with the menstrual cycle. A woman’s level of progesterone rises after ovulation and falls just before she gets her period. In pregnancy, the progesterone level should stay elevated. Progesterone works to maintain the uterine lining and, thus, indirectly nourish the developing baby. So one theory is that a low progesterone level during pregnancy could indicate that a woman has an insufficient uterine lining....

Anterior means towards the front of the mother, so this area of the cervix would be closer to your pubic bone than your tail bone. A cervical lip may be caused for a variety of reasons, including when the pressure from the baby is uneven on the cervix. The goods news about a cervical lip is that you have options to try. Your labor and delivery nurse, doula, doctor, or midwife can help you decide which of these will be best for you....

An ovulation test kit may come with several paper test strips, or the test may look more like a pregnancy test stick. You either pee on the extended tip of the pregnancy-test-like version, or you pee in a cup and then carefully dip the test strip into your urine. The results can tell you if you might be ovulating soon. Using ovulation strips can help you time sex for pregnancy....

Directions This activity requires an adult to help hammer or hold the wood steady while the child hammers. The wood can also be sanded smooth before beginning to avoid splinters. Hammer the two long nails into one end of the block of wood, just far enough so that they can’t be pulled out. Test the rubber band to see that it stretches tightly across the nails. Place the thin strip of wood inside the rubber band and wind it round and round....

Sadly, some families do fall apart because they lack needed guidance and support. The demands of a child with ADD can expose flaws in a family’s structure or they can provide a foundation for building an even stronger one. Certainly, the problems of a child with attention deficit disorder can transform a household into a battlefield. How the parents respond to the disorder and the disruptive behavior will have a strong influence on the attitudes and behaviors of other children in the family....

Grab the scissors and cut those items out of the pages. Together you’ll make a customized flashcard as you learn the letter and its sound. Kids will have the visual of the word, such as alligator, along with the letter you’re studying. The lesson continues at home when your child makes their own alphabet book with their pictures. The activity never gets old and can be used to capture a field trip, vacation, or regular day with mom or dad through their eyes....

Deck of playing cards Counters (beans, pennies, etc.) Directions

Oh, I remember those weeks well. I, or rather, we (my mom and I), would spend hours preparing for a test, reading books cover to cover, doing flash cards, interpretive dance, and anything else we could think of to get facts to stick for a test that I would…fail. In the conference a week later, mom and I would hear the same comments: “Work harder, study more, take a parenting class,” etc....

During pregnancy, a slightly yellowish fluid surrounds the fetus inside your uterus, allowing the baby to move, grow, and stay safe. It’s constantly adjusting, too, because your baby consumes the fluid and then expels it in an ongoing cycle. You’ll almost certainly hear someone jokingly call it “baby pee,” which isn’t entirely inaccurate, as your baby’s urine actually does comprise most of the fluid by about 20 weeks of pregnancy....

The young-old women she refers to…