Cassy Fiano-Chesser
This Holiday, Give the Gift of a College Education
Every holiday season, we encounter the same problem — what to get our kids for Christmas. As a parent, I love giving my kids something I know they want; I love seeing their huge...
ARPKD Was Supposed to Be a Death Sentence, but Instead It Brought Hope
For most parents, a healthy baby is all they hope for out of pregnancy. You just want your baby to be alive and happy and safe — and because worrying is what moms do...
What It’s Really Like to Transition From Military to Civilian Life
My husband and I met when we were just kids, but we didn't get married until over a decade later — when he was serving his country as a United States Marine. For the...
Florida Prepaid: What Your Family Needs to Know About Saving for College
Every parent worries about their child's future, and in today's world, a college education is a key component of success. But college tuition is more expensive than ever before, and the idea of saving...
What I Hope (And Fear) For My Child with Down Syndrome
I had a conversation about Down syndrome with some friends recently, and we talked about what life is like raising a child who has it. One question I get asked pretty frequently is what...
The Drastic Step I’m Taking to Prevent Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is called the "silent killer," and for good reason: There are often very few recognizable symptoms until the cancer has become extremely advanced. The symptoms that women do get are vague, and...
Honest Thoughts on Having My Last Baby
Last October, I found out I was pregnant with baby no. five. While not entirely unexpected, the news wasn't something I was able to completely celebrate; I had a lot of concerns and fears...
Jacksonville Day Trip: The Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche
Growing up on Florida's First Coast, I was a frequent visitor to St. Augustine. Like most people, I would see the great cross off in the distance, but it wasn't until I was an...
My Gestational Diabetes Diagnosis: This is What It’s REALLY Like
One of my biggest fears, each and every pregnancy, was that I would be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. And each pregnancy, I managed to escape. I may have had any number of other high-risk...
May the Fourth Be With You! Ideas to Celebrate Star Wars Day
I'm a self-professed nerd, and I've happily shared my geekery with my children (much to the chagrin of my husband!). One of my favorite fandoms is Star Wars, and thankfully, my kids are all...
Why Every Mom Should Get Their Babies Vaccinated
Unfortunately, vaccines have become controversial among many parents. This is largely due to a now-discredited report from a doctor who claimed to find a link between autism and the MMR vaccine. Andrew Wakefield's study was...
Keep Your Hands OFF My Pregnant Belly
There are a lot of things to be excited about when you get pregnant: Seeing your first ultrasound, hearing the heartbeat, choosing a baby name, feeling the baby kick. But being pregnant also, unfortunately,...