Real Moms Answer: What is in Your Hospital Bag?

What is in your Hospital Bag?

It is that fateful moment. 
You know it is time to deliver baby. Maybe your water broke, maybe you are scheduled for an induction. You are moments away from meeting that sweet little someone who has made your belly a home.
It is time and you are ready.
is your hospital bag?

I am just about ready to give birth to my fifth child... and guess what? I can't remember what I usually take to the hospital!!!! Lucky for me, I am only about a 10 minute drive from the hospital. If I forget something, it will be easy to send the hubs home to get it.

I thought maybe I would share my list with you in case you need the same help I do.

I have my bag packed, but I feel like I am missing something...so I asked my friendly facebook world. First I will list what I have packed and then I will list what other moms said that can't live without! Some things I never would have thought of!

My List: (in no particular order)
Camera, batteries
Phone and charger
iPad and charger
Snacks/water for he hubs
nursing bra
PJ's easy to nurse with
Toiletries (tooth brush, brush, deodorant, cleansing face wipes, chapstick)
Socks and slippers
Boppy

My Facebook friends' List: Some are comical, most are serious! Some of these I never would have thought of so I am so glad these people took the time to comment!!!

Are you ready to make your list??

Shantel  Socks/slippers change of clothes to go home something comfy. Toothbrush and toothpaste not a while lot because I was only there less than 24 hours so I took a shower at home. Do you plan on a CSection?

 

Charisse Clothes for baby, clothes for you for the day you go home, toothbrush and toothpaste, brush, extra hair ties or bobby pins to keep hair out of my face, camera, and I made sure to bring my pillow. I hate hospital pillows. I also brought some chocolate to eat after the delivery.

Shantel Baby book for the foot prints

Tiffany  Some lanolin

Diane:  sent me this link:

http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/preparing-for-labor/hospital-packing-list/

Amy Ahhhh, I keep forgetting the lanolin! Shantel, no c-section. And I love the idea of a book for the foot prints. Thanks girls! Diane, I am going to read that article now!

Michelle Chapstick, lotion, something comfortable to go home in, socks, cell phone charger/cell phone, I brought a laptop

 Sean Cookies for my anesthesia provider!

Maggie R. Magadan Hair and make-up team for the after pic lol jk

Amy Carrillo Davis Thanks, Sean, you are hilarious! That for sure was not on my list! Kaidoes make really good cookies! Maggie, that is a great idea....are you a available?!

Maggie: Lol !!! I can be , I'll glam you up Tina Turner style , let me see where I can find some wigs .

Sean: I will bring the cookies! The Fentanyl ropivicaine epidural flavored cookies!:)

Lisa Ostler The only thing you NEED is you and your husband... next maybe phone. Don't over think it. If your coming home the same day... something to bring baby home in... if not. .. don't sweat it.... think comfort. .. think ease ... think minimize. ....

Quinn: You only live 5 minutes from the Hospital. Send Kai home if you forget something. and don't forget to call your photographer.

Amy: Sean Covey- you know I am gonna need that! Lisa, I think I have always been in the hospital at least three days, but Quinn is right, I can always send Kai home, he just doesn't ever hurry back;) and I have my photographer on speed dial!;)

Diane J. Walker Amy, I wonder with these storms....do you think??? Low barometric pressure, full moon, anesthesiologist on the ready...do you think tonight is the night???

Wendy  The thing that comes to mind are panties that hold big sanitary pads lol. I know they have the disposable ones tho. And a camera. Which I assume would be covered by cell phone. What an exciting time. Good luck

Carolyn:  Lol! take Kai but only if he promises to behave

·

Kirsten The only things I used that I took were clothes for me, clothes for baby and a laptop. The hospital supplied diapers and what not for the babe. I was in the hospital gown the first 4 days or so and then I got to change and wore a robe the next 2 days and then put on regular clothes the day we left.

Rebecca  You need a focal point object. And I wish I had brought music with me! Snacks are a For Sure. They don't feed you lol.

Andrea  Shampoo! Our hospital didn't have any, I had the joys of washing my hair with a bar of soap

Carola: My doula suggested to have two bags: one small one with essentials for the delivery (camera, snack for daddy, paperwork, etc) and a second one with the things for after (night gown, nursing bra, clothes for baby and Mama to go home) that stays in the car (along with the carseat) until its needed.

