Enter 3rd Trimester

Seeing my sweet Anamarie's face so clearly is awesome! She looks so much like her big brother! This sweet face is busy making all sorts of movements... blinking, smiling, coughing, crying, yawning... It has me thinking about her personality. Will she be a entertainer like Elijah? Will she be a drama queen? Will she be oh so shy? At 28 weeks Ana has started having R.E.M during sleep... meaning she has dreams! I am really curious as to what she would have to dream about... dreams of listening to Elijah yelling? Dreams of the frozen fruit I ate last week? Maybe dreams of heaven and Angels???



Her feet are looking more like "Whipple" feet... I was hoping for the "Colbert" genes for my baby girls feet, but these look like her Daddies feet. Well... no worries... more feet for me to kiss! Daniel and I were checking out Bella's Boutique (which by the way has super cute used clothing as well as SUPER CUTE infant home-made novelty items), when he came across some camo cribs shoes lined with hot pink fabric. He picked them up and just "GAH'ed"... he just HAD to get them for his little girl!

After another blood test, Dr. Williams increased my Lovenox dosage to 100mg this week. He is pretty confident that this will have to be the last increase. Yesterday, he measured my belly and said I was measuring at 32 weeks and sent me for a sonogram. I am still waiting for the results of the whole ordeal. The ultrasound tech said that I will be called with the results (she can't divulge any information), but assured me, "Do not worry... just trust me, don't worry". My Mom said that the tech was entering E.D.D 6/5/11 - 6/22/11 (estimated due date), with each photo... so baby isn't measuring 32 weeks! Being on Lovenox has a risk of too much blood, oxygen and nutrients getting to the baby... making them bigger than they should be. Having the E.D.D still in the middle of June means she is measuring accurate, but maybe the amniotic fluid is increased (which still has me worried) or maybe I just ate too much that morning and had a food baby in there with her!

My Gramie got to come to the ultrasound with me. She had never been to one before so it was really fun to hear her remarks... "oh my stars"... "would you look at that"... "my goodness". She was cute!
I can feel her heartbeat now... along with all her other gymnast moves. She isn't as active as Elijah was (even her heartbeat at each Doctor visit is slower by 20 beats per minute than Eli was), but she has her moments! I have been trying to get Elijah to sit long enough to feel her move around or kick. He won't though... he screams "NO BABY". Interacting with the baby has to be his "idea" or else he protests with the whole "no baby" bit. He does, often, come over to my belly and rubs it, smiles and says "hi baby", or even kisses it. All of his buddies at Daycare are going to have/just had a sister... "sisters" is a very well discussed topic at Daycare now.

3/6 Coupon Deals

Target

*Pampers Baby Dry size 1 diapers (112 count) ... $9.97 after manufactors coupons. I bought two, so received a $5.00 Target store coupon that I used at the end of the purchase.
*Toy Story tee... $6.99... not a deal at all, but Elijah really wanted the shirt and I figured that beings I am getting a $5 Target gift card for buying the diapers--- Why not get the shirt?
* Fusion shave gel two pack... $4.79 after coupon
* Good life wet cat food (3 of them)... Free after coupon. We don't have a cat, but Elijah likes to feed the neighbor cats
* Woman's Mossimo jeans... Free after coupon
*Loreal Paris Eye Shadow... $1.64 after manufacturers coupon stacked with Target coupon
*Up and Up mouth wash.... $0.39 after Target coupon

Total spent $28.76 (The regular price of one Pampers box of diapers!)

Walgreen's

*Always Maxi Pads 20 count... $1.99 after mani coupon-- Received $2 register rewards after purchase
*Always Maxi Pads overnight 14 count... Free with using the register rewards from previous purchase stacked with mani coupon
*Always Maxi Pads 22 count... $0.99 after Walgreen's coupon stacked with mani coupon-- Received $2 register rewards after purchase (I did a separate transaction for each Always product)
*Venus pro razor with 3 razor heads... $0.99 after mani coupon stacked with the register rewards from previous purchase
*Pedicare cold children meds and Pedicare allergy children meds... Free after mani coupon stacked with Walgreen coupon
*Puffs facial tissue... $1.00 (with a BOGO coupon stacked with a Walgreens coupon.... AND a Walgreens coupon stacked with a mani coupon. I did two separate transactions)
* Kellogs Frosted Flakes cereal... $0.75 a box after mani coupon

I spent less than $7.00 at Walgreen's for all of these items!

Deals and Steals to start of March

Rite Aide... Total cost after coupons $0.34!
Those Nivea chap-sticks were on Clearance for $1 (normally $2.99... I had two buy one get one free). The Butterfinger snackers were on sale 2 for $1.00... I had a $1.00 off coupon. Coupons printed from Swagbucks coupon center... earning me 10 swagbucks per coupon used!

Wal-Mart... These aren't HUGE super saving deals... but they are new products I have been wanting to try... so I found coupons that made it more affordable to try them.
V-8 vegetable blind soup $1.48 after coupon
Philadelphia Cooking Cream $ 1.48 after coupon
Pillsbury Sweet Moments brownie $1.50 after coupon
Hidden Valley Salad mix $1.50 after coupon

I clipped coupons from various Sunday papers... and printed coupons from the Swagbucks coupon page, earning me 10 Swagbucks per coupon used!

I used (two different) $1.00 off coupons for the Herbal Essence, and one $0.55 off coupon for the shaving gel... not HUGE savings, but still saved me some $$$

Pull-Ups flushable wipes $0.64 after coupon... each
Rimmel Eye Shadow $0.64 after coupon
Bambi Diamond Edition DVD WITH BlueRay disk $ 12.96 after $10.00 off coupon
Megamind DVD $9.96 after $5.00 off coupon
Target... I went in with a coupon stack two inches tall! At Target, you can "stack" your coupons... meaning use 1 manufactures coupon WITH 1 Target coupon. Sometimes Target has "Target coupons" in the Sunday paper... they also have LOTS you can print out from Target.com. I used The Target coupons stacked with other coupons clipped from the Sunday paper... but mostly coupons printed from the Swagbucks coupon page... earning me 10 Swagbucks for EACH coupon used!

*Tide laundry soap ended up being $9.94 each after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon
*Orbit chewing gum $0.50 each after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon
*Secret travel size deodorant (awesome for Operation Christmas child shoeboxes) Free after mani coupon
*Up and Up Mouthwash (bought two) $0.39 each after Target coupon
*Crest 3D whiting toothpaste with bonus travel size Crest 3D whiting toothpaste $1.99 each after mani coupon. I bought 3 of them.(this was probably my biggest exciting "savings" of the day. I usually pay $3.34 at Walmart for one of these)
*Reach floss... Free after Target coupon
*Excedrin migraine relief 50ct. $0.99 after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon... regular $5.99
*Excedrin extra strength 50 ct... Free after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon... regular $4.99
*Reese's peanut butter cups... $0.35 each after mani coupon
*Huggies diapers 50ct. $ 4.49 (making them $0.08 each) after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon... regular $8.89
*Glade Seasonal Spring candle (bought 2) $1.00 each after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon
* Lysol toilet cleaner (2pack).... $ 2.79 after mani coupon, making them $1.39 each
*Pine Sol floor cleaner... $ 0.97 after mani coupon
*Finish Jet Dry.... $0.98 after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon
*Purex laundry detergent... $ 1.49 after mani coupon... regular $4.49
*Kelloggs Crunch Nut ceral... $0.50 after Target coupon stacked with mani Coupon
*Up and Up cotton balls $0.62 after Target coupon
*Up and UP Ibuprofen $0.77 after Target coupon
* Halls cough drops... $0.69 for TWO 30ct. bags after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon.... Regular $1.19 each
*Bounty 6 rolls paper towels $6.89 after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon
*Charmin 9 mega rolls toilet paper $8.64 after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon
*Up and Up liners $0.14 after Target coupon
*Smart-Ones frozen diet meals $10.00 for 10 meals after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon... these usually range in price from $2.50-$3.34, they were on sale for $1.80 each
*Special K crackers(bought 2) $0.50 each after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon... regular $2.50 each
*Benni-fiber 16ct. Powder drink mix (bought two) $0.74 each after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon... regular $5.49 each
*7th Generations dish soap $0.69 after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon... regular $2.69
*Jet Dry $0.34 after Target coupon stacked with mani coupon... regular price $2.59

Total Target savings.... $80.56! I normally do not purchase household items like this at Target because I always figure the prices were cheaper at Walmart, and we can use Daniel's associate discount at Walmart... BUT, with adding the coupons to the already "on sale" items makes these items a better deal at Target. I printed all the coupons used today last night, it took me about an hour to match the coupons to the already clipped coupons from various Sunday papers. I use websites like http://www.supercouponlady.com/ or http://www.steviessavings.com/ to help match coupons. Sometimes the items they have listed are not sold in our local stores... sometimes I am able to find a better mani coupon than the one they have listed. They usually say that you can find a certain mani coupon at coupons.com, I always use my Swagbucks coupon page (which is powered by coupons.com), because it gives me 10 swagbucks per coupon used... so you would only need to use 45 printed coupons to earn one $5 Amazon gift card! Learn more about how I Swagbucks here (What is Swagbucks)

That is the fun I had today :)

6 Months Pregnant

It is so fun to know that Anamarie can hear the daily on-goings of her family life. She responds to Elijahs loud outburst, always stops moving and listens to when her Daddy talks to her and absolutely LOVES Katy Perry's song 'Firework'... but she responds the most to Aerosmith! A true Whipple-Colbert combo child!

Her taste buds are forming and her brain continues to develop. Her lungs are forming branches of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that will help fill her air sacs and make it inflate!

Ana is about the size of an eggplant... well... a scrawny eggplant. She is still "filling out" and will pack on those pounds soon enough.

She is, however, big enough to squish my bladder... as well as move her little body to one side of my belly and make it look like I have a lopsided stomach. She is big enough to make my sciatica twinge and ache. I am loving every uncomfortable aspect of growing her! She is being so kind to me weight-gain-wise... the dainty little lady she is. The last six months I have gained almost 5 1/2 pounds. A contrast to when I was pregnant with Elijah... I will not disclose how much weight I gained with him, too embarrassing!

I have been bumped up to weekly Doctor appointments, for now at least. Daily migraines, larger clot behind knee and my blood still not responding to the Lovenox is the reason why. Doctor Williams increased my Lovenox injections to 90mg once daily from 70mg once daily. The most the syringe can hold is 80mg... so I have to do two separate injections every day. At the beginning of these injections I was smug and thought, "I have so much belly here... I won't have a problem finding a injection site!"... well... as my stomach got harder, the injections started to hurt more. At this point I am left with a small area of squishy belly left... a small and heavily bruised area. Doing injections when she is awake and moving is just creepy.

Daniel and I are loving the fact that baby is a girl!

What is Swagbucks?

Swagbucks.com is the web's premier rewards site. Powered by Prodege LLC, Swagbucks.com allows web users to earn virtual currency by doing the things they do every day - search the web, shopping at their favorite retailers, and by engaging in other activities such as phone recycling, submitting polls, and completing special offers. Swagbucks.com is the only place on the web to get what you want without ever having to spend a dime.

Click here to watch a youtube video on "what is Swagbucks"... but please do not click on his referral link. Please use MY referal link, http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/slinkyallstar

Swagbucks.com is an online portal dedicated to helping you earn digital dollars called "Swag Bucks", which can be redeemed for exclusive Swagbucks.com merchandise... such as cameras, xBox 360, various games for the computer or gaming devices, coloring books, food products, housewares... and my favorite, GIFT CARDS! I exclusively get the $5 Amazon.com gift cards. One $5 ACG (Amazon gift card) cost 450 Swagbucks. It takes me about 3 weeks to earn 450 Swagbucks.

