• the one about the hospital bag

    September 7, 2014 /

    Oh. Em. Gee.

    I am a hot mess.

    One day, I’m all “Yeah, my life has taken a turn toward Suckville but I’m ownin’ it and taking it in stride.”

    The next day (or minute, or hour), I’m crying into my pillow, blathering on about how everything is so unfair and my hair is ugly.

    Most days, I try to stay somewhere in between of those two extremes, but…hormones.

    So, my point is that I have been wanting to get back to blogging like the good ol’ days, which I will lovingly refer to as P.C. (pre-cervix). These A.C. (after cervix) days have been downright depressing, and I’m sorry.

    This blog is called Heart of the Mama for a reason, and this mama’s heart has been all over the place for the past several weeks. I wish I could say my moodiness will only get better from here, but ((laughs hysterically)).

    So for now, I’m in a good spot, so I am going to do a whole post that doesn’t even mention my shrinking, bitchy cervix! There…I said cervix for the last time this post! All done with cervix talk (sowwy).

    Since I am now 31 weeks pregnant (WAHOO!), I do have my hospital bag packed and ready to go. My best friend had a baby a few months ago, and I harped on her for weeks prior to her delivery to get her bag packed because at any of her regular OB appointments, they could say, “Well, we need to send you over to Labor and Delivery,” and I knew she’d want to be prepared.

    Did she listen to the seasoned Veteran mother friend? Nope. She did not.

    And she was sent over to L&D unexpectedly, a few weeks shy of her due date, with nothing packed in her bag. Her husband was left to do the dirty work, and although I am sure he did the best he could…let’s just say that husbands have horrible ideas when it comes to choosing things for their wives to wear.

    I’m thinking if I left it up to Luke to pack my hospital bag for me, he would probably throw in some athletic socks, a semi-formal dress (that fit 2 babies ago), a pair of his basketball shorts, and a strapless bra.

    There’s no way I was going to risk that happening, so a couple weeks ago, I started gathering items that I thought were necessary.

    There may be some things on my list that you don’t feel are necessary, and that is A-OK with me. I’m just giving advice based on my experiences with my past two deliveries.

    I have a rather large travel bag that I like to use, and it is plenty large enough for my things, my husband’s things, and a couple little items for our baby. If you don’t have a bag large enough, feel free to divide the items up appropriately. I just like to have as few things to keep track of as possible…i.e. I don’t even carry a purse.

    My List of Hospital Bag Essentials

    1. Travel toiletries. These are important because, well, the hospital ain’t the Ritz Carlton. They don’t have wax paper-wrapped soaps and spa samples in the tub. Bring your own stuff so that the first shower feels extra nice. I recommend the travel size toiletries so that you aren’t lugging so many large bottles in your bag, and so that if when you leave them at the hospital, it isn’t a big deal. Buy an extra toothbrush and toothpaste for you and your husband so you have it in your bag and ready to go.

    2. Slippers or flip flops. I kind of hate wearing socks, and walking around barefoot in a hospital room is probably not the best idea, so slippers or flip flops would be very helpful.

    3. Clothing. I truly believe you should feel as good as you can following the birth of your child. You will no doubt have tons of visitors, and I always felt so much better when I was out of my hospital gown and in something I could, you know, stand up in without people seeing my butt. I recommend bringing 1-2 pairs of stretchy, black yoga pants or leggings, 1-2 nursing tank tops or loose-fitting shirts, and a light weight wrap sweater/robe that goes long enough to cover your rear-end (more on that later).

    I think the yoga pants/leggings are self-explainatory. You want things that are stretchy and comfortable. I hate to break it to you, but you will most likely still look very pregnant immediately following childbirth. Those kinds of “I lost all of my baby weight instantly” miracles only happen in Hollywood and that small corner of your Facebook for your “friends” you secretly hate.

