May Photo Challenge

Calling all creative minds and anyone who enjoys capturing life through lens!

Blogger Ms. Naturally Random and I have joined forces to challenge ourselves and YOU to...

Do you accept the challege? Follow us on social media and post your pics using #CreativelyRandom.

See you there!

Ms Naturally Random
Twitter● @shanrandom
Instagram ● @msnaturallyrandom
Snapchat ● @shanrandom
Facebook● @msnaturallyrandom

Creatively Coiled 
Twitter ● @creativecoils
Instagram ● @creatively_coiled
Snapchat ● coilykita

Flashback Friday| No more leads #NICUGRAD

After 91 days of hospitalization, I was more than excited to find out that Button would finally be coming home. We cleaned and prepped her room (for the most part) in preparation however, my excitement immediately turn into anxiety on the day of her discharge as the nurse removed the last cardiac monitoring lead from our little girls body...

...No more beeps... Or monitor watching her heart rate... No more hospital alarms...

I was so use to these noises that it became the norm. So those 1st few moments of just silence in our little corner of TCN were joyous yet scarey. "How do I know if she's OK without the monitors to watch?".

This was a reoccurring feeling when we were home as well: skin to skin time was usually quiet with TVs off So I could hear her breathing.

I am happy to say the Button is thriving thankfully without medications or machines and brings us so much joy and laugter (literally, she laughs now and it's contagious). 

Donate!| March of Dimes

1 in 10 babies in the United States are born prematurely being born earlier than 36 weeks gestation. This means extra special care is needed for these little ones to help them thrive outside of the womb. This also means extra care is needed for the parents to the understand the journey ahead.

Please visit March For Babies to see how March of Dimes helps little ones and their families through this trying time.

Also, visit our team page if you're interested in donating to the cause and to join our team to walk on April 30th!

Click here to know more about our story

Easy DIY| Sensory Gel Mat

Hey hey!

Being a new mommy and being a mommy to a child that is still small, I have been listening very carefully to Button's pediatrician and physical therapist on what we can do to help with her development. 

One thing that I really want to take on is DIY projects that she can use because most of them are cost effective and... I LOVE TO CREATE!

Now that Button is improving in her motor skills, I wanted to go ahead and make her a sensory gel mat to help her out and to give her something to be interested in during tummy time.

What You Will Need: 

• Large or Jumbo freezer bags
• Hair Gel
• Pom Poms (or anything soft )
• Duct Tape
• Clean place to work

Luckily, I found all the items that needed/wanted at Dollar Tree (>>>click here<<< for my Dollar Tree Mini Haul)

Step 1| Pour

Take your freezer bag and fill it with hair gel. I was able to find Jumbo bags and clear hair gel but feel free to use whatever you are able to find. With the bag being larger, I purchased 2 bottles of gel.

Step 2| Add

Now that the gel has been poured, you can add your "entertainment". I chose to use soft pom poms however, you can use round buttons, foam figures...Again, whatever your able to find that is soft, flat and will NOT puncture the bag.

Step 3| Close

Now that all of your items are in the bag, ensure you have taken out as much air as possible and close it up. Something that assisted me in closing the bag was rolling the opening of the bag down one time after closing it and then applying my duct tape along the top to keep the bag folded down

Step 4| Complete

Now that the bag is closed, you can use more duct tape to create border around the bag. I doubled the layer of tape to enforce the bags edges. 

And now your little one has a new toy to play with. It was fun to make and keeps Button's attention while we trick her into a little tummy time. 

Have you ever made a sensory gel mat? If so, what items did you use and where did you find them?

Flashback Friday| Life In NICU

Being the mommy of a child in the NICU brings on a lot of anxiety that in my opinion, cannot be avoided. Things that helped to set my mind at ease and made me feel like I was helping:

Checking in| Reminding myself that if I EVER wanted to know how she was doing... even in the wee horse of the night/morning, I could call her nurse and get information.