How to earn Swagbucks?

Tip #1
Need To Search the Web? Do It With Swagbucks.com.

www.swagbucks.com is the only place on the web where you can win exclusive prizes simply by doing the things you do anyway, everyday!

When searching the web, the best way to win Swag Bucks is to use the engine for genuine search and discovery. Their technology is designed to award users who search naturally — simply utilize our engine the way you would with other search providers. You can earn different amounts with each random search... anywhere from 7-50 swagbucks!

Doing a ton of searches, or clicking on search results, will not increase your chances of winning in any way.

Tip #2

Get a Toolbar, Stay Connected and Win More.

If you use Internet Explorer or Firefox, the quickest way to win Swag Bucks is to have Swagbucks.com always at your finger tips. The Swagbucks.com toolbar resides on the top of your browser and only takes seconds to install. I installed it quickly and easy... and no, I did not get any virus from downloading it... my computer is super secure like Fort Knox so NOTHING sneaks in... I completely trust the Swagbucks toolbar. You get 1 swagbuck daily for just using the toolbar... 1 swagbuck a day equals 365 swagbucks a year!

Tip #3
Invite Your Friends & When They Win, You Win.

The quickest way to win Swag Bucks is to get a little help from your friends! Invite your friends to Swagbucks.com and every Swag Buck they win searching the web, you'll win as well. Win up to 1,000 Swag Bucks per referral! Make sure to tell your friends that if they click on a referal link, or from one of your Facebook swagbuck's post, to NOT click anywhere else on the Swagbucks website. If they do go anywhere else other than the sign up page after clicking on your link, you WILL NOT get the credit from referring them. This is the only negative thing I have found about Swagbucks.

Tip #4
Watch videos at Swag Bucks TV

Every video that you watch gives you the opportunity to earn Swag Bucks. Hundreds of videos are available and more are added every single day. They are boring and pointless videos... I will turn "autoplay" on and leave the computer... go and do the dishes or something and them come back and check on it. Sometimes a Swagbucks pop-up will appear on the screen saying "are you still there?" once I click on it the videos will keep playing. Once your "tv meter" reaches 100% you get 5 Swagbucks. It takes about 45min-hour for the meter to fill up.

Tip #5
Share Your Opinions Through Trusted Surveys.

Major brands want to know what you think and are willing to pay you Swag Bucks to hear it. Complete your personalized profiles and start earning BIG Swag Bucks on your own time, at your own pace. I have been using Swagbucks for a few months now and I have only qualified for one survey. Most people DO NOT "qualify" for the surveys. If you do, however, you typically earn 50-200 swagbucks. BUT... Clicking on the "trusted surveys" tab will earn you 1 swagbucks every day. And one swagbucks a day equals 365 a year!

Tip #6
Want Swag Bucks Quickly? Complete a Special Offer.

Got your eye on something special in the Swag Store? If you're saving up Swag Bucks but could use a little help, check out our Special Offers Page. You'll find rewarding promotions from major brands.
*Yes, you will get MAJOR spam from 99% if these offers. So I use a junk email address.
*Yes, 99% of these offers want a valid phone number. So I use a a K7 online phone number... learn about K7 numbers here. They are free and I NEVER have to deal with telemarketers.
*Yes, 99% of these offers want a home address. I will either use my currant address or a address I have lived at in the last few years... depending on how sketchy the offer looks.
*Yes, some of these offers ask for a drivers license number, social security number or require me to download something to my computer. I DO NOT do these offers... no matter how many Swagbucks the reward is. I recommend you avoid these offers as well. I trust Swagbucks, but not any of the 3rd party apps.
*Some of these offers require you to purchase something, subscribe to a magazine, or pay for a service. I have not done any of these offers. I can tell you that some people have complained that they did not receive product paid for... but most offers seem to be legit... again you can check out the discussions tab on the Swagbucks Facebook page and see what other people are saying about these offers. Swagbucks will occasionally promote a special offer that requires you to purchase something. Their most recent one was with Flowers.com... and it was legit. Another offer that Swagbucks.com seems to promote often is with Oldnavy.com... awesome deal!
*Unfortunaty only about 60% of the Special Offers pay out the Swagbucks they "offer". It is a hit and miss... If you "fan" Swagbucks on Facebook (link here) you will find in the discussion tab many people talking about which offers work and which do not.