    Nursing tank tops are great, but if you aren’t comfortable in those, I would look into those long, drapey, loose t-shirts. I emphasize loose and drapey because, if you are breast feeding, you need to be able to easily nurse a baby without having to hike your shirt up over your head. If you read my childbirth post, you already know that someone very well could open your shirt and slip your baby inside through the neck hole, so a loose-neck shirt will allow this to happen easily.

    I also emphasize long because you want something to cover your butt. You will basically be wearing a diaper following childbirth comprised of a puppy training pad, an ice pack, and medicated gauze out the wazoo (literally). This amount of bulk is quite obvious from the back, and it can make you feel a bit uncomfortable when you get up to walk around if everyone can stare at it. A long shirt will help this to be less obvious.

    This is also where the light weight wrap, sweater or robe can help. Not only does this help to cover you up a little more, but it also covers the junk in the trunk.

    You will want to bring a nursing bra, or at least a sports bra, if you’re not going to wear the nursing tank tops.

    You do not need to bring your own underwear. Really. I had a girl in my childbirth class ask if she “had” to wear the sexy mesh underwear they give you following childbirth. The nurse leading the class laughed in her face and basically said that if she insisted on wearing her own underwear, to go ahead and try, but that it is better if you just give in and wear the mesh boy shorts. Don’t be one of those people. You’re not better than the rest of us. Mesh underwear for life for the win!

    4. Nursing supplies. If you have a breast pump already, I recommend bringing it so you can learn how to use it and get help from a nurse if you’re a little intimidated. They have pumps at the hospital, but bringing the one you will use at home is nice. You can just keep it in your car and then if you decide you’d like to have it brought in so you can use it, it’s there.

    Also, do not forget the nipple cream. You laugh now, but you will need it, and sending your hubby out to buy nipple cream is probably a bad idea. Who knows what kind of store he will end up in.

    I am not a huge fan of the flamboyant nursing covers, but I love the Aden + Anais large muslin blankets because they double as a swaddle blanket and a nursing cover. Either way, I would bring something to cover you while nursing, especially if you’re a first-time mom and you are worried about being exposed. Remember, lots of people will be in and out at all hours, and I always like to have a blanket there in case I am nursing and someone drops in to say hi.

    5. Make-up and hair items. You don’t have to dress up for Prom, but I am a make-up wearer, and after I was able to take a shower, I felt so much better with a little make-up on. With people taking pictures and coming to visit, I wanted to feel good about myself. Just mascara and lipgloss helped a bunch. The same goes for hair items– I didn’t bring a bunch of stuff, but I at least had a headband and a few bobby pins to get my hair back and mildly presentable. If you don’t think this will be important to you, that is totally fine! (but don’t get pissed later when you say, “Why didn’t anyone TELL me my hair looked like that!?”)

    6. Technology and entertainment items. If you’re staying 2-3 days in the hospital, it will get a little boring from time to time. I woke up the next day after my 2nd daughter was born and was ready to go Target. We ended up signing out early because I was itching to get back into civilization. Whether you stay the full time or not, you will probably want some sort of light entertainment like a book, magazine, iPad, or a laptop. Make sure you have all the chargers for your phones and other electronics! Maybe your hospital room will be fancy and you can bring DVDs. I would definitely check first.

    When we had Charlotte, the Mother-Baby recovery rooms were all full, so we were placed on the pediatrics floor. When we asked about movies (they only had VHS), they gave us a list of what they had on the floor. Let’s just say that our options were any Disney movie created prior to 1998. So….we wished we at least had our iPad. Or pencils to stick in our eyes.

    Also, don’t forget your camera (charged and ready with a memory card)! So many women groan at this thought because they can’t fathom taking pictures right after (or even during) childbirth, but this is like a wedding. You can’t redo it. Even your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th childbirths will not feel like your first. Take pictures, please! Even if you don’t show them to anyone– please take pictures of you with your baby, your husband with your baby, the three of you together. You don’t want to regret this later.

