Any couple that has had a child knows that when you have a child, you might as well kiss off any intimate time spent with your spouse. It takes work and a lot of work. I don’t believe it is impossible though! We have four kids and sometimes we have six. We obviously don’t spend a lot of time together other than being at home. At the end of the day, we are both tired and just ready for bed. But even after taking care of four kids all day, I know that it’s important for my marriage to keep it sexually healthy.

Pampered Passions’ mission is to make sure all women be sexually confident no matter what their body type is.  The CEO, Alicia Vargo, wanted to give women a safe place to feel warm and welcomed. Her main goal: “make every woman feel confident and beautiful”. Pampered Passions offers quality lingerie at affordable prices. If you don’t know what you would feel best in, try talking to a Customer Service Rep. You can call toll free and feel confident with your shopping experience!

Being pregnant, I know that it can make the most confident woman have a hard time with body image. It can also be rough on your sex life. I know that I have managed to avoid bedrest so far and the no sex rule. So I have decided to take a Baby Moon early! What is a Baby Moon? A Baby Moon is a vacation for expectant couples. I highly recommend going on one! Even if you just stay home! We got a sitter for a night and we enjoyed each other’s company. Even though I was tired, I knew I wanted to do something special for my husband. I found this cute Charmeuse and Net Baby Doll outfit. Let’s just say it didn’t stay on long! He was very pleased!

When I first got the package, I was overly excited! I could see the quality right away. Now I have a lot of lingerie! I probably have about 30+ pieces. So I know cheap lingerie compared to high quality lingerie. When I put the babydoll on, I wasn’t afraid of ripping it or stretching it. I wasn’t nervous about putting holes in it. It was extremely soft and comfortable. I love that it can be worn throughout my pregnancy and even postpartum. The color is breathtaking and very flattering. It is very detailed and the details are exquisite! I was at the point where I still felt more chubby than pregnant. But I didn’t feel self conscious in the lingerie at all. It is definitely the best piece of lingerie I have!

You can’t have a proper Baby Moon without the proper tools! What kind of romantic weekend would you have without a little Kama Sutra? Pampered Passions has more than lingerie, they have romantic kits for the women who need that extra spice in the bedroom. I received the Weekender Kit and love it. This kit is perfect for a weekend get away or Baby Moon. It will fit discreetly in your bag and will really enlighten your senses. I’d love to see a little instruction card on how to get the most of this kit but exploring is half the fun right!

Thank you Pampered Passions for providing the products to review. Just because their products have boosted my confidence, doesn’t guarantee they will do the same for you.

So I had my doctor appointment last week. I am gaining a great amount of weight. I have avoided bed rest once again! Of course I didn’t tell him about the cramping and contractions. But they’ve been so mild and inconsistent that I’m not going to panic over them. If I rest, it helps. If I avoid stress, it really helps. The costochondritis feels like it’s healing. It is still painful and hard to breathe at times, but it’s not even as close to as bad as it was.

I have also decided that this little guy is NOT a fan of meat. Well raw meat anyways. I LOVE steak and that will never change. But I can’t seem to be around it without wanting to puke. That is something that I have never experienced before. I am still not feeling him move. HOWEVER, I did feel him kick about every 10 minutes during the New Moon showing! Since then, NOTHING. I know he was just as excited as I was to see Edward and Jacob on the big screen!

So according to my weekly newsletters, I am carrying a Mango. Why do they have to compare a baby to food? Seriously I love mangoes and if I eat one now, I’ll think of eating my baby! Taste just like chicken right? Anyways, I have to THANK all of you for the well wishes lately. I have been awful about replying to you because I was really busy with some things. I will say that I know I will do great with a boy! You will all see the struggles and joys that go along with it. Calling it an adventure is like calling Britney, Mother Theresa. Seriously it is going to be an adventure times 100! Oh and I was looking forward to a girl just because I thought after 4 girls, I’d have enough practice with the whole puberty thing, that I’d do great this time. Now I got to start all over. LOL

After the pregnancy test is bought and your dreams have been confirmed, you are on cloud 9. For most of us, the trip begins. You think the final destination is the delivery room. What you forget to remember is that room is just a rest stop on your trip. With every trip, you’ll experience ups and downs. You’ll be trading your little wallet sized clutch in for an oversized bag that weighs as much as a baby. Cocktail parties will be upgraded with balloons, clowns and lots of little screaming people.