Brandy: If you aren't getting induced then you will only need a toiletry bag and 2 outfits to wear home(2 because you could bleed on one before you actually leave) and clothes for the baby if you want to dress them. The hospital has clothes for the baby but I always took my own. We took lots of snacks and didn't end up needing them. If you dh is staying he may need to bring a Pillow and blanket. If you have a smartphone that is all u really need for music or reading material

Jessica: My must have is my own pillow. And in a colored pillow case so it doesn't get left behind. I just can't sleep well if its not my pillow. Toiletries, changes of clothes for me (including nursing bras and a different sports bra for in labor) and a coming home outfit for babe, I have a smartphone with a nice camera on it so just don't forget the charger! we took so much stuff to the hospital with the first baby and it just really isn't needed.

I am taking a book too though as with my first baby I had him at 11:11pm and I couldn't sleep at all! So I was very bored (you have to pay to have TV in your recovery room at the hospital I went to) and my husband was sleeping. So this time at least I'll have the option to read (or watch stuff on my phone...I didn't have a smartphone with my first baby)

Jennifer Toiletries, nursing gown, pillow and clothes to go home in for me and baby.

Gretchen Clothes, shoes, toothbrush, iPhone.

Oh, and shampoo.

Terri: slippers, shampoo and conditioner, my OWN pads, undies (extras), nursing bras/tanks/nightgown (day and night), my soap, clothes for me and baby, toothbrush/paste, hair brush, my pillow, and my pump, kindle (for induction),and games to play with hubby...

So, What is in your hospital bag?

____________________________________________________________

 
Thanks a million folks!  There are some items listed that I never would have thought of!!! In fact reading this again reminds me that I have to get my car seat ready!!!

I hope this list helps you as much as it helped me!
If We have forgotten anything, leave a comment! We can all help each other!

XOXO,
Amy

Gone Fishing Themed Birthday Party

Gone Fishing Themed Birthday Party

One year older and wiser too!
Well, that is the hope for my seven year old son anyway! If I could just get him to remember to turn in his homework I would call it a victory.

This year we celebrated his birthday with a fishing theme. He has been dying to go fishing and since we can't, this was the next best thing!

This party really was fun and easy. It was a pool party so that took up most of the entertainment and most of the decor I got at the dollar store.

I studied Pinterest for awhile and came up with a few ideas of my own. And it turned out perfect.
Sometimes I go all out crazy on decoration, but this time, I didn't. I am nine months pregnant after all and my son doesn't care about decor like my daughters do. So this little table, in a friend's pool house, was it. Simple. Easy.

 The decor was mostly edible which made clean up a breeze which made my husband happy. If you click on my pinterest link above it will take you to my idea board and there are links to find printable cards that say things like "Fish Bait", etc, but I was too lazy. So I went with pen and paper and stickers.

 Above: Swedish fish and gummy worms. Below: Ruffles and Fishy crackers.

This sign was in front of the party favors; little bags full of fishy crackers.

 The party favors:

 The prizes for the games. Gummy worms and Swedish fish.

 The cupcakes:

Because we had a pool, I only planned two games for this two hour party. We swam for an hour. Played games for about 30 minutes, then sang ahhpy birthday, did presents and swam until it was time to go home.

The Games:
Game number 1:
I totally forgot to get a picture for the first game so I borrowed one from  Kara's Party Ideas.

She shows you how to throw a super cute retro surf party. Check it out.

I bought a dowel from Walmart's craft section, cut a little notch in one end with my son's pocket knife and hot glued string to it. I cut the notch so the string would lay center on my make shift fishing pole. At then end of the string I hot glued two button magnets together to act as the hook.

I cut random fish out of old scrapbook paper and hot glued paper clips to their mouths.

Now you want to know the secret to making a "little kid game" work for big kids? Make it a timed activity. We had kids at this party aged 4-11 and everyone of them was engaged in this activity. They soon learned it wasn't as easy as they thought.

How many fish can you catch in 20 seconds? The winning catch was 6. Most kids only caught 3. It was so fun to watch. My husband timed and I took there catch off the line just to help them go faster.

