Listen to this exciting podcast

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onlinehelp/2007/10/19/My-special-guest-this-week-is-Treasua-Stepp

Introducing my special friend... Treasua Stepp

http://www.southernbelleinvitations.com

My name is Treasia Stepp and I am a WAHM. I am married to a wonderful man and have been now for a little over one year. I have two lovely children ages 24 and 17, boy and girl, respectively. I also have two grandchildren, again boy and girl ages 4 and 1. As well as two step children, girl and boy ages 10 and 8. I attended a very small school in Arkansas. I have lived here most of my adult life and wouldn't change it. In high school I thought I wanted to be a secretary when I grew up. I took all the courses that I could for this goal in life. Instead I married right out of high school and became a wife and mother. I did not attend college until after my divorce in 1995. I had worked for many years in the health care field as a CNA in a nursing home. I loved health care. So I attended a course and received my state license in Respiratory Therapy. I worked as a respiratory therapist for 6 years and throughly enjoyed it. However it took almost all of my time away from home. I wanted more homelife. I changed careers at the age of 38 and became a legal secretary in the small town I grew up in. I done this for 3 years and enjoyed it as well. I still had not found my true passion in life as far as my dreams of working for myself. After meeting my soon to be husband and moving to Marked Tree, AR, where we reside now, I custom designed and handcrafted our wedding invitations and all of our stationery for our wedding. I done this as a way to make our wedding more personal as well as affordable. I fell in love. Not only with my husband but the craft and desiging aspect of weddings and cards making. I was hooked. I started doing this for friends and family and it became my passion. At this time I worked as a sales associate in a large company. I hated it. lol. I still longed for my dream of owning my own business and working from home so as to spend more time with my family and children, and grandchildren. When my husband decided to become an OTR driver and knowing he would be gone for weeks at a time he pushed and prodded me to open my own business. He gave me the encouragement I needed to start. I started my business on a shoe string budget. Planning and doing it as I had the money. I designed some invitations and when I felt I had enough to start I then designed my own website and published it on the web. This was in February of 2007 and I am still going strong and growing more each day. I am continually adding new designs and my customer base is growing as well. I do all of my own designing, crafting, graphics, marketing, advertising, and packaging. I couldn't be happier with my life now. I am living my dream at the age of 45 and it can only get better.

sit back an take a moment and listen , then send us your comments

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Listening is an art

How do we listen take these steps.

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In one of the Family Circus cartoon strips, the little girl looks up at her father, who is reading the newspaper, and says, "Daddy, you have to listen with your eyes as well as your ears." That statement says almost all there is to say about listening. Being a good listener means focusing attention on the message and reviewing the important information.

Listening can be considered an art, as well as a skill, and like other skills, it requires that you exhibit some discipline to be effective. However, in today's world where multitasking is considered essential to surviving in the workplace, it is not uncommon to be talking on the phone while we are reading mail or sending e-mail, and simultaneously conducting hand signals with a co-worker who needs your input about something important.

However, when it comes to communicating with your teenagers, you have to separate yourself from this multitasking communications style, and learn how to focus 100 percent of your time on her when she needs to talk to you. If you do not, she will perceive this distracted behavior as a lack of interest in her.

Thus, during your conversations with your teen, you must ignore your own needs, demonstrate patience, and pay attention to her. Hearing becomes listening only when you pay attention to what is being said, and can contribute to the conversation.

So how good are your listening skills?
Answer the following "yes or no" statements honestly:

1. I make assumptions about my teens feelings and thoughts
2. I bring up past issues during current disagreements
3. I interrupt my teenager's conversation
4. I respond to a complaint with a complaint
5. I respond to my teen with phrases like, "That's ridiculous."

If you answered "yes" to any of these statements, then there is some room for improvement in your listening skills.

What to do
Use the following guidelines to help improve your listening skills:

1. Maintain eye contact with your teen during conversations. Good eye contact allows you to keep focused and involved in the conversation.

2. Be interested and attentive. Your teen will sense whether you are interested or not by the way you reply or not reply to her.

3. Focus on "what" your teen is saying and not "how" she is saying it. If she is upset, for example, she may be exhibiting body language that may be distracting.

4. Listen patiently and avoid getting emotionally involved in the conversation. If you do so, you will tend to hear what you want to hear, as opposed to what is really being said. Your goal is to remain objective and open-minded during your discussions.

5. Avoid cutting your teenager off while she is speaking. This will show her that you respect her right to have an opinion, as well as to freely express it.

6. Avoid distractions or trying to multitask during your conversations. This may be okay at work, however your teen may perceive that you have a terminal case of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). :)

Exercise
It may be helpful to have a practice conversation with your teenager rather than wait to try and be a better listener when she comes to you with a "real world" problem. Inform her that she is really important to you, and that you want to be a better listener. Then tell her that you need her help.

Referring to the above guidelines, have her tell you about her day while you demonstrate your listening skills. Then ask her how you did and what you could have done better. Remember not to get defensive and conclude by thanking her for her help. Doing this on a regular basis will not only improve your overall listening skills, but also will make your teenager want to talk to you.

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Nancy Macdonald
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New babies fussy with Colic and those early months , read now

ALL ABOUT INFANT GAS, COLIC AND GRIPEWATER

Crying is a baby’s only means of communicating. Holding or carrying your baby will help you become familiar with their needs. Often a baby is not truly colicky or gassy but still cries for certain periods of the day. It is normal for a baby to have a daily fussy period. Babies like to have close body contact, so carrying your baby is usually comforting.

WHAT IS COLIC?

Colic is a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby cries for more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week. Colic usually begins around 3 weeks of age and lasts until 3 months of age. For some babies this condition may take longer to subside, but it will go away.

The possible causes can be”

An immature gastrointestinal and/or neurological system
Temporary lactose intolerance
Intolerance to high protein foods through the mother’s breast milk
Digestive intolerance due to smoking during or after pregnancy

INFANT GAS EXPLAINED

A majority of babies have discomfort from infant gas usually following feedings. They may cry intensely until they are able to release the gas.

The possible causes can be:
Cow’s milk and certain formulas
Eating too fast
Swallowing air while crying
Introducing new foods into the baby’s diet

HOW CAN I HELP MY BABY WHO HAS GAS OR COLIC?

Do not be afraid to hold, comfort, or rock them often.
Decide to breast feed until the baby is at least a year old
Allow your baby to comfort itself on the breast, even if it is just for a few moments.
Try not to over stimulate your baby.
Introduce white noise to calm them. Try the vacuum cleaner or washing machine.
Take the baby for car rides, or stroller walks.
Place the baby over the arm, known as the “gas hold”.
If you are bottle feeding, check that the nipple hole is not too large, as the baby may swallow too much air.
Burp your baby occasionally during bottle or breast feeding.
If your baby has acid reflux, be sure to place them in an upright position following meals, and give them smaller frequent feedings.

Always check with lactation specialist or doctor before discontinuing breast feeding or going to or changing formulas.

A dose of Baby’s Bliss GripeWater may ease your baby’s discomfort due to gas colic, hiccups, teething or acid reflux. Most babies stop crying in 5-20 minutes.