An Ambulance Cake

Originally posted in January 2009.

My second son recently celebrated a birthday. Every year, