Repeat The Feat

My boys and I had the opportunity to participate in an awesome program called Repeat the Feat.

The deal is they send you a free shirt ($1 shipping) in exchange for you taking your children to do some kind of service in your local community while wearing the shirts, taking a picture, and posting it on social media to help spread the word! 

We decided to take the boys to the bike trail behind my parent's house to pick up trash. 

It is such a beautiful trail! We found quite a few candy wrappers and water bottles and soda cans. 

The boys quickly caught on to the idea and loved helping out! 

We made sure my little ones stayed hydrated (it was sweltering!) and made sure the trail was clean and beautiful! 

If you want to participate, you can find everything you need to know HERE! 

Don't forget to follow them on Instagram @repeatthefeat! 

The Climb

I'm back!!

I'm sure everyone on my Facebook will tell you I've been blowing up my feed about this climb. Climb Out of the Darkness is to raise awareness for Postpartum Depression, and I had the honor of being a co-leader for the Ogden climb here in Utah. 

I just wanted to share my thoughts about The Climb and this cause in hopes that more people will climb with us next year.

Postpartum Depression is THE MOST COMMON COMPLICATION IN NEW MOMS. 

I once heard a radio commercial that said everyone knows at least one woman who has had breast cancer. Did you know more women get Postpartum Depression than they get breast cancer? Everyone knows a mom. How many of those moms have suffered depression during or after pregnancy?  

More moms get Postpartum Depression than Gestational Diabetes or preeclampsia. Almost every woman is screened for those things, and almost every mom worries about it. But no one screens you for PPD. Most moms don't even worry about it because, like me, they dont think it will happen to them. But it did happen to me. It happens to too many moms. 

PPD is nothing new. It has been happening to women since Eve. It was once called "Milk Fever" assuming it was the mother's milk that caused their PPD. 

And it's not just about suffering in silence. Mothers are dying. And in too many cases, their children die too.

(Special thanks to Bry Collard for snapping this picture of me climbing with my husband and boys!) 

Every time I hear on the news about mothers harming their children or themselves, everyone calls her a monster. She is a horrible person and should never be able to have children. 

But no one asks about PPD. No one asks if she reached out for help. And if they do, they say, "She should have gotten help. It's her own fault." No one realizes just how difficult it can be to find help. 

How many more women have to die before people stop calling them monsters and start figuring out how to prevent this? 

When someone has a physical illness like cancer or major surgery, everyone gathers to help in any way they can. But when you have a mental illness, you get a pat on the back and a "chin up, buttercup" pep talk, at best. 

We are not monsters. And we are losing too many mothers and children to PPD. And the only way to fix it is to DEMAND better care for moms from our healthcare providers. All of those tragic situations could have been avoided if we had better resources. Which is why we do this climb. 

This year during our climb we walked around a beautiful pond. We carried "burden rocks" until we reached the other side of the pond. 

My burden was guilt. The guilt of not bonding with Drew like I should have. The guilt of all the nights he heard me cry instead of hearing me sing. The guilt of all those smiles I missed. I had him help me throw my burden rock into the pond. So we both let it go together. 

Then we got new rocks. On these, we wrote whatever we needed. Whatever inspired us, a goal, peace, hope, etc. 

These rocks we kept. To put in our gardens, windows, purse, nightstand, anywhere we could see it and remember. (Excuse the smear, Drew wanted to hold it before it was fully dry.) 

The point is, we are not alone. And we are trying to make a difference. We climbed for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for all those moms who lost their battles to PPD. I have no doubt those moms were with us in spirit. 

** A special thanks to our awesome photographer who volunteered her time and talent to take pictures for us! Check her out on Facebook, I'm a HUGE fan of her work!! https://www.facebook.com/BirthStoriesByKelleyAnderson

Self-Care is Not Selfish

I have a super sick baby at my house today so I'm just sharing a thought today.

I recently read about a mom who has battled postpartum depression. She was sharing her story and she wrote a phrase that really stuck out to me. 

"Self-care is NOT selfish." 

I know as mothers, we all too often put others needs before our own. And sometimes we get so busy, we forget to be kind to ourselves. 

These days, the pressure of being a new mom is incredibly hard. You are almost expected to "bounce back" to your pre-pregnancy body as soon as possible, keep up with the house, make dinners, care for a tiny human who needs your constant attention every two hours around the clock, all while trying to heal from having a baby! You're exhausted on a whole new level, hungry (breastfeeding hunger is insane), and you are beyond sore.

But what about you? Adjusting to life as a new mom can be hard. It is so important to address your needs. Physically getting all the rest you need, not overwhelming yourself with chores and meals, and just letting yourself bond with your new little baby instead of stressing about your weight or how you look. 

The same concept applies when your baby is older. Make sure you are taking time for yourself. Exercising, crafting, reading, whatever it is that makes you happy. If you're not caring for yourself, how can you be expected to care for everyone else? 

It is not selfish. It is necessary to not just survive motherhood, but thrive in it. 

Don't forget that you are important too. You matter too. 

Depression is Lonely: But You Are Not Alnoe

I am one in seven.

I am that one in a group of seven mothers that has experienced postpartum depression.

While those other moms were easing into motherhood so gracefully, I was the one who wouldn't even look at my baby when I fed him. 

 I cried endlessly. I felt hopeless, restless, and rage like I have never experienced. It was a kind of darkness that was so real, I felt as if I could reach out and touch it. It was heavy, and hard. 

I tried to hide it and pretend I was ok. But the longer I hid it the worse it got. 

I just felt completely off. 

(If you think you might be suffering from PPD, check out this great Postpartum Depression checklist HERE.) 

But the moment I opened up about my condition on facebook, I was so surprised at the number of women who told me they had PPD too. And knowing I wasn't alone was my final push for me to get some help.

So why didn't anyone tell me? 

Why didn't my doctor talk to me about postpartum anxiety? Or postpartum psychosis? I didn't even know it was a real thing. 

Why didn't anyone warn me about the dark side that can accompany motherhood? 

One in seven seems like such a high number. So why does PPD feel so lonely? 

(Awesome shirt made by Designs by Dee!) 

What would have happened to 

me if I had kept it to myself? I thought I was a monster. I thought my husband and son were better off without me. 

The moment I went to my doctor I was treated very well right away. They took me seriously. They called to see how I was doing. A few of the nurses even told me there own experiences with PPD. 

If I had know then what I know now, I wouldn't have tried to hide it. I wouldn't have suffered and made my family suffer for so long. Because it does affect your family. 

It is also important to know that going to see your doctor doesn't mean you'll get better right away. The recovery can take months and even years. The important thing is that it is being addressed and you are being heard and cared for. 

Depression for anyone is usually lonely. But you're not alone. Why is that? 

One friend who has battled depression for years recently explained it to me very well.

"We feel isolated in our own brains. Most forms of depression are chemical imbalances. So it the deficiency makes us feel small. Which makes us feel unimportant and alone." 

I think feeling alone is one of the scariest, most empty feelings. And that is why I choose to speak up about my experience with PPD. I don't want another mom to have to go through what I did. Those who are struggling at least need to know that they are not alone. PPD is SO common, but it is rarely spoken of. 

Growing up I had multiple friends that struggled with depression as teenagers that carried into adulthood. My experience was short compared to the years they have spent fighting depression. I can't imagine the years of isolation and loneliness they must have felt. Depression is something hard to understand unless you have been through it yourself. 

My mom once described depression as cancer of the mind. It's an invisible illness that affects your whole life. 

We cannot fight the negative stigma of mental illness if we stay silent. Which is why I joined The Climb. I want to help improve postpartum care, PPD awareness, and the overall stigma on mental illness. If you are currtenly suffering, a survivor, in recovery, or want to support someone you know suffering, you can join The Climb here. 

Surviving Hyperemesis Gravidarum

May 15th (today) is HG awareness day.

I know they have awareness days for everything. But this one is especially important to me and to my family. I am especially writing this in honor of those mothers and precious babies who did not survive HG. And I pray that one day we will find a cause and a cure. 

A dear friend recently suggested writing a "survival guide" to HG. I love the idea, and as I though about it, read about it and talked with other survivors about it, I came up with a few key survival tips I want to share. 

1 in 7 mothers with HG end their pregnancy in abortion. 80% of women experience morning sickness, but only 2% of those women experience HG. It is so severe that it becomes life threatening for the mother and child, and is completely unbearable. It is draining, both physically and emotionally. 

The most common symptoms of HG are: 

• Constant violent vomiting

• Not being able to hold down any foods or liquids

• Severe dehydration requiring IV fluids and medication 

• hospitalization due to dehydration 

• Weightloss of 5% or more of your body weight 

• Malnutrition 

Tip #1. 

Find a good doctor. If your doctor is not listening to you, or not providing proper care, you NEED to find one that will. This is key because proper care can make all the difference in your experience and in the overall health of you and your baby. HelpHER.org has a list of good HG doctors in cities all over the country. 

I'm positive that if I didn't have such a great doctor who not only listened but understood what was happening and knew how to treat it, we would have lost Benjamin before I was even 10 weeks along. 

Tip #2. 

Build a good support system. I cannot imagine going through HG alone. Having friends and family who support you, help you, and listen to you on those hard days are SO important for your mental health. Being so sick can be frustrating and depressing. It's important to reach out to those who support you most and keep them close. 

I know we are often met with friends and family who think it can be cured with crackers and ginger. Some even go as far as accusing us of making it all up. My best advice for this is to not subject yourself to that. Send them the link to HelpHER.org, have a talk with them, do whatever you need to, but don't listen to them for one minute. Being that sick is hard enough. It's worse when those close to you bring negative thoughts and feelings. 

There are actually several HG support groups on Facebook that I found extremely helpful. It's nice to talk to someone who truly gets it. It's hard to understand HG until you have had it yourself. And it's nice to compare PICC line scars and discuss Zofran pumps and vomit stories. They just get it. And for some women, that is all the support they have. 

Tip #3. 

Listen to your body. If you even think that you might need to go in for an IV, GO! I once was so dehydrated I didn't pee for 24 hours. I was way past the point I needed IV fluids. I promise that even if you are only a little dehydrated, getting fluids in you will help you feel so much better. 

Don't be afraid to take medication, especially if it is going to save your life and your baby's life.

 Rest. Don't over do it or you could trigger more vomiting. 

Tip #4. 

If you have had an HG pregnancy in the past, and are planning to have another baby, I highly recommend planning ahead before you get pregnant. Make freezer meals, invest in plastic bowls, plates and utensils, arrange emergency childcare for any older children, arrange for some help with the housework, and come up with a treatment plan with your doctor. 

Tip #5. 

ASK FOR AND ACCEPT HELP! Don't wait until you are already frustrated and angry to ask for help. Don't turn down help when you know you need it. HG is a long and hard road. You are going to need help at some point, and that is ok. No one wants you to do the dishes when you are puking your guts out anyway. 

Tip #6.

Remember, it is all worth it. It is literally 9 months of hell for a lifetime of happiness. You are not alone. 

Our "normal" Trip to the Zoo

  Every Saturday we try to do an activity together as a family. Thankfully my husband has weekends off and since we don't see him much during the week we are grateful for this time together. We had never been to the local zoo here yet with the boys and we had a coupon of course, so we decided to go. 

  We got there right when it opened,it was a beautiful day. We got started walking. We brought a double stroller for the boys just in case the zoo was too much. Immediately my boys wanted out of the stroller and walked to the exhibits all on their own.  They loved seeing the animals and being out in a new environment was an adventure for them.

  As we continued exploring the zoo and going from exhibit to exhibit I couldn't help notice something. My 3yr old Shane who has heart defects, wanted to take breaks and ride in the stroller. I probably wouldn't of thought twice about this if he was the only child . His 2yr old brother wasn't slowing down at all. When I offered the stroller to him when Shane would get in Jeremy refused. Jeremy has a healthy heart. He didn't stop once wanting the stroller till the very end when nap time over took him.

  Of course I knew Shane had heart defects. We suffered with hospital visits and surgeries his first year of life. I always knew he gets a little more fatigued running around our house. SO why did Shane's frequent need to sit in the stroller surprise me so much? I guess it's because as the appointments get few and far between I "forget"? I also see him as a young boy now and not a baby who's activity level is quite different now! As Shane grows his precious heart is taking on more and I'm learning his new "normal" activity level. 

  These moments In life I want to be "normal" and for the most part they are. It's just a reminder once again of my sons fight with CHD in infancy and daily with every heart beat he takes. I hate being reminded of more open heart surgeries to come and think of the pain he will be in, the caution in his daily activities he will need to take. I'm grateful his condition is "fixable" and that he will continue on and be with us as long as he is monitored by doctors. Shane will always be behind his younger brother in energy level, but that doesn't mean he can't just take a break and continue on like Shane does. We still had a great time at the zoo no stroller ride will stop that. I will soak up these times as much as I can. I love being these boys mom.

Emily😃

Assuming The Worst

Happy Friday!

An interesting topic was brought to my attention this week. 

It's about how people (myself included) assume things, and then we assume that assumption is real, and end up hurting our own feelings. 

I am so guilty of this!! 

Example: A few years ago, someone acted a certain way around me and I automatically assumed it was because she didn't like me or it was something I did. I then became offended that I thought she didn't like me. A few weeks later I learned her mom was just diagnosed with cancer and my friend was trying to hold back tears, not avoid me! 

But I was so hurt by what I assumed that 

I was beating myself up over it. I was thinking of all the things I could have done wrong to upset her when in reality it had nothig to do with me. And now I'm feeling pretty sheepish about it. 

I think this is where technology and social media come into play.

How often do we judge how someone is feeling or thinking or even speaking when we cannot hear their voice or read their body language? That is left completely up to our imagination. 

I once made a humble suggestion on my favorite blogger's instagram. People were complaining that she never answers their comments. But this woman is a busy mom with a job and five kids, and I suggested that maybe she had her hands full and was too busy to write back to every single comment. 

I then recieved a message from one of the commenters telling me that she was shocked at my "tone of voice" and that I should be ashamed for talking like that. 

Wait... Unless her phone has a cool feature where she can hear a "tone" when reading comments, how on earth would she be able to know how I meant to say it? I never meant to sound rude at all. But she didn't believe me. She just knew it sounded mean in her head and she chose to let what she thought I said hurt her feelings. 

I see this all the time on Facebook mommy groups. 

And I do agree that being offended IS a choice. 

But I also don't want anyone to think that justifies bullying in any way. I think there is a big difference between stating an opinion and flat out bullying. And just because someone can choose to be or not to be offended, doesn't mean it is ever ok. 

This is where I am trying really hard to give people the benefit of the doubt. 

Maybe it's just a bad day. Maybe it's been a rough year. Maybe they have had a rough life. I don't know. But I do know that I'm going to try harder not to let my own assumptions hurt my own feelings. 

Diastasis Recti

Happy F-R-I-D-A-Y!!! Today I'm giving an important fitness tip that every mother needs to be aware of!

I remember Tyler kissing me as he took our new born son, Benjamin, to have his very first bath. I had just had him two hours before and we spent those two hours doing skin-to-skin and nursing. I was starving and exhausted.

My sweet nurse was moving me into my recovery room. She cleared her throat and timidly said, "I don't know if you know, but it seems that you have developed a diastasis recti split. Have you heard of that? It's when your stomach muscles separate during pregnancy. You might want to look up exercises on how to fix it." 

I am so thankful to that nurse for telling me. I would have never known if she hadn't said something, and then I would be so confused as to why my "mommy pouch" wasn't going away. 

I know a lot of moms work so hard to lose all the weight and do all the sit-ups, but still have a bulge or pouch on their belly. But most of them don't know that they have diastasis recti, and that doing regular and intense ab work outs like sit-ups actually make it worse.  

**It happens most often in moms who carry twins, moms with large babies, or moms who were on the smaller side pre-pregnancy. I did not have this with my first baby, only my second! 

How do you know if you have Diastasis Recti? 

Lie flat on your back with your knees up. 

Lift your head up as if looking at your belly button, so that your stomach muscles tighten. 

Place a few fingers right above your belly button and gently press down. If you have Diastasis Recti, you will feel a wide gap and be able to stick a few fingers in there. 

(If you're still confused, watch this video here) 

When I first checked my split, it was two and a half fingers wide. (One woman I talked to said she could fit her fist in her gap!) Now, one year postpartum, I am down to one tight finger space. I'll admit, I haven't been as diligent on my exercises as I should have. But finding time or energy after chasing around two kids under two is rare. But this year is my goal to fix it completely. 

The picture above is me today. I never took a "before" picture because I was so embarrassed about my "mommy pouch" that I didn't want to see it. But it used to look way worse than this. Like I said, my split is a lot smaller now. It's still there, and I still have a long way to go. But this is so much 

better than it used to be. 

By the way, you CAN fix it without surgery. (And without expensive magic wraps that only give you temporary results. But that's another story for another post!) How? Simple core workouts that don't put intense strain on your abs. Instead, do work outs that are going to pull those muscles back together.

I found a ton of great and simple work outs that fix Diastasis Recti on Pinterest, and on YouTube. The key is to do them often and DON'T attempt to do sit ups or anything like that until your split has healed. I like to follow this video Here. 

If you have any questions please don't be afraid to ask your doctor!! 

DIY Laundry Detergent

Hey guys,  Megan here.  This week I am sharing my recipe for DIY laundry detergent.

 I made my first batch about 6 months ago and it lasted till about a week ago.  So this is by far way cheaper than store bought laundry detergent.  I was hesitant about washing my boys clothes with it in fear of a reaction.  To ease my mind I washed two outfits in the new detergent and watched for a reaction and they had nothing.  So I went to regular washing and it has done fabulously!

One box of Super Washing Soda. $3.24

1 box of Borax. $3.38

1 4lb box of Pure Baking Soda. $2.12

2 bars of Zote. .99 x 2

1 container of Oxy Clean. 3.86

1 container of Purex Crystals. 4.72
 

I got everything at smiths and I gradually buy them.  I will buy something if I have a coupon or if I have a couple extra dollars in my grocery budget for the week. I will tell you that Oxy clean and Purex crystals have coupons regularly but the Borax and arm and hammer coupons are hard to come by.  I didn't find any for the 9 months I was looking. I spent 19.30 not including tax.  Now if this last 6 months with about 1-2 loads of laundry a day this is by far a way better value.

The first thing you do is grate the Zote bars with a cheese grater.

Then just add everything together and mix.  I pour whatever I can back in the Oxy clean and Purex containers and put the rest in three zip lock bags.  I use 2 tablespoons per load.  However, I figured out that the colored lid on the Purex is about 2 tablespoons so I just use that for each load.

Here is the recipe.  Remember to LIKE us on Facebook and Instagram!

The recipe:

One box of Super Washing Soda.

1 box of Borax. 

1 4lb box of Pure Baking Soda.

2 bars of Zote.

1 container of Oxy Clean.

1 container of Purex Crystals.

Grate the Zote bar with a cheese grater.  Mix all the ingredients and store in container of your choice.  Use 1-2 tablespoons per load.

Update on chalkboard:  Next month is my sons birthday so I will be updating again soon.

