Great Expectations - Delayed

Jason is sick... we think he has the flu so I have been keeping my distance. He's been sleeping in the guest room and we had to delay our Great Expectations class. This is the all day class for soon to be new parents. We were concerned that he might be contagious and with so many pregnant women in the class didn't want to risk it. We've rescheduled for later in the month.

Why is it called Labor Day?

Today's post is courtesy of HOW STUFF WORKS...

­For a lot of people, Labor Day means two things: a day off and the end of summer. But why is it called Labor Day? Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894.

­­Labor unions themselves celebrated the first labor days in the United States, although there's some speculation as to exactly who came up with the idea. Most historians credit Peter McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, with the original idea of a day for workers to show their solidarity. Others credit Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J.

The first Labor Day parade occurred Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City. The workers' unions chose the first Monday in September because it was halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving. The idea spread across the country, and some states designated Labor Day as a holiday before the federal holiday was created.

President Grover Cleveland signed a law designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day nationwide. This is interesting because Cleveland was not a labor union supporter. In fact, he was trying to repair some political damage that he suffered earlier that year when he sent federal troops to put down a strike by the American Railway Union at the Pullman Co. in Chicago, IL. That action resulted in the deaths of 34 workers.

In European countries, China and other parts of the world, May Day, the first day in May, is a holiday to celebrate workers and labor unions. Before it became an international workers holiday, May Day was a celebration of spring and the promise of summer.

Membership in labor unions in the United States reached an all-time high in the 1950s when about 40 percent of the work force belonged to unions. Today, union membership is about 14 percent of the working population. Labor Day now carries less significance as a celebration of working people and more as the end of summer. Schools, government offices and businesses are closed on Labor Day so people can get in one last trip to the beach or have one last cookout before the weather starts to turn colder.

Glamour Mom

In doing a little online shopping I found this online store, Glamour Mom. They offer all types of nursing wear. I have found it somewhat difficult to find cute pregnancy clothing so I can only imagine how many nursing options I'd find in a store. This place seemed to have several options that seemed functional, has lots of sizes and colors. I have already placed my first order.

You can access the site by clicking on the Glamour Mom logo above.

PS: For my co-workers/clients, I did that HTML code all by myself!

Do babies like jalapenos?

I don't really each much spicy food-- especially since often times bland food gives me heart burn these days. Tonight I ended up eating quite a few jalapeno peppers and they were going down well. Not an ounce of heartburn, but what I did notice is that the baby may not have liked them. Or maybe did like them because the baby was kicking up a storm for a good hour or two after I ate them. I'll have to experiment with this again some time.

Education Planning

Our financial advisor Meredith is hosting an Educational Planning seminar. With a baby on the way it's probably good if we learn sooner than later about planning for college. I remember reading about 15 years ago that a parent of a newborn would need to save at least $300/month per child to save for college. I have no idea what that amount would be today.

Ameriprise Financial
939 W North Ave, Suite 750
Chicago, IL 60622

Wednesday, September 9
7:00 - 8:00 PM

Wine, refreshments and appetizers will be served.

For questions about this seminar or to RSVP you can contact Meredith Tabbone:
1-312-706-6831 or meredith.a.tabbone@ampf.com

Hungry for Nutrition?

A recent article in TIME magazine reports that some mothers eat the placenta after child birth. There are many things I've tried in my almost 40 years on this planet and I don't know that I can go there. The reasons women do this is because it helps ward off postpartum depression and increase milk supply. The placenta is turned into a meal (think it tastes like chicken?) and the rest of it can also be freeze-dried and turned into capsules. You can read the article at the link above. The article also includes a video if you are feeling adventurous.

Top iPhone Apps for New Moms

A few posts this week are inspired by articles in TIME magazine but they are very relevant. This post includes the top iPhone apps for new moms. From keeping track of nursing to losing weight and keeping the kids entertained in the car these iPhone apps are worth checking out.

Working on the Nursery

We spent most of Sunday working on trying to move the things from the guest room, now baby's room, to our office/new guest room. The room is pretty bare but within a week or so it will make good progress. Jason's goal is to paint the nursery this week. He's already ordered the Dr. Seuss themed decals so the room will be looking good in no time.

On a related note we have been thinking about getting an interior decorator. Not for the baby's room but for the main living area. Has anyone reading the blog used one? Does anyone have a good recommendation in the Chicago area? I have already emailed a lady that's been on HGTV's "Decorating Cents." Her philosophy is focused on using the things you already own-- not spending a fortune on getting a bunch of new things.

More to follow on the decorating front in the coming days.