    7. Snacks for after childbirth. You can’t eat during labor. This sucks. So bring a couple of treats you can eat in your room after the birth. I had my 2nd child at 9:30 p.m. There wasn’t any food being delivered at that hour, and I was awake nearly all night while we waited to be put in a recovery room and doing those initial feedings. I was hungry! So, snacks are good! But if your husband tries to eat while you’re in labor can’t eat, so help me, God…!

    If you don’t have snacks, at least bring a couple of bucks worth of change for vending machines.

    8. Husband clothes & toiletries. Remember that guy? He will need at least 1-2 changes of clothes, too. Hopefully he can use some of your same toiletries so you don’t have to bring too much stuff with you. I never wanted my husband to leave me while at the hospital, even if it was just to run home and shower or change clothes, so bringing this along helps to avoid that if at all possible.

    9. Childbirth aides. If you are planning to use some sort of a back massager or special therapeutic birthing rock that emits natural pain medication and/or vagina healing powers, make sure you bring that.

    10. 1-2 outfits for baby. They have basic onesies at the hospital, but if you want your baby to be in his/her own clothes from the get-go, make sure you bring some along– but don’t go crazy. You’re not there for very long. A lot of people bring special going home outfits. I love the long-sleeve newborn gowns. The long sleeves fold over to make mittens to keep him/her from scratching the face, and the gowns are handy because you don’t have to mess with snaps in the middle of the night.

    If you’re having a girl, a cute little hat or bow is fun, but keep in mind that lot of the time, the baby’s head is way too small to wear those and the bow can take over her head! Check for headbands/hats that are made specifically for newborn babies.

    11. Swaddle blanket. The hospital will give you the universal hospital baby blanket, but I don’t think you’re supposed to take those home, and they aren’t that cute. Bring a cute swaddle blanket or the one you have chosen to be the baby’s blanket.

    12. Pacifier. Our hospital is pretty strict on pacifiers and won’t give them out, so if you want your baby to take one or at least try to take one, bring your own just in case. I’m going to bring a couple extra this time to sell on the black market to the moms who forgot to bring one.

    13. Items for siblings. If you have older children who will be visiting, you may want to throw in a couple of coloring books/crayons, a few of their favorite books, the cool Big Sister shirt you bought on Etsy, or a game you can play together. These items may be best to placed in a separate bag and left with whoever is caring for your kids while you are in the hospital…but either way, make sure you think about them and their needs!

    You do not need to bring diapers or wipes! The hospital will take care of these for you, and enjoy the freebies while they last. You also don’t need to bring bath items for the baby. They will have all that stuff there for you to use (and take home).

    Now, my pregnancy has been particularly stressful, so I plan to sneak in a few items such as booze, lots of donuts (for when the diabeetus goes away), and I may even take up smoking cigarettes (just kidding…lighten up a little).

    I’m hoping I won’t need my bag for at least another 4-5 weeks, but at least I’m prepared if something crazy happens. And why would I think anything crazy would happen in this pregnancy? Oh wait…

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  • the one about my first tutorial

    July 15, 2014 /

    This is my first attempt at writing a tutorial. In general, I am a copy-cat. I see ideas that I like, and then I copy them from someone else. In teaching, we call that “borrowing.” In other areas of life, we call that

    “copying” or even “stealing.” But whatever. Give credit where credit is due and move on, right?
    Well, because I like to borrow/copy/steal, I don’t usually have a ton of original ideas to post when it comes to crafts. However, I will say that I used my own brain on this one and did it from start to finish without looking at someone else’s tutorial.
    Now, if you go on Pinterest and type in “folding chair makeover,” you will see lots of different blogs with ways to do this. This is just what I did to revive some old folding chairs we got as a wedding gift nearly seven years ago.
    First, they started off looking like this. If you look closely, you can see some marker on the seat fabric and white spray paint from one of our other past projects. We also left one of these outside for probably 3 months during the winter after our daughter’s birthday party. Oops.

    I started by removing the screws on the back with a Philips head screwdriver. But that’s not what I call it. I call it the “one with the cross-thingy on the end.”

    I spy Charlotte’s toes!

    I took all the screws out of the back of the chairs to release the top cushions, and then I turned the chairs over and removed the screws from the bottom of the seat cushions.

    I wiped the chairs down and removed any dust/dirt. Then I found a can of spray paint in our garage and sprayed them with a nice, new coat of black. You could do any color to make them super fun, but I chose the black because it matched the decor and it was free.

    Not pictured: Me spraying black chairs with black spray paint. Use your imagination.

    While the chairs were drying, I recovered the cushions. You will need a staple gun (helpful if it has staples…), scissors, and fabric for this part. I am a bit of a fabric hoarder. I buy any fabric I like when it is on sale, and then I keep it. And stare at it. Sometimes I talk to it. Sometimes I drape myself in it. Sometimes I tuck it into the back of my shirt and run around declaring, “I am super woman!” It’s all good.
    Anyway, I found this fabric in my stash. The chevron is a duck cloth, so it is a little more sturdy. I definitely recommend using a duck cloth or upholstery/outdoor cloth (Joann’s and Hobby Lobby have tons of patterns) so it is more durable under your bum. 
    I chose the mint green for the top cushions. This is just a basic cotton. It doesn’t have to be super durable since it just for your back rest. 
    I didn’t replace the foam padding of the cushions. If I wanted to make everything like new, I could have done that, but I wanted to keep this very low-cost (i.e. free).

    Remove the old fabric. It was so worn and the staples were weakened, so all I had to do was pull up on them and they came right out. You could always shove a flat screw driver in there to pry them out.

    Fun fact: Do you know that I rarely ever used my staple-remover thingy when I was a teacher. I enjoyed pulling the papers out of the wall in such a way that the staple flung out approximately 2 feet to the ground. Shame on me.

    I cut a piece of fabric about 3-4 inches larger than each edge of the cushion.

    With chevron, you have to be careful about making it straight. Try to line it up the best you can. Crooked chevron creates side effects such as nausea, headaches, and hallucinations.
    Begin folding up one edge of the fabric. Hold it tight and put a staple in the middle. Then do the same technique along the entire edge. I usually start with 3-4 staples, and then I go through and add about 176 more. Just to be secure.

    Move on to the opposite edge using the same technique. 
    Next, you will staple the other set of opposite edges. When you get to the corners, leave those without staples.
    You will have to do a gathering/overlapping technique, working your way around the curved edge of the cushion. You will place several staples in these areas. Repeat for the opposite edge and the corners.

    You will be left with excess fabric around the edges of the staples. Use scissors to cut close to the staples (not tooooo close) and get everything looking neat.

    You will do the same around the top cushions of your chair. Depending on the style of your chair, you might have some more rounded edges, or you might have a rectangular shape to work around. Just remember to pull your fabric tight as you go and put lots of staples in it to 1) keep everything secure and 2) feel so cool with your staple gun.

    Last comes the fun part! You get to put everything back together. Put all the screws back in and attach the cushions securely.

    When I started, I thought the chevrons would be going horizontally. Well, when I went to fit the cushions back on the chairs, I discovered that the chevrons would be going vertically. This isn’t a big deal to me, but if you need your pattern to go a certain way, make sure you double check that before you go all crazy with your staple gun.

    There you go! You now have updated your old folding chairs into something really special for very little, if any, money. Enjoy!

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  • the one about how i know

    March 25, 2014 /

    In just about one year, I will be registering my oldest nugget for Kindergarten. I can hardly believe that I am she is almost old enough for the start of her formal education career.

    For five days a week and roughly 8 hours a day, she will be outside of my care and in the hands of people I have yet to meet. She will walk hallways and use the bathroom and get her lunch tray and turn in homework and play on the playground…and I won’t be there.