Keep Pumping| in the earlier weeks we weren't able to nurse so keeping my pumping schedule was a must to ensure her supply was plenty at the hospital. 

Kangaroo Care| Once the green light was given, I held her every chance I got. Skin to skin not only benefited her but made me feel more like a mom.

Being hands on| it took me a while but eventually assisted in every way possibly when visiting with Button: diaper changes, hand hugs to keep her calm for her assessments, feedings, etc. I was always asking to help once I got past the "I don't want to hurt her" phase.

Journaling| I not only had a journal, but a calendar that helped me document Button's progress and count the days; from assessments to small messages to her, I wrote whenever I felt moved to do so.

CLICK HERE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR STORY

Pick 6| Winter

Hello loves! Springs has sprung in a sense so I wanted to share my favorites from Winter:

Hair| Whipped Shea Butter
This item is nothing new to the blog as I have shared the recipe on how to make this lovely whipped shea butter and talked about it in previous Pick 6 Posts. I use it on my hair and body a lot during the colder months for conditioning. Want to know how to create it? CLICK HERE

Fashion| Joggers
I am pretty frumpy when I don't have to leave the house but when we have company over... I try to look semi decent. Joggers help me achieve this. I have found them at Target and Rose's (a store similar to Ross and Marshalls). I have an Aztec print, dark and light grey pair that stay in heavy rotation.







Beauty| Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes.The best mascara I have used so far. It really defines my lashes. Also, I am "multiple application" gal and it makes my lashes look great.

Skin| Facial Brush
Such a simple product makes such a difference. I purchased this from Dollar Tree in a recent haul (Click Here to view my recent haul) and have been using it very often. I rub it on my black soap bar and scrub my face at the end of the day for some deep cleaning.






Accessories|Nude polishes
I like more natural nail colors during the colder months, so I lean towards nude polishes. I have a few from various brands (Sally Hanson, essie, and charming charlies) but my favorite is "Over The Taupe" by opi. I've have been using this up when I have my pampering days.





Random| Baby's First Years Bottle Warmer
This item is a God send. When it was given to us I had no clue that I would end up using it as often but this really comes in handy for those middle of the night feedings. I load up a cooler with Button's milk and take it upstairs for the night and this warmer sits right on the nightstand. I can changer her diaper and the bottle is warm by the time I have finished.


So, what items were you loving on this Winter?

Mommy of a Super Hero| Strength of a Preemie

Around this time last year there were so many thoughts running through my mind about #NewMomLife: hoping that I'd do a good job recognizing different cries and being able to take care of my little one was just some of what went through my head as I felt Button kick around in the early morning hours.

Needles to say when Button made her debut at 24 weeks and 6 days, I was floored and had no clue of what was in store:

• Respitory assistance

• Constant observation

• PICC lines

• Blood transfusions

• Therapy

• Eye surgery

...Just to name a few.

Not to mention the fact that my little one could not come home.

The 1st few weeks of Button being in the NICU were by far the toughest days of my life. I honestly felt like I had let her down and there was nothing I could do to help during such a crucial time.

However, this little lady of ours was a tough cookie and even though there were ups and downs for those 91 days, she's fought like a champ and her fighting made me want to be stronger for her because she was not worrying, so why was I?

Want to know more about infant prematurity and how you can help?

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION 

Flashback Friday| "I'm going to be a mom!"

Happy April to all! As usual lately, I'm up early feeding Button... Oh, who is Button? She is my pint-size super hero.

Around this time last year hubby and I discovered that we were going to be parents. What a discovering right?! So excited and intrigued with the unknown:

• Girl or Boy?
• Hubby's smile?
• My personality?
• Will we be good parents?

Minds were racing wondering what was in store for our to-be party of 3. We kept Button a secret from many for as long as she would allow us (24 weeks and 4 days to be exact)...

With our due not being until November 30th, we were thrown for a loop when Button made her entrance on August 13th. 

Want to know more about our story? 

●●●CLICK HER●●●