Tip #7
Do You Shop Online? Visit their Shop & Earn Mall Before You Buy.

Odds are they have got the brands you're already looking for, and they will give you Swag Bucks when you make your purchase through us! Seriously... Walmart.com, Old Navy, Motherhood Maternity... every online store, well not EVERY store... but lots!

Tip #8
Earn Swag Bucks and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint.

Got a new phone in the last few years? Then send them your old cell phone and they will reward you Swag Bucks. Replace your old dust-collecting cellular with an exclusive Swagbucks.com prize! There's no limit to how many phones you can recycle! Same with old gaming systems and old textbooks! You can check to see how much your stuff is worth.

Tip #9
Interact With The Polls.

Daily polls page features topics and questions that matter to you. From everything Swag Bucks related, to popular culture, news, and entertainment, the Polls page is consistently fresh, fun, and rewarding. Answer the Daily Poll on the day it becomes available to earn a bonus Swag Buck! Just one swagbuck each day... but one a day equals 365 in one year!

Tip #10
Make Swagbucks.com Your Home Page.

Click on the 'Make Us Your Home Page' link under the 'More' tab and make it easy to access Swagbucks.com

Tip #11
Promote on Your Website, Social Profile, Blog or Email Signature.

Grab a Swagbucks.com banner and spread it around and make it easy for friends to sign up as your Swagbucks.com friend! Remember, each Swag Buck they win, you'll win too! You can get your won referal link, similar to mine here, http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/slinkyallstar

Tip #12
Read the Blog.

When big news breaks about Swag Bucks, it happens first on the Swag Bucks Blog! Find out about all the newest offers, prizes, and Swag Codes, all in one convenient location. Look for posts by The Swag Guy for exclusive Swag Buck opportunities! Swag codes have been known to appear on the blog!

Tip #13
Keep Up With Our Facebook/Twitter Account.

Discover what the folks behind Swag Bucks are thinking about and working on in real time! Swagbucks social media pages feature an informal community setting for you to gain insights and share your opinion. And don't be surprised if you stumble upon the occasional Swag Code!


Tip #14 NOSO's (No obligation Special Offers)

Similar to the special offers page, these basically are just spam offers... BUT you have the option to "skip" these offers... after about four or five "skips" you come to a page that requires you to enter a captcha... entering the captcha will earn you 2 swagbucks! You can do this NOSO once a day! That is 730 swagbucks a year!
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That is just about it... if anyone has used Swagbucks.com before and has some awesome insight or tips please comment and share!

Wondering if Swagbucks.com is legit still? You can find the Better Business Bureau review of Swagbucks.com here. If you do a Google search you will find many positive blogs and/or reviews regarding Swagbucks.com. You will find lots of "Is Swagbucks a scam?"... 95% of the answers you will find will say that "no, it is not a scam". Occasionally one or two reviews will pop out stating how Swagbucks.com scammed someone out of their points or whatever... usually these people did something that goes against the Swagbucks policy... such as using multiple accounts. If you share an IP address with your neighbor or roommate, and they too use Swagbucks.com, your account will be closed. There are very few rules with Swagbucks.com... it isn't hard to follow them. If you DO do something to break the rules your account will be closed.

I have personally traded swagbucks for Amazon gift cards... and I have used those Amazon gift cards to purchase products... and have had those products shipped to my house. So I can say that Swagbucks.com is totally legit... it is easy to use and I recommend everyone create an account! With my referral link of course :)

Want to sign up???? CLICK HERE
or use this referal link address http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/slinkyallstar