Me Two Books
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 *This post is not sponsored. This is just my honest opinion. There are very few baby items that I still use today. But these three bath products have not only stood the test of time, but they are still things we use everyday. Watch as I tell you all about these three baby bath products. While it is impossible to prepare emotionally for having a baby in the NICU, at the very least, you can feel that you have what you need to make it through each day.  I never packed an overnight bag for the birth of my babies. At 27 weeks, I was put on unexpected bedrest and spent the next 8 days at the hospital. I was admitted after a routine OB appointment, so I didn’t have time to collect items that would have made my stay more bearable. On the 8th day, my twins were born prematurely and taken to the NICU where they stayed for the next 2 months. During that time, I developed an all-day everyday NICU routine. The hospital that was caring for my babies had a “traditional” NICU that didn’t allow for a private room or space for parents to stay the night. It became a daily task to pack a bag with the things I would need to survive the day at the NICU. Here was what helped me care for myself and my babies during this time.
Loose-Fitting Clothes Life in the NICU was stressful, so I made sure my outfit was not. Comfortable pants that didn’t rub against my c-section scar were a must. I also wore oversized shirts or tops that could be unbuttoned to facilitate kangaroo care and frequent pumping sessions. I always wore freshly laundered clothes to help prevent the spread of germs to the NICU. Journal/ Notebook There is a lot of important information to keep track of in the NICU. I had a small notebook that I used to jot down questions I wanted to ask the health care staff. I also used this book to record my babies’ milestones and accomplishments. There are also several organizations that make journals specifically for the NICU experience that are great to have around. Camera The birth of my twins certainly didn’t go as I had expected, but these were still memories that I wanted to remember. I used my phone to snap photos, and occasionally I would bring my DSLR camera into the NICU as well. I guarantee you will be so happy to have those photos to look back on. Food/ Water As a pumping mama, I needed a constant supply of food and water. I didn’t want to leave the floor to go to the cafeteria, and sugary snacks from the vending machine left me unsatisfied. I packed healthier snack options and lots of water. Toiletries After hours at the hospital, I sometimes felt disheveled. At those times, I really appreciated having a small bag of toiletry items like a comb, toothbrush, and facial wipes. I also always needed chapstick. The hospital air can be extremely drying. Pumping Supplies When I was pumping, I never left the house without my supplies. The hospital provided a pump, but I needed to bring everything else like an insulated bag, a hands-free bra, and my pump parts (valves, flanges, connectors, etc.). I often needed to pump multiple times while at the hospital, so having cleaning wipes formulated especially to clean pump parts were useful. Book/ Entertainment One of the ways I passed the time at the bedside was by reading to my babies. On days when I was unable to hold them, it was nice to be able to strengthen our bond by reading. It also was a nice distraction from the stressors of the NICU. While it is impossible to prepare emotionally for having a baby in the NICU, at the very least, you can feel that you have what you need to make it through each day. "Try to do one thing each day that can’t be undone."  It's been 160 days. Over 5 months of trying to squeeze our whole lives into one house. I must admit I have noticed that as the months of COVID have continued on, without an end in sight, I have more and more moments of disconnect. There are times, when I just want to zone out in front of the TV or scroll mindlessly on social media. So I do! And then I remember something my Grandmother told me. She said, try to do one thing each day that can’t be undone. She wasn’t talking about cleaning or organizing, she was talking about connecting. Spending time with your children, listening to them, being present and making simple memories are the things that will remain forever. So here are a few of the easy things we have been doing to connect and enjoy this gift of time together, without ever leaving home.