Life is short

Just recently my husband's mother passed away.  Her name was Iris and she lived to the ripe old age of 86.  She was a wonderful, spunky lady and I miss her very much. If you had asked me 10 years ago if I would miss her this much, I don't think the answer would have been the same.  We had difficult relationship at the first, because I had married the baby of her 10 children and essentially taken him away from her.  I never understood that reasoning.  Why would I be taking him away?  He was still her son.  I just didn't understand.  I thought she was being selfish not to share him with me and so it began.  Just after we were engaged, my hubby was in a 30 car pile-up crash on the freeway and broke his leg.  This began the struggle between his mother and I of who knew how to comfort him best.  I am ashamed to say that I felt very threatened, as I am sure she did.  We argued over the dumbest things and never were able to find common ground during that time.  One thing I do remember is her always wanting to be near him.  I didn't have any children yet, and just felt frustrated with it. 
I don't know where, but somewhere along the way, I started to understand her.  I had four boys of my own.  I started to realize how when you have a child you will give anything to make sure that child is safe and well and happy.  It doesn't matter how old they get, that never goes away.  I understood how she would want to see him any chance she got.  And it transferred to my children as well.  They were all important to her and she let them know it.  Anytime they were in trouble with me, she was their champion, defending them and explaining away their bad behavior.  She prescribed ice cream for tummy sickness and rootbeer for headaches.  They loved her for it! 
Now, the older my boys get and the closer to moving out they become, the more I get it.  I love my boys so much it hurts.  My heart overflows with it all.  I do not look forward to the day when they leave to make lives of their own.  And NEVER will I ever stop loving them and trying to make sure they are safe and happy.  I always want to be near them whenever possible. And I will probably have just as much of a hard time as she did, when someone marries my babies. 
She and I finally found common ground when I was able to understand her.  I really hate how short life is. I wish I hadn't wasted all that time trying to fight her, when we could have just been friends.  It seems she and I just became friends over the past decade and now she has had to go away.  She was the one I called after a graveyard shift when I was driving home and couldn't stay awake.  She would talk to me and keep me awake so that i could make it home.  I called her in the middle of a blizzard I was driving in one night because I knew she cared about me and would calm me down when I was scared.  She called me every day for the past few years and even now, there are still voice messages on my phone from her.  I have not been able to listen to them yet.  It hurts too much.  I miss her like you would not believe and I hope she is in a happy, calm place.  I know that she is.  It just stinks to be here without her.  Losing someone important to you really brings into perspective how little time we really have here on earth.  It flies by so fast sometimes.  I am a little less than half her age when she passed away, and I find myself wondering where the time went? Honestly, it feels like you blink, and half your life is gone.  How strange that when I was young, I thought I had so much time.  From now on, I am determined to make the best of the time I have left.  That, I believe, is the only true way to be happy.  And I am very thankful to have another angel in heaven who can be my champion when I am not perfect.  I will always love her.  Thanks, Iris.  Till we meet again. 
      

Dear Mom with Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Dear Mom with Hyperemesis Gravidarum,

Congrats! You are going to have a baby! That is exciting! You better hang on to that exciting piece of news, because for most of us with HG it is the only highlight of the pregnancy.

You are about to endure the longest 40 weeks of your life (if you make it that far). You will be tired, malnourished, dizzy, achy, constipated (thanks to the love-hate relationship with Zofran), and sicker than you have ever been or ever will be in your entire life. You will reach a point when you think that you cannot make it any longer. You will reach a point when you want to quit. You will reach a point when you simply cannot be strong anymore.

You will look at other pregnant women with a deep jealousy. I know I would have loved to have just been hot, tired, sore and swollen. 

You will hear survivors say, "Once you hold that baby in your arms, you forget all the pain and suffering of the last nine months!" And they mean it. And you will want to punch them.

You will encounter people who do not understand.

"She is faking it. No one gets THAT sick when you are pregnant." (I don't care who you are, you can't fake being so sick that you need to be hospitalized.)

"Oh it's normal! It will pass!" (Sorry, but there is nothing normal about throwing up blood and Hulk-green stomach acid 20+ times a day.)


"Can't you just TRY to get better? Like, really try. I don't think you are trying hard enough. Just WILL yourself to get better."

"It's all in your head." (My husband said this to me once during my first pregnancy in an attempt to comfort me when we had to pull over so I could puke on a tree because we were all out of barf bags... Let's just say he never said it again.) 

You will encounter one of "those" people. You know the ones.

 "Have you tried crackers? What about ginger? What about those sickness bands? Did you rub the ginger on your belly? Did you rub it on your toes? Did you try eating every two hours?" (I can't tell you how many times I threw up crackers, peppermint, ginger, etc. If it really worked I would not have needed a PICC line. And honestly, the best natural remedy for HG is giving birth!)

You'll meet a lot of people like that. Be kind. They do not understand and they have every intention of trying to help. HG is not something you fully understand until you have been through it yourself. My mom and all five of her sisters suffered mild to near death cases of HG and even though I watched it all I never fully understood what they went through until I was the one in the hospital bed while three different nurses tried to put an IV in me.

You will dream about all the fatty foods you can get your hands on. You will dream about drinking buckets and buckets of water and wake up crying because you're throwing up before you even fully sit up. You'll long to be "normal." You will give anything just to feel well enough to go outside to get the mail. You'll miss your old self.


You will reach a point when you wonder if it is worth it.


I asked for some REAL responses from women who have been in your shoes. These amazing survivors come from all walks of life. They know what it is like to feel alone. They know what it is like to feel so helpless.

They know the stress of dealing with clueless doctors, mean nurses, unsupportive family and friends, worrying about your other children that need you, tracking fluid intake and output, vitamins, ER visits, hospital stays, hospital bills, IVs, PICC lines, feeding tubes, pumps, calorie counting, weight loss, and the impact HG has on your personal relationships.

I asked these moms if there was anything they wish they could go back and tell themselves when they were sick with HG. These are just a few of the amazing responses!

Dear Mom with HG,

"Don't forget your significant other. It's hard on him too. You can't forget that he also has emotional needs.  Sometimes he will need to cry or complain or just vent. And even though you feel like death, you need to show him that he is still important to you. When you feel this sick it is hard to show any sympathy to anyone else. HG is not worth fighting over. It's hard enough as it is. Don't let it ruin your relationships too."

"Don't be afraid to ask for help or to admit you need help. Asking for help is a sign of STRENGTH, not a sign of weakness."

"You are a lot more likely to get help when you remain pleasant and not bitter. Don't wait so long to ask for help that you are already bitter about the situation."

"It DOES end. I know you feel like it never will and that nine months is just too long. But it WILL end. It is worth making it to the end. Wring your heart out. Stay strong. The little person inside you will grow up to become someone amazing and every time you look at him/her you will know true strength."

"These nine months are only a small fraction of your parenting journey. You have many wonderful adventures ahead. It is worth it. Try to look at it from an eternal perspective."

"Try (we know it's hard) to not be so angry when people say ignorant things. They don't know what you are facing. Keep the people who support you close."

"There are a lot of "ups" (example: finally having a bowel movement after two weeks, holding down 1/4 of a milkshake, gaining a pound or two) and there are a lot of "downs" (more downs than anything. I'm sure you don't need an example). But the biggest "up" will come in the form of a precious baby."

"The toughest challenges in life are worth the most."

"Don't worry about vitamins and what you should try to eat. You have HG. Just eat what you can whenever you can."

"Don't be stubborn. Go to the hospital when you need to. Even if you just THINK you might need an IV. It's better to go and get it than to let yourself suffer more." (When I read this one my husband gave me the "I told you so" look.)

"Push for better treatment. Be an advocate for yourself. Switch doctors if you need to. This is your life and your baby's life. You need the best treatment you can get." (For advice or help finding a better doctor in your area, visit helpher.org)

"Don't be afraid to 'fire' bad nurses. If they aren't treating you well or aren't washing their hands or something. You need to remember that YOU are paying THEM to help you. You have every right to ask for a different nurse. Don't let them intimidate you." (This one came from my dear mother, who suffered HG FIVE times. She is my hero.)

"Invest in paper/plastic plates, bowls, cups, etc. It will save your energy from doing dishes and you wont have to deal with a smelly sink."

"It is normal for someone with HG to feel guilty. And I think I felt too much guilt. I don't know if I have any advice for that because I don't think you can prevent it. But know that it is not your fault."

"Don't lie to yourself or to your doctor about how awful you feel."

"You may not be able to feel it or visualize it, but one day you will be happy again. I used to hate hearing people say it will be worth it... But it truly is."

"You will feel guilty asking for help, especially with your other children. You may feel like a bad mother for not being able to do normal mommy things or cook and clean. But as an HG child myself, I watched my mom suffer with HG four times after me and I hardly remember it. I remember bits and pieces but it didn't have such a big impact on my life. It didn't shake our relationship or scar me. I knew she loved me. And I understood that when my sibling came that she would get better again."

(This last one is my favorite.)

"This suffering is terrible, but it will utterly change who you are and how you respond to others' suffering. It will help you understand why Christ carried that cross. Hang in there. You can do this."


No one knows the cause of Hyperemesis Gravidarum. There is no cure (except delivery... and that first meal after delivering is pure heaven!) Please know that you are not alone. There are women and doctors who understand. It WILL end. It is nine months of pure agony for a life time of joy. And I promise you that you will not regret one second that you spend hunched over the toilet seat with a towel at your knees, just in case you puke so hard that you can't control your bladder.  Good luck, Momma!

(If you think you might be suffering from HG, you can visit helpher.org to look up symptoms and get help with treatment.)

Orange Creamsicle cake

This cake is amazing. Seriously it's like a good group at my house. I make it for every occasion and non occasion.
It's super simple too. You know those recipes that taste like it was really hard to make but it wasn't so it makes you look really good yep that's this one.

Super simple

All you do is make a box cake (yellow or orange) and make it according to the directions

When you pull it out of the oven poke holes in it using a fork

Mix the Orange Jello and pour over the cake while it is still warm.

Let it cool and mix the topping, then spread over the top.

So dang easy right? 

You can change it up so easy. I do strawberry with it too. Just replace everything with strawberry cake mix extract and jello. I do use more extract and sometimes even a little less vanilla because the strawberry doesn't seem as strong to me sometimes but it's all up to you.

ENJOY!

Creamsicle cake

---

1 orange or yellow cake mix
1 sm. pkg. orange Jello
1 c. hot water
1/2 c. cold water
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip
1 sm. instant vanilla pudding
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. orange extract

Mix orange cake mix, according to directions. Pour into 9 x 13 inch pan and bake according to directions. After removing cake from oven, poke holes in the cake 1 inch apart with fork. Mix Jello with 1 cup hot water and 1/2 cup cold water. Pour evenly over cooled cake. Mix Cool Whip, instant pudding, milk, vanilla, and orange extract. Beat until thoroughly mixed. Spread evenly over cake.

My Love/Hate relationship with Technology

  It's amazing how far technology has come and changed the world. Cell phones, CDs, DVDs, blueray players, Internet, iPods, I pads, video game systems, medical technology and tons more.  It's crazy to think of a time where we didn't have cell phones and people couldn't reach us 24/7 like we do now. Yet we all somehow survived.

  My kids are never going to know what a pay phone is,or possibly a CD player. when they're older everything will probably be voice command and won't even need to touch buttons! We have everything we could possibly want as far as technology goes. People can hit search and find every question answered, find an address, go into a virtual reality for a bit, play music without putting in anything, it's crazy! Another thing near and dear to my heart literally and figuratively is medical technology.

   

   As I have mentioned many times before my son at 8 days old turned lifeless. After being flown to Primary Children's hospital by life flight. It was amazing to see what they were able to do/see through ultra sound, or what the machines they used to help him breathe and basically keep him alive, can do. When it came time for his two heart surgeries they are able to have a machine pump his organs so his heart could rest while they fixed it.  I can definitely say without the medical technology we have, my son would NOT be here! Even in the years to come when he will go on to his next surgery technologies and procedures will have advanced. More options will be given in just a few years passed. 

  In those instances I love technology! I love that we can answer every question we want, or escape into a reality, or call or even video chat people with in a moment! It's greAt! 

  With these technologies however  have come lots of harm, as we all know, fraud, hacking, pornography, and addiction to video games, facebook, news media infiltrating are homes not just through the tv, and taking away the "socialness" of people.  

  Now instead of phone calls we get texts, or emails that  replace letters in the mail. Internet replaces encyclopedias. The list goes on and on! Are these good things?Yes, it can be for sure!My issues with technology are based on time and use.

  It's crazy to see as I look around at a restaurant how many couples are not talking anymore,but on their phones. At family gatherings we were "forced" to talk to each other or play games to pass the time. Now we live in a world where even when we go out to dinner our eyes are buried in their phones. We don't need to talk to others to pass the time anymore we just hide in a corner with our phones.  Instead of engaging or playing with our kids we bring out apps for them to play on, or get mad at them when they hit the phone out of our hand. Since when did family time or dinner time become play on our phone time? Like most everything else in life. We need to set limits, with our families. I'm seeing too many marriages and family time being hurt by technology. Not just phones, but many more things. 

  Take control and set guidelines for the future. So technology doesn't run our lives!:) 

  



Emily:)

  

Bedtime Routine: What I wish I had done

Happy Furlong Friday!!

When I had my oldest son, as I have mentioned, I had severe PPD. And as a new mom I had no idea how to get my new baby on a schedule, let alone myself. Pumping around the clock made my burst of energy to do anything but sleep few and far between. But I was obsessed with giving my son a bath every day. I had what is known as postpartum OCD. If I didn't give him a bath I would become irrationally angry, have anxiety attacks, and be very moody. I feel so bad for my husband at this point in our lives because I was not myself.

Anyway, I HAD to give Andrew a bath. Even a spounge bath. (And no, he never had any dry skin, cradle cap or eczema as a result of this.) But the problem was that I would give him a bath at 10AM one day, 3PM the next day, 7PM the next day, 1PM the next day... It was all over the place because I just did it whenever I worked up enough energy to get out of bed. And because of that he would sleep during the day and then be up all night. 

It wasn't until I started to recover from PPD that I started to give him a bath at the same time every day before bedtime, and it made all the difference once we got that routine down. 

Bath 

Lavender lotion

Swaddle

Bottle/singing 

Bed

Every. Single. Night. At the exact same time. In that exact order. He started sleeping longer periods at night and was sleeping completely through the night by 6 months (No "crying it out" at all. I'll explain how I did that in another post.) 

So when I had my second son, I started that exact routine with him the very day he came home from the hospital. I did it right along with Andrew's routine. First I'd give Andrew his bath, then let him watch a movie while I washed Benjamin. Then I would swaddle and nurse Ben while reading a book to Drew and singing to them both. Then they both went down to sleep by 8:30PM and that gave me 3-4 hours to clean up the house, spend some time with Tyler or get some seriously needed rest before Benjamin would wake up for his next feeding. 

Benjamin eased right into this routine perfectly and has never had a problem with Bedtime. They are two and one year old now and we still do this routine, only now they bathe together. 

We brush teeth. 

We say family prayer (Drew usually prays and he is SO thankful for firetrucks and footballs). 

We read "Goodnight Moon" together. 

We sing "Billy Boy" while I tuck them in. 

We give kisses and then it is lights out. And they don't wake up until 8AM. I do check on them once or twice before I go to sleep myself. 

(A big thank you to Tyler, for snapping these pictures for me!) 

I know every child is different, and you'll need to adjust your schedule to your own needs. I also know that some kids just don't require a lot of sleep! But thankfully my boys are pretty easy when it comes to that! 

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to follow us on Facebook!! 😘✌️ 

Catching Babies

Hello guys!  This is Megan.  This week I am going to share a podcast that really stuck with me.  Now if you don't listen to podcasts I suggest you start.  This one is on iTunes called "The Moth".  I don't know what it is about hearing someone else's story straight from them that gets me but I love it.  The specific podcast that I am referring was published on March 3 called "Radio Hour: Ski, Poe, Spa and Towers". The specific story is Flight.  There is a little language so be warned.   

Now, if you can imagine me sitting at my job listening to this and tears start to well up in my eyes.  I say to myself  "Well, that's enough of that."  I quickly stop listening and I have to wait till lunch to finish.  So before you listen be sure you can listen to the entire story. 

Here is a link to the podcast.
http://themoth.org/posts/stories/flight

Now before you continue please listen to it or none of this will make sense. 