After 5 babies, I have searched high and low for a book that tells it how it is. I didn’t want a book that just tells me how my body is changing or a book that will scare me. I wanted a book that would be honest and tell it how it is. Being pregnant isn’t always the best thing. Your not always going to feel beautiful or like a woman. There are going to be times you feel more like a trucker that just ate too many beans that day. You’ll be gassy, cussing at your husband when he wants to play with your new found accessories, and fat! This will be the only book you will need.

Jenna McCarthy is the author of The Parent Trip and Cheers to the New Mom/Dad! The Parent Trip is the funny and truthful book that talks about conception, pregnancy and beyond. Jenna will share advice that you want to actually listen to. She will tell you the real feelings you’ll have. Not just the, “Oh I’m moody.” The Parent Trip will tell you about wanting to smack every person that asks if your pregnant yet or if you’ve had the baby yet. It lets you know that it’s okay to feel that way! It will share tips like what to really record in the baby book and how to survive without killing your husband. This book should be on every expectant mother’s list! For the next baby shower, skip the outfits and buy the new mom a laugh! She’ll need it during those late night feedings that her husband vowed he would handle.

This is a sponsored post by Due Maternity. The best place to purchase Maternity Clothes!

It’s a Boy!Both his feet together

I have never had a 3D before but this was so neat!

and his Profile

It started on Tuesday. I started feeling pressure on my chest. Assumed it was just a little anxiety but not a full blown attack. I’ve had enough of those that I know what it feels like. This was just different. Then I got a major headache and started feeling lightheaded. So I took it easy since it wasn’t too bad. Then yesterday it got worse. I was short of breath and felt like someone was sitting on my chest. A friend of mine told me to get in because it could be the start of the flu. So I listened and went in. Stoney stayed home with the babies and my sister took me in.

So I go in and of course get a mask because we don’t want to get anyone else sick. I explain my symptoms. Then they take me back to the ER and hand me a gown. I ask exactly what she wants off (I was thinking shirt and bra). “Oh well go ahead and leave your bottoms on for now and if he wants to do a vaginal, you can take them off then.” UMM Seriously? I’m short of breath and he MAY want to do a vaginal? Yeah I don’t think so! So we sit there for an HOUR and finally someone comes in and takes my stats. Things look great. Oxygen at 97. BP was a little high for me. 113/70 but still normal. They test for flu. Negative. Then decide to do bloodwork and an EKG. He thinks he knows what it is but wants to rule anything else out.

EKG and bloodwork all come back normal. Stats checked again and BP lowered and Oxygen at 94. The Doctor comes back in and says I’ve got costochondritis.

Costochondritis is an inflammation of the junctions where the upper ribs join with the cartilage that holds them to the breastbone or sternum. The condition causes localized chest pain that you can reproduce by pushing on the cartilage in the front of your ribcage. Costochondritis is a relatively harmless condition and usually goes away without treatment. The cause is usually unknown.

Lucky me right? I was told that it was probably a virus that I got. But I found out it’s pretty common in pregnancy when your ribs expand. After 5 babies, I have never had this happen. What’s worse is because I am pregnant, there are only two things I can do. Flexeril which is a muscle relaxer and Extra Strength Tylenol. Of course the tylenol doesn’t do anything and the flexeril just makes it tolerable. I also get as comfortable as I can like in a reclined position but I feel out of it. Between the flexeril and the light headed stuff, I just can’t seem to think.

Of course I am not allowed to drive while taking the flexeril. So next week when I drive to California, I’ll be praying Tylenol works to get me there. If not, I’ll just be uncomfortable for the ride.