    This thought is both liberating and horrifying.

    I have been thinking a lot lately about the education system and the teaching profession…after all, it was a huge part of my life for six years (and the prior four years I spent earning my degree), and it is still a part of my regular thoughts and conversation today. I am all too aware of the stress and pressure of the teaching profession and what that stress and pressure does to students.

    I became inspired to write a letter to my daughter’s future teacher, and, maybe someday, I will find the guts to actually deliver it.

    ‘Til then…

    Dear Teacher,

    Let me first start off by saying I know. I know that even opening a parent letter can bring on an anxiety attack worthy of a glass (or two) of wine by 9 a.m. I am here to say that this is not one of those letters. Breathe (and put the wine away– it’s frowned upon).

    I know. I know that a new school year is one of the most exciting experiences in life for a teacher. A new start. A new set of names. A new theme for your room maybe or a new discipline system. A new textbook or a new method you learned at an amazing conference. A new chance to be a difference-maker, a life-changer, a child-impactor.

    I am so excited for your excitement because my daughter is now one of “your kids.” You will see her for more waking hours of the day than I will. Inevitably, she will fall down at recess, and I can’t be the one to help her get a bandaid. She will look to you for that. Someone may hurt her feelings, and she will need you to talk her through it until she comes home to me. She may get an awesome grade on her spelling test, and it will be you she wants to high-five first. She may will do something that will land her in trouble, and she will depend on your fairness and tough love so she can learn from her mistake.

    I know. I know you might think I am asking you to step outside the boundaries of your profession because someone in politics wearing an expensive suit and tie has tried to fit your job description inside a neatly packaged box… a list of standards and objectives and checkboxes and dotted lines. I know you might think you don’t have time to “mother” my child because that is my job and your job is to teach and assess and you have 25 other kids and no assistant and a stack of papers to grade that isn’t getting any shorter and you just found out you have to do a tornado drill during your reading lesson. I know because I know.

    But I am asking you to be brave. Be bold. Take your job description out of the neatly packaged box and throw it back into that Mary Poppins bag it came in, because I know you know that there’s more to every child than a test score, an IQ number, a color code. I know you know that these children have feelings and fears and bad days and melt downs and sometimes they just need a hug and not a No. 2 pencil. I know you know that even the most difficult child is someone else’s baby.

    I know. I know that the stakes are high and the pressure is real. I know that my child doesn’t do well on the big test, your career depends on it. And that sucks, I know.

    But I also know when I just tell her about snow, she could care less. When she runs outside and catches it on her tongue and feels the cold and looks at the sky and sees the clouds and experiences the snow, that’s when she asks questions. When she asks questions, I answer them (or help her find the answers), and she learns.

    I know. I know because I have been in your shoes. I fought the good fight and still believe that there’s nothing else I would have rather been than a teacher. I did the early mornings and late nights and bags of papers to grade on weekends and vacations and state tests and parent phone calls.

    And I wish more than anything that I would have had a parent tell me how not to do my job. That while learning is important and there’s a place for assessments and reports and grades, all the things that aren’t “your job” can make such an impact on a child.

    Kiss their boo-boos. Tell funny stories. Let your science lesson get side tracked because that one kid in the back asked why the sky is blue. Help them with their little conflicts and celebrate their little victories. Let them play. Let them cry. Let them learn by doing and let them dance in the snow.

    I support you. I respect you. I will help you however I can. You need to hear that.

    I know.

    Sincerely,
    Noelle’s Mama

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  • three for free — march printables

    March 9, 2014 /

    OK, I know I am little behind in posting my Three for Free for March. I apologize. I won’t bore you with excuses.

    Who is excited for March?! I know we are all ready for this winter to be over and out. I need to see some green in my life….green grass, green leaves, green beer. Ahhh, March. I love you.

    I won’t keep you waiting any longer.

    Ready…set…print!