Game number 2: Feed the Shark!
I free handed this majestic beast onto foam board. Cut it's mouth out with an exacto knife, made some teeth out of computer paper, glued them on and then glued the first foam bard to a second foam board for durability.

 I bought three plush fish from the dollar store, you can kind of see them in the bottom right hand corner. The goal was to feed the shark all three fish. Once again it was harder than it looked and kept all the kids engaged. Only the four year olds got to stand close to the shark, the rest had to stay behind a line created by a towel. Getting on her knees in the picture below was her own idea.

I don't think any of them got all three fish in. The game ended in a showdown between an 8 year old and an 11 year old. They both won prizes. Once again, super fun.
They have also wanted to keep playing these games everyday since the party.


We sang happy birthday,

Opened gifts,

And had one happy kid.

It really was a great time. We had it a little early because the baby is due right around his real birthday and I would have hated for him to miss out on a party. So thankful to everyone who came and made it so fun!

xoxo,
 Amy

Yummy Green-ish Smoothie!

Green-ish Smoothie

I am hooked on this delicious green-ish smoothie! I can't get enough of it! Best thing is, it is only four ingredients. Plus ice.

And, it isn't too green. You know what I mean?

This green-ish smoothie is also great for a post workout treat!

The ingredients are:

1. A banana (frozen bananas make the smoothie creamier, but fresh works just fine)

2. Spinach, not quite a handful.

3. A scoop of peanut butter. I like Adams Peanut butter because it is only peanuts and salt.)

4. 6-8 ounces of milk. Any kind from regular milk to almond to coconut milk. You choose.

5. 2-3 ice cubes.

Blend away!

The secret is the peanut butter. it totally disguises the spinach flavor. You can't taste it at all.

 

When I wake up in the morning this is what I look forward to. To me, it is the best green smoothie.

What is so great about these ingredients?

More than you wanted to know!

Bananas:

 Bananas are a low fat fruit full of vitamins, mineral and fiber. The potassium in bananas help maintain normal blood pressure and heart function. They can even block the absorption of dietary cholesterol as well as help protect against stomach ulcers.

Find 7 unexpected health benefits of bananas here.

Spinach: 

Spinach is one of nature's low calorie super foods. Packed with vitamins and minerals, protein and iron (energy), it helps your skin, hair and bones! It can improve blood glucose in diabetics, lower one's risk to cancer, lowers one's blood pressure and can lower one's risk to developing asthma.

It also contains magnesium which is crucial for your metabolism as well as muscle and nerve function.

Find more out about health benefits of spinach here.

Peanut Butter:

Yes, it is actually good for you! Stop feeling guilty! It has contains both fiber and protein which help you feel full longer. It also has vitamin E, magnesium for your bones and potassium for your muscles AND B6 for immunity boosting power!

It can reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

AND it is full of monounsaturated fat, the GOOD FAT which can actually help decrease belly fat!

Find out more here.

Oh, and don't forget this yummy smoothie! It is also great for a post workout treat!

I hope you love it!

xoxo,

 Amy

Be Careful What You Pray For!

I believe in prayer.
Absolutely.

I think we get answers to our prayers in three ways:
1. Yes
2. No
3. Not yet

This is a true confession so no judging mmmkay?!

(edit: these are kind of silly and light-hearted examples, but I have also had many deep and meaningful prayers answered in deep and meaningful ways as well:)

When my fourth child was born I remember worrying about keeping up with the laundry. I always have endless amounts of laundry. I remember wanting to keep up with the bedding specifically. You know, changing the sheets on the bed. Mainly the crib. I am horrible about bedding. It should be washed way more than it is! I was also worried about my school age children bringing home germs. I remember praying,

"Father in Heaven, please help me remember to change the bedding often. I don't want it to get gross or be a breading ground for germs. Help me to keep my knew baby healthy."

Seems like a simple enough request.
 Help me remember to change the bedding.
 Often.
 Well, guess what? My Heavenly Father answered this prayer with a yes. He was like, "I will totally help you get good at changing the bedding." And he gave me a baby that constantly wet through her diapers and had major blow outs. Often. I probably changed the bedding twice a week. It was by far a new record for me.
My personal best.
 I got the gold medal in washing bedding.
This lasted for at  least a year.