Read a book My kids love to read or listen to a book. While we are at home we have been reading lots of books out loud together. Many of the classics are readily available electronically through your local library. It’s fun to introduce my kids to books I enjoyed when I was young. If you have a reluctant reader/listener, try a “library lunch.” Read a book while everyone eats their food! Bake something It just feels like a good time to bake together. Find a new recipe online, or dig out an old family favorite. Measuring out the ingredients counts as homeschool math...right? Have a picnic Preparing 3 meals a day at home can make mealtime monotonous. But a picnic is a surefire way to mix things up. Of course, eating outside is always nice, but if the weather isn’t cooperating, or you don’t have a private outdoor space consider an indoor picnic. Spread a blanket on the floor and eat in your child’s bedroom, or put a sheet over the dining table to create a tent and eat inside it. Throw a “house” party If your family is missing social gatherings, throw a party at home. Make up a reason to celebrate or have a good old-fashioned tea party. Plan the menu, make the decorations out of things you already have at home, and pick out the perfect party playlist. Consider inviting stuffed animals, dolls, and other assorted toys as your guests. Have an at-home sleepover Make bedtime fun, by having a sleepover at home. My kids love sleeping in each other’s rooms, and this is a great time to allow that. Or gather up your sleeping bags and blow up the air mattress and have the whole family sleep together in the living room. Your kids will love it! At a time like this when so much seems out of our control, prioritizing connection with our kids is so important. Try to set aside a bit of time each day to connect with your kids and make a memory that cannot be undone. I'm so excited to share my interview with fellow preemie parent Jamie C. Johnson with you on her book launch day! You can find her book Strong Faith: Daily Encouragement for Moms and Families of Premature Babies on Amazon. -Ali "As a result of my NICU experience I have become an advocate. I am on a mission to learn about preemie statistics, resources, etc., more specifically around families of color." ~ Jamie C. Johnson  Please share your NICU journey. I gave birth to my son Caleb on September 28, 2018 via emergency c-section. He was delivered at 32 weeks, weighing 4lbs 0.4oz. He stayed in the NICU for 49 days. Caleb is my first child. I dealt with a rollercoaster of emotions as I had no one to talk to about the preemie/NICU experience. Caleb had his ups and downs with weight, his heart rate & his breathing. It was hard to find a way to feed him and he not have an alarm. I had a difficult time producing milk which was a major blow to my esteem as a mother. I felt pressure and guilt from the nurses as they kept asking about when I was bringing milk or when I did give milk "oh, is that all?" Having to resort to formula was painful. We are vegetarians and we planned to keep things as natural/organic as possible. Caleb had reflux and would vomit during many feedings. We tried several bottles & nipples. One of the nurses that I absolutely loved shared how some babies responded positively to "thickened feeds" (adding oatmeal to milk). I asked repeatedly to try it and my request was denied. I followed the NICU team's suggestions but I knew it wasn't working. When I told a nurse that it didn't work because Caleb was having bad alarms with me (which he rarely had) I was told that the head of the unit needed to see it not working for herself- which meant more alarms. I felt like they actually wanted him to have alarms. I was so angry that I wasn't respected as a mother. It took having a meeting with the head of the unit for my request to add oatmeal to Caleb's formula to be approved. Once we started it the alarms stopped and he began to gain weight more consistently. The unresolved feeding issue was what kept Caleb from coming home. He passed all of his tests that were necessary for him to be released. He just needed 3 consecutive days of no alarms. To think that not being listened to as a parent not only delayed my son from coming home but also contributed to the many times his heart rate dropped and his breathing slowed is heart breaking. What gave you strength while going through the NICU experience? God was my main source! I prayed so much throughout our NICU journey-believing that Caleb would come home and not have to stay until his original due date. Joshua, my husband was such a rock. He was working the night shift at that time and sacrificed his sleep to ensure I could get to the hospital everyday (I was medically not allowed to drive most of the time as I healed from my c-section). My family & friends were great as well. They held me accountable when needed and even allowed me and supported me during my low days. My mom only missed 1 day at the hospital with me. I found a song that ministered to me and kept me encouraged. I played it in Caleb's room everyday. I also found a book about an amazing boy named Caleb and read that to my Caleb everyday. I am grateful for technology! Being able to FT family and friends made quiet/lonely times conquerable. Tell us about your organization, Build You Up Sisters. Build You Up Sisters was created to provide opportunities for mothers of all walks of life from around the world to connect and support one another through love and sisterhood. We believe in the power of shared experiences to: foster Trust; give Encouragement; develop Relationships; and provide Support. The need for the sisterhood was noticed when our founder, Jamie Johnson became a mother to her amazing son who was born prematurely and was hospitalized for over 40 days. The many experiences she had led her to wonder about those that may not be as fortunate to have the support she did and the desire to connect and support mothers like her. BYU Sisters will soon have a cohort program to help moms become mompreneurs so that they can be financial contributors to their family while being active in their children's lives/education. What inspired your new book? While in the NICU I tried to find a book to help me through the process. I couldn't find anything that I could connect to. One day while spending time with Caleb I heard that I would write the book that I was looking for. From then I began writing out our experience and what I did to make it through as a mom of a premature baby.   According to the calendar, it is officially summer. However any parent out there will tell you it has felt like summer for a while already. Yes, the summer of social distancing is upon us and for many parents that means no camps, daycare, or sports. So how will we all keep everyone happy and busy during these long, hot, days of summer? I have compiled fun, simple, screen- free activities that will keep you and your kids sane this season! If you need more ideas, check out my post for 35 Simple Summer Activities.
Quiet Activities
Outside Activities
Other Ideas
And just like those NICU days, at some point, I will look back on those hard moments and be so glad we survived them.  Before the emergency birth of my twins at 28 weeks, I had never heard of kangaroo care. But after a stint in the NICU, I will never forget the many benefits of this special therapy.
One of my greatest challenges while dealing with the NICU was time. I had waited so long to be a mother. I just wanted my babies out of the NICU and home with me. It was difficult to go to the hospital day after day, and not know when they were going to be released. And just when I thought the end was near, there would be an issue that would put us back at the beginning. Being so focused on the end goal of going home, made the journey that much harder. I found that Kangaroo Care grounded me and allowed me to focus on the present. I would purposely think about the future, and life after the NICU to escape the moment I was in. That moment in the hospital with my tiny babies was sad, but it was precious too. Just because it was hard, didn’t mean I should miss it altogether. Several years post NICU, and this realization still impacts my parenting philosophy. I try not to wish away any moments with my babies, because nothing lasts forever. And just like those NICU days, at some point, I will look back on those hard moments and be so glad we survived them.  I must confess that the idea of homeschooling interests me. I have always been open to this method of educating and over the last several years I have consistently supplemented my children’s education with lessons at home on their school and summer breaks. When all the daycares, preschools, and elementary schools closed in my area, I thought this would be a chance to test-drive homeschooling to see what it was all about. I quickly learned, however, that what we are embarking on is not homeschooling at all. When one chooses to homeschool, I can only assume, that they have time to plan and to research curriculum, and time to instruct. So what we are all doing with our kids right now can only be described as crisis schooling. But even so, I am trying to make the experience enjoyable for me and my children, while also ensuring that they are learning something. I know that every family and situation is different, but here are a few things that are working well for us.
Have a Schedule I love a schedule, so this is a no-brainer for me. Since there is a schedule at school, there is also a schedule at "home school." This schedule is flexible and takes into account when my children are at their most attentive. I also build into the schedule time for picking up and quiet time. This is important to me, so I have a little time throughout the day to accomplish what I need to as well as it setting expectations and boundaries. Create a Space for Learning We do not have a “classroom,” yet we still need designated space to read, write, and use technology. I have turned our living room into a make-shift learning area. I pulled my folding table from the laundry room in and removed most of the decor from my bookshelves to make space for supplies like paper, pencils, crayons, and workbooks. It doesn’t look great, but no one is visiting at this time anyway and it is functional for now. Manage Your Expectations Are my children learning as much at home as they would be at school? Probably not, but their academics are not a worry for me...at all. I am simply doing that best I can. Once school is back in session (whenever that may be) I am confident that their teachers will course correct and get everyone back on track. My job right now is to guard my kid’s mental health and make sure that they are happy and healthy. We accomplish what we can each day, and we don’t worry about the rest.  I don't know about you, but I am always looking for places to put books! I love books, especially children's books, and we have a lot of them. If you're like me and looking for places to keep all your books, check out these cute book case options.