    Mama Stuff

    1. I love the idea of spring cleaning. Notice, I said “idea.” Actually committing to cleaning my entire house from top to bottom is quite the undertaking, but this 1-week checklist will have your house cleaned in 7 days. It is very thorough and seems doable. From She Makes a Home.

    2. I love everything about this. I love the spring colors, the chevron background, and the subtle floral design. Spring is a time to be happy! From Tales of a Thirty-Something.
    3. Spring makes me think of bike rides. My little girl loves to ride her bike around the neighborhood, and it has been a long time since she was able to do that. I can’t wait until daily bike rides are part of our schedule again. I enjoy these bike prints. There are four varieties, and I think hanging them the way this photo shows you makes a great wall display. From Curbly. 
    Kid Stuff

    1. I LOVE this! Dr. Seuss’s birthday is March 2, and so preschools and elementary schools everywhere love to celebrate his works throughout the entire month of March. I think this is such a cute decoration for a child’s room, and you can’t beat the message. From The Indie Tot.

    2. With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, this would be a fun and easy activity to do with your kiddos. I love rainbows, and who doesn’t love Froot Loops? From Sweet Little Peanut.

    3. I posted one of these in the fall, and now that Spring is upon us, it would be a great time to take a walk and go on another scavenger hunt. My little girl loves to use my phone to take pictures of items we find. From Moritz Fine Designs. 

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  • three for free– february printables

    February 2, 2014 /

    I told my husband last night that January seemed like a long month.

    I am not exactly sure why it felt that way to me, but it could have something to do with the fact that we have had about 3 winter storms and Arctic cold fronts that pretty much crippled our town for a solid three weeks. It has been a lot of time in the house… a lot of staring at the same walls, and messes, and laundry piles… so I’m not too sad to see January go.

    With a new month comes a new set of free printables. I hope you’re enjoying these and using them for all kinds of purposes. I like to incorporate mine into gifts, and with Valentine’s Day coming up, I tried to think about gift-giving when I collected these printables for you.

    Remember, Valentine’s Day isn’t about roses, chocolate, and stuffed teddy bears (especially those). Anyone can give those gifts. But to click on a link of an awesome free printable and hit “print?” That is just really, really special.

    Enjoy, Lovebirds!

    For the grown-ups…

    1. I love the metallic look to this image. This printable comes in 16×20, 8×10, or 5×7. This is perfect to print and put in a frame and give as a gift. I also think it would look adorable on a mantle or on top of a dresser. From Love from the Oven.

    2. OK, OK, I know. Most, if not all, of the printables I feature on here are pretty feminine and girly. But, guys need love and printables, too, and this one says “masculine” to me. As always, you could print and frame this, or you could print it on a piece of card stock and make it into a card for your man. (Also, this comes in 4 other colors…and they are girly). From Dreamsicle Sisters.
    3. Even adults like little Valentine treats, and I will use any excuse to eat a donut. These labels can be used in a variety of ways. You can print them, cut them apart, and adhere to cute individual donut boxes like you see in the picture, or you can tape or staple the labels to a treat baggie or even a Kraft paper bag with the donut inside. I’m sure your colleagues or friends or mommy group will think you are pretty awesome if you show up with these! From Sugar and Charm.
    For the kids…
    1. I love this alphabet printable. This would be a sweet little gift for a little girl’s room, all printed out and framed up. This would also be a fun teacher gift! From Funky Polkadot Giraffe.
    2. Guys, this is seriously so adorable. When you click the link, you get the recipe for this adorable looking S’more’s Snack Mix with graham cracker Goldfish (could use Teddy Grahams), mini marshmallows, and Valentine’s Day-colored M&Ms! So, so cute! Teachers will l-o-v-e these! From A Night Owl.
    3. How cute are these? These would be so fun for classroom valentines (put in a baggie with two different colors of M&Ms), but they could also be used for a family Valentine’s Day game night. Kids will literally eat these up! From 733 Blog. 
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