Every time I changed the bedding I knew, God answers prayers.
 And maybe he has a sense of humor.

Stay with me as I set the stage for my next answer to prayer:
 I am pregnant with my 5th child. Yep, grand old number five! I don' think we are crazy, but crazy people rarely do I suppose. We do love children however, and are thrilled at this new addition.

Keeping my body in shape has been a battle for me since I stopped playing sports in college. Perhaps it is the continuous pregnancies that yo-yo my body between thin and....not. But I give it the old college try. I had finally lost most of my baby weight with number four when I blew out my knee playing...drum roll please.... ULTIMATE FRISBEE! Yeah, I know, you didn't know that sport could get so intense!

Anyhow, I tore my ACL clean in half, broke my knee in several place and also sprained the heck out it. I wish I could say I had scored the winning goal or something awesome, but that is not the case. This injury took my a good long year to recover from and consequently, I gained weight.

I did lose it, but it took another good year and A LOT of hard work and good eating as well as exercise. I was thrilled to become pregnant, but I was also nervous about being able to lose the baby weight again. I know that sounds vain, but I do want to be able to run around with my kiddos. Plus when I feel self conscious about my weight, I become a home body. I don't want to be like that.

So again I prayed:
"Dear, Father, please help me find the motivation to stay active and control my eating habits so I can take care of my body."

I guess this time I was praying for self control.

Would you like to know the answer? God was like, "I can totally help you watch what you eat. I will give you a glucose intolerance (not quite gestational diabetes) and you will have to monitor every little bite you put in your mouth."

I am 36.5 days pregnant and I have started to actually lose weight. Why? Because I had to cut out all sugar. It has taken major amounts of self control, but the health of my unborn child depends on my healthy eating habits and that gives me the strength I need to say no to the super delicious brownies that my husband makes at least once a week.

I won't let the nurses tell me what I weigh, but my doctor commented today, "You have lost a lot of weight." He was worried at first until I reminded him that I was instructed to cut sugar out of my diet. Now I am tempted to look at my little blue card that all my info is kept on to see what I weigh... but really, I don't want to know.

And by the way, I worked out quite intensely until I was 33 weeks pregnant. Something that I never did with any of my previous pregnancies. It made a huge difference in how I felt and how I carried the weight I gained. So really my prayer was answered again.Self control granted motivated by my unborn child's health. I will still have a lot of work to do to get my body back, but hopefully not as much as usual.
One can hope.
Fingers crossed!

What have I learned?
I learned that Heavenly Father answers prayers in his way; not in the way we think He should answer. We might have a grand idea in our mind about how and when and where the Lord should grant us the gifts that we so fervently pray for. But the truth is, we are on God's time table. Sometimes, the answers are yes. Sometimes they are no and sometimes they are not yet.

There is no such thing as an unanswered prayer.

 When we explain a problem and a proposed solution, sometimes [God] answers yes, sometimes no. Often He withholds an answer, not for lack of concern, but because He loves us—perfectly. He wants us to apply truths He has given us. For us to grow, we need to trust our ability to make correct decisions. We need to do what we feel is right. In time, He will answer. He will not fail us.

Don’t worry about your clumsily expressed feelings. Just talk to your Father. He hears every prayer and answers it in His way. -Richard G. Scott

I attended a Women's Conference in ST. George a few years back. One of the speakers was famous Christian music singer named Hilary Weeks. She was telling us about a comical adventure of a time she went  jet skiing with her family. They wiped out at one point and she watched a pretty pink "something: float to the bottom of the lake. Moments later she realized that "something" was the key to their jet ski. they were stranded. She said she prayed for help know that God would provide. While she waited she had visions of a beautiful big boat coming to their rescue, what interruppted her vision was an old man in a small fishing boat paddling their way. He saved them.

Her point was sometimes we are looking for answers that come in fabulously wrapped packages, when sometimes they come to us in a very humble and simple form.

Makes me think about the birth of baby Jesus. Some people were looking for our Savior to be born to a royal family or in royal conditions at the very least. He was a King after all. He was to liberate his people after all. But instead he was born in the most humble of circumstances.

We may not get grand and glorious answers to prayers. They don't all come wrapped in a bow.