If you have ever been in a situation where you feel completely out of control of what is going on around you. Your life is being threatened.  You have or had that mantra of "if I where to die right now I would be okay".  That saying can change everything about the situation you are in.  It could even save your life. 

However,  when you have children that mantra is completely gone. Your children change you in ways that cannot be explained.  In ways that you never would have expected.  You can no longer have the feeling that death is approaching and be completely okay with it because your children need you.  Their lives are no longer complete without you in it.  You now are living for someone else and not just for yourselves.

 "Your Life is not just your life anymore."  "As soon as you have a kid your vulnerable and they are so venerable without you. You need each other."    "It feels good, it feels really good".

Be proud

This post is a little late tonight because I have been thinking all week about what I want to write.
Over the last week I have had a lot on my mind one thing imp articular.
I used to struggle with what people thought of me (I still do) I'd get embarrassed easily over something my kids or husband would do because I thought it would make me look bad. I feel horrible for thinking that way but sometimes I just can't help it.
This last week I decided that enough is enough.
I love my life and the people in it and I am going to stop caring (or at least try to) about what people think.
My life might not be going like I thought it would but I'm going to own it and be proud of it.
If my hubby wears something funny looking (shorts,sandals,socks,Hawaiian shirt and cowboy hat)
I'm not going to crawl under a rock like I feel like doing sometimes haha
I'm going to own it! He may be crazy and sometimes funny looking but he is my crazy and funny looking guy.
I don't always like being a T1D mom it's hard and it makes me sad but you know what? It's not going any where so I am going to be the best T1D mom and mom that I can possibly be.
If I'm proud of something I think others will make fun of it I don't care, I'm going to be proud and show it off any way.
I used to be embarrassed of who I am and I am ashamed to admit it but it's time to get over it and be proud of who I am, what I stand for, where I come from and where I'm headed and the life I have now.

Homemade Pizza

Happy Friday!

Today im going to leave you with my favorite homemade pizza recipe while I deep clean my house for my son's birthday party! (Details on that next week!)

Whole Wheat Pizza: 

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup warm water

1 packet of yeast 

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar 

Dissolve yeast packet into the cup of water in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle in the sugar. Let it rise 5-7 minutes. 

Mix in the flour, salt, and olive oil. Knead dough by hand or with a dough hook for about five minutes. Place in an oiled or buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put it in a warm spot and let it rise for an hour. 

At this point you should start your homemade pizza sauce. Or you could just buy some. But I like our homemade sauce. 

1 can tomato sauce 

Seasonings

1 tablespoon flour

Pour tomato sauce into a sauce pan and turn the heat on the lowest setting. Next, add in your seasonings. The longer they sit the better it tastes. I throw in some garlic power, salt, parsley and Italian seasoning to taste. Add the flour and give it a good stir.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Once an hour has passed, knead the dough for a minute and then roll it out onto a pizza pan or even a cookie sheet. (Don't forget non-stick cooking spray)  Add your sauce and toppings. We love fresh mozzarella and pepperoni. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Enjoy! 

Chalkboard

Hello again!  Megan here.  I am going to do a tutorial on my new chalkboard!  I have been searching for something large to go over my dinning room table for a long time.  When I finally settled on a chalkboard I went hunting...

Now this chalk board is a substitution for an amazing one I saw at an expo.  

 

However, since my decorating is at the bottom of the totam pole for budget.  I decided to make my own.  Remember that basic cheap wood I used to make my arrows a couple weeks ago?  Well, it has been resurrected once again.  

As I said before I am using this for over my dinning room table so I made mine fairly big. It ended up being 4'x 3'. Instead of my usual espresso stain I decided to replicate a grey frame that I already have my living room.  The stain is classic grey by Minwax.  I didn't love the look of the grey so after I stained it I decided that it needed to be lightened up a bit.  So I dry brushed it with white paint and sanded down the spots that had a little to much paint.  

 

This picture shows the dry brush.  The first board is with paint the others are just stain.

 

This picture shows how sanding can light up the brush strokes.  The back two boards are sanded and front two are not.

 

 I wanted it to be magnetic so I used a piece of sheet metal as the backing. For the chalkboard part I used rustollium spray paint chalkboard. I was hesitant to use spray paint but after some research I learned it was the best because you don't get brush or roller marks. I had my hubby and Ty cut the metal to size.  I then sprayed it with two even coats of the spray paint.   

I attached the boards with wood glue and an "L" brackets.  I attached the metal with just basic screws.  Make sure to check the depth of the screw so you don't go through to the other side.

 

 

Now, because I used just a sheet of metal I had very sharp edges.  I did not want them to firstly scratch my walls and secondly cut me. 

 

So my solution... DUCKTAPE!!!  I know super ugly looking but its the back and no one will see it.  Well, except for you.

 

To hang it from the wall I used a Mirror Holder Kit.  This kit is made to hold up to 100 lbs so it is a little excessive.  I think I ended up paying $6 for the kit.

 

And there you have it!  I am going to be changing it at least every month or special occasion.  So in celebration of Easter this weekend I did Easter!  I will try to add a little update at the bottom of my posts of when I change it and post a picture.