1. Cloud Shelf- Target, $29.99 2. Metal Cart- Ikea 3. Mid Century Bookcase- Crate and Barrel, $299.00 4. Angled Bookcase- Pottery Barn Kids, $299.00 5. House Shelf- IKEA, $34.99 *This post is not sponsored. All thoughts are my own. This post is not sponsored! All thoughts and opinions are my own. I recently took my family to visit the Field Museum in Chicago. I love a good museum and have visited many including the Museum of Natural History. But this was the first time taking my twins to a museum that wasn’t specifically designed for children. I was a little nervous, but all those nerves were for nothing. We had such a great time. And my children are still talking about it today and asking to go back. Here are a few tips so your family can have an amazing time too!  Before You Go The week leading up to our trip I began preparing my kids for the kinds of things they would see. The Field Museum is very interactive and informative, but it’s not a children’s museum. So we talked about how some things we wouldn’t be able to touch, as they would be behind glass. I also pulled up the Field Museum’s website and we looked at the different exhibits and encounters. The Field Museum is huge, so I knew we wouldn’t be able to see it all in one day. I helped each child to make a list of their top 5 must-sees. I then used the online map feature to make a plan for the day. We also got some great books from the library to read before we left.  Logistics My original thought was to walk to the museum from our hotel. I had purposely found a room in the South Loop, so it would be within walking distance. But it was just too cold to walk. We ended up driving and being able to park right next to the museum in the East Lot (cost $30). It was so close to the door, that we left our coats in the car, so we had less to carry around. There is a coat check, but it costs $3 per item. This lot is on the small side, so I suggest getting there early.  Day Of We got up early to arrive at the museum right as the doors opened at 9 am. For the first hour, we had many exhibits to ourselves! It was great. We headed straight for the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet and Sue the T-Rex. This was high on both my kids’ must-see list, and it is a very popular exhibit. We leisurely enjoyed this very cool exhibit about the evolution of life on Earth. But the best part was seeing Sue, the most complete T-Rex skeleton in the world. The Upper Level also houses the Fossil Prep Lab, Planets of the World, and Restoring Earth. Every exhibit is really fascinating and well-done but the highlight of the Main Level for my family was the dioramas in Messages from the Wilderness. It’s just amazing to get so close to actual (taxidermy) animals. Now we can view high-definition videos of animals in their natural habitats. But when the majority of these specimens were collected in the late 1800s and early 1900s, people could only see animals in nature at a museum. Also don’t miss the Crown Family Playlab located on the Ground Level. Specifically for children 2-6 years old, it offers hands-on, interactive activities. All of this was included in the basic ticket price. The museum offered plenty to see and do without upgrading our tickets. Food When the crew got hangry, we headed to The Explorer Cafe. I had packed lunches for the kids, to save money and ensure there would be something that they liked to eat. But the adults purchased food. It was pricey ($40 for two adults), but good. There is a picnic area on the Ground Level if you prefer to bring in all your own food. Gift Shop Our last stop was the gift shop. My kids love a gift shop. In an effort to curb any end of the day meltdowns, we had allowed each child to bring some birthday money to buy a souvenir. We finally left for the day at around 4:30 (the museum closes at 5:00). We didn’t get to see it all, but we did experience everything on our list.  I cannot recommend the Field Museum enough. It was such a fun and educational day, that I know made a real impact on my kids. So consider adding the Field Museum to your family bucket list today.
I’m not the kind of mom that embraces the dirt, the forts, and the piles of stuff that result from littles at play. But I recognize it's value.  I admit it...I don’t love messes. I’m not the kind of mom that embraces the dirt, the forts, and the piles of stuff that result from littles at play. But I recognize the value of sensory play. I know that when kids are engaging several senses at once, they are building important cognitive skills, learning about cause and effect, and being creative. In fact, sensory play is associated with better outcomes when feeding selective eaters. These are all skills that preemies may need additional help with mastering. Over the years I have come up with a few tips to make sensory play less messy, so everyone can enjoy experiences with materials like play-doh and sand. However, I have nothing to offer when it comes to glitter...that is where I draw the line! When Possible Play Outside When weather permits, set up messy activities outside. Just being out in nature is a sensory experience in and of itself. Some of my favorite outdoor sensory experiences are making mud pies and playing in a sandbox/bin. A good rinse off is required before anyone comes back inside. Play in the Bathtub Kinetic sand is one of my favorite sensory play materials. I always set my kids up in the bathtub to play with it. I plug the drain, fill the tub with kinetic sand and a variety of scoops and tools. The tub is the perfect container to keep the sand from spreading all over the house, and they are already in the bathtub if a quick clean-up is required. I also find that kinetic sand never sticks to the porcelain bathtub. Purchase a Wipeable Table Cloth Whenever it is time to create with paint, I get out my reusable table cover. It is made of plastic-coated fabric and I found it on clearance for a few dollars. It protects my dining table and makes clean-up so easy. Once it is dry, I fold it up and store it away for next time. Water is a Great Option Remember, water is a great option for sensory play. My kids really like it when I add a few ice cubes with small toys frozen inside. Gosh, you could even add some soap and a sponge and let them clean stuff...genius  I will never be able to not care about the messes my kids make. But I also don’t want my neat-freak tendencies to keep my kids from the joy of squishing mud between their toes or stretching slime between their fingers. If you have ever felt the same way, hopefully, these tips can help you embrace the mess too!
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