But I promise. All prayers are answered.

DIY: Painted Shirts

DIY Painted Shirts

I LOVE the idea of painting shirts! You can do any color or any design to fit ANYTHING! I gotta give credit to my friend Jodi, because she is the one who taught me how to paint my own shirts! So far I have also used it to decorate a pillow case for Father's day. No pictures of that though!

 Let's get started!

This is what I used:
The cheapest shirts and tanks I could find
Freezer paper
Straight Edge Knife ( I got mine in the scrapbooking section)
Something to cut on like a self healing board or thick cardboard
Stencil to trace on freezer paper (sometimes i free hand, some times I trace, sometimes I print and image from the compute)
Iron
Paint and Paint Brush:  Here you have a few different choices, You can use puffy paint which is a great option. Don't forget the paint brush.
You could use a fabric spray paint- I used a Tulip Brand. I love this but the colors seem limited.
You could also use a regular craft paint and add a fabric medium which makes the paint soft on your shirt. You can find it at any craft store. I actually used all three on the shirts I did this particular day.

So here we go:
The first step is to choose your stencil.
Once you do you need to trace it onto the freezer paper. You will trace your stencil onto the dull side of the freezer paper. The shiny side is the part that will adhere to your shirt. DO NOT TRACE ON THE SHINY SIDE.
Next Cut your stencil out using your straight edge knife.
Place shiny side of freezer paper onto your shirt and Iron. I have never paid attention to my temp settings. You do want to make sure that the edges of the wax paper are secured to the shirt to avoid the paint  bleeding through.
Select you paint method and paint your stencil.

For the shirt below I used craft paint mixed with a textile medium.

Leave your stencil on for a few minutes but remove before the paint is dry. It is a lot harder to remove the stencil when the paint is completely dry.

I usually let my shirts dry over night.

Here are some others:
For this tank, I used spray paint on the star part. I actually laid those glow in the dark stars on top of the shirts so I wouldn't have to cut them out. Since I used fabric spray paint I had to be really careful about covering the rest of the shirt to protect it. I just cut out a large area of freezer paper and ironed it on for protection. It was a really hot day so it only took 15 minutes to dry. Then I let my 11 year old iron on strips of freezer paper for the stripes because she likes to do things herself.
The red is craft paint with a textile medium mixed in.

Here she is, painting away! We used a strip of painter's tape at the end to cove a place that I didn't get freezer paper and it worked great.

 For the shirt below, I did end up tracing all the star shapes onto freezer paper and cutting them out. The bright blue stars were spray painted, the darker ones were puffy painted and the sleeves were craft paint wit a fabric medium. I hot glued the bow on and so far it has survived one wash:) In fact I liked all the shirts better after having gone through the wash. They looked softer somehow.

I made the shirts below at Christmastime using Puffy Paint For the tutorial, click here.

Sadly, this is the only picture I got of the new shirts! Must be my pregnant brain! My son in front of the neighbors house!

Edit: Two more Pictures!!!

It was a pretty great day though!
Remember with DIY: Painted shirts the possibilities are endless. You could do any design for any occasion!
Happy Crafting!
XOXO,
 Amy

Yummy Shrimp Tostadas For Dinner!

Shrimp Tostadas

What's For Dinner?!
I get tired of making the same thing over and over again and I really like quick meals to feed my hungry troops during the week. My husband loves burrito night with beans and meat and sauteed onions, bell peppers and avocado and sour cream and salsa... yum!

But one night I wanted to try a variation.

Yummy Shrimp Tostadas! mmmmmm! I want to eat it again right now! It was so good drizzled with fresh lime juice!

This is how I made them:
I fried my own corn tortillas at medium high heat in canola oil for 1-2 minutes on each side (I filled a large frying pan halfway full of oil and cooked two at a time.) Until they get crsipy. But you can also buy premade crispy tortillas at the store.

I also bout shrimp that had already been cooked. It said to thaw them slowly but I just threw them in a skillet and sauteed them with olive oil, lemon and lime juice and garlic powder until they were warmed up. I took the tails off and they were soooooo good!

I warmed up some refried beans and diced some white onion, bunching onion, cilantro, lettuce and tomatoe, slapped it all together, drissled some fresh lime juice on top and....it was a beautiful moment for my tastebuds. 

So your shopping list might look like this:
Corn Tortillas (and canola oil to cook them in) or Premade Tostada Shells
1 Bag of Precooked Shrimp (or uncooked if you know what you are doing)
1 Can of Refried beans
tomatoes
Bunching onions
1 white onion
Cilantro
lettuce
Lemon and Lime or the Concentrated Juice

This would probably make 6-8. Possibly more. I don't measure... I just do.

 Yum! I need to go make these again right now!
Enjoy your dinner!
xoxo,
Amy

Crafts For Kids! Water Balloon "Slippah" Refashion!

 Water Balloon Flip Flop/Slippah Refashion

Want to fancy up your flip-flops?
Phew! That was so hard to say!!!!
I have never called "slippers" flip flops!
 In Hawaii they are slippers or if you are totally local, "slippahs!"
BeforeI lived in Hawaii, I called them thongs. But the invention of the thong underwear pretty much killed the use of that name in footwear!
So, I called them flip flops for you so you wouldn't think I was talking about house slippers.

I just wanted to show you how cute these slippers are! These kept my big girls busy for hours! They started at a church activity and weren't able to finish, so they came home and continued their work.

It is so easy and perfect for summer. My oldest daughter double knotted hers and my second oldest daughter tied her balloons in a single knot as shown above and below.

Isn't it a cute wearable craft! If you want to keep some little hands busy, the Water Balloon Slipper Refashion might be something for you to try!
XOXO,
Amy

For This Child...

In December I had a little grown up tantrum that took the form of a spray painted front door. It was quite a comical adventure that stemmed from the deep seeded need for change.

I know that lots of people struggle with infertility and my story is nothing compared to theirs. In fact one of my dearest friends, Ashley and her husband are on their journey through adoption. They were able to have one beautiful child without a hitch and have been trying to add to their family for six years with no luck. They started the adoption process earlier this year and are crossing their fingers that a baby will soon be nestled in their arms.  Maybe you can help them grow their family. You can learn about them here.

For me, it was only two years. Only seems a relative term. It was a very long two years and every month was so very, very disappointing. Hence the crazy spray paint incident.

Well, a reader named Maria left me big buckets of baby dust in her comments and I can happily say, that I am 24 weeks pregnant as of yesterday.

When that little stick finally showed positive, I ran to my bedside, burst into tears and offered a prayer of thanks to my Heavenly Father.

You see my husband and I decided that this was the last try. We already have a beautiful family and the heartbreak each month was becoming unbearable. We had decided that if we weren't pregnant this month we would cut our losses and be thankful for what we had.

The interesting thing is that four days before that little stick tested positive, another little stick had tested negative. My period had been late and I was sure that this was the time I was pregnant. But then that negative little symbol reared it's ugly head and I knew we were done.

I was sad.

Sad I wasn't pregnant. Sad we were done trying. But we had decided we were done and that was that. Four days later I had still not had my period so I retested.

I have heard that a positive test result can never be wrong. But I have also heard that a negative test result CAN be wrong.

I waited the full minute before I looked at that little stick that seemed to contain so much of my hope. And guess what... I couldn't believe my eyes. I had to keep staring at it. All. Day. Long. Yep. I left it in the bathroom because I had to keep reassuring myself that it was really true.




The little tiny stick showed a little plus sign in it's window.
I was growing a baby.

Pure Joy.

Today at church we were studying about the kind of women that Ruth and Hannah were. A verse of scripture jumped out to me and I gave a silent thank you to my Heavenly Father once again.

The verse read:

Tonight I go to bed with my heart full.
It has been awhile since I have lived in baby land and I am happy to be headed there again.

If  your heart is aching like mine was, I pray that your petition will also be answered.

xoxo,
 Amy

In the Thick of It: A Bit of Inspiration for Young Mother's Trying to Survive Motherhood

I have seen a toe get chopped off.

I have had someone flip my eyelid inside out.

I have seen gums scraped away from teeth.

I have been head butted in the mouth.

I have witnessed someone attempt to fly only to slam into a wall with disappointment.

I have bandaged bloody wounds.

I have wrestled people into the bathtub.

I have been vomited on.

I have seen a patient receive too much morphine and almost die.

What am I? A nurse? A nurse at a loony bin?

Nope.

I am a mom.

A mother to four children, ages 10, 8, 6 and 3.

All of those things happened with my children. I saw a quote that says, “having a two year old is like using a blender without a lid.” I think having a child of any age is like that.

This is the thing though.

I also have perspective.

I know kids grow up.

I know that it happens quite quickly. 

I don't have any babies anymore and sometimes that makes me sad.

Sarah mention in a post that she was sick of seeing moms of five post pictures of their perfect houses, etc, but I also know why moms of five kids don’t often talk about the pitfalls and disasters of motherhood. It is because no matter how neck deep you feel in the beautiful {or ugly} chaos that comes from having tiny kids, is that it doesn’t last.

Tiny is fleeting.

Even though it feels like forever.

 I remember when my oldest daughter was born.

Life was great until she was one. Then we moved to an isolated location where I knew no one.

I remember being alone a lot. 

I remember when one single day felt like it was at least a week long. 

I remember boredom and loneliness.

But I want to offer you hope.

You won’t always be changing diapers and cleaning up vomit.

You won’t always be cleaning up crayon on the walls.

You won’t always suffer sleepless nights.

You won't always be worried about your child trying to swallow small items they find on the floor.

You won’t always dread travel with an unpredictable pint sized human.

Your child won’t always cry at the most inopportune of moments.

 Kids grow up and eventually there are other things to occupy your mind with. Sure kid number three peed the bed for the fourth night in a row, but your oldest daughter is also being chased around the school yard by two boys that have a crush on her and she doesn’t know how to tell one that she likes him more than the other.

Sure your forth child threw the biggest temper tantrum you have ever seen, but your other child just won a major school sporting event. You never dreamed you could be filled with so much pride.

Sure your daughter just cut half her toe off, but then you pass by a bedroom that your other three kids are in and you over hear them saying a prayer asking God to help their baby sister get better. Their unity and faith is overwhelming and comforting to you.

I think one reason moms with young children get frustrated is because we find ourselves in less than ideal situations quite often and we can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Let me assure you, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

 I adopted this mantra long ago when I felt myself despairing that I would never sleep through the night again.

“This too shall pass.”

I found it so comforting knowing that I was not in a permanent situation even though it felt written-in-stone-kind of permanent.

When you find yourself despairing your post pregnancy body, your sleepless nights, your messy house, your half dyed hair that you are hoping passes for the ombre style, your blown out diapers, your child who loves to go wild at all the wrong moments, say this and see if it helps. Say it and believe it.

“This too shall pass.”

Because along with the all the bad,

I have seen more love than I ever knew could exist.

I have cried for some unexplained reason while watching my children participate in a talent show.

I was filled with pride as my son made his first touch down.

I was just as nervous as my daughter was as she took second place in her school’s talent show.

I have conspired with my husband about how to keep boys away from my oldest daughter and convinced said husband that it was still okay for her to  wear a bathing suit while swimming and that a wet suit wasn’t necessary to keep her fully covered.

I have dried tears when a friend said something hurtful to my daughter at school.

I have witnessed the most sacred and tender moments with my children and between my children.

My house is rarely clean, but it is filled with love and hope.

When you feel overwhelmed, remember: Tiny is fleeting. This too shall pass.

Good Luck out there, while you are in the thick of it!

Amy 

 amyscraftbucket.blogspot.com

The Vital Role of Wife and Mother

“Beware of the subtle ways Satan employs to take you from the plan of God and true happiness. One of Satan’s most effective approaches is to demean the role of wife and mother in the home. This is an attack at the very heart of God’s plan to foster love between husband and wife and to nurture children in an atmosphere of understanding, peace, appreciation, and support. Much of the violence that is rampant in the world today is the harvest of weakened homes. Government and social plans will not effectively correct that, nor can the best efforts of schools and churches fully compensate for the absence of the tender care of a compassionate mother and wife in the home.” Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 74.

For another great read check this site out:

The Joyful Surpriseof Motherhood:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello, my beautiful readers! This is the article in full that I wrote for my sister-in-laws blog,  

"Better of Wed". 

If you haven"t read it on her blog, now you can see it in full length here. Enjoy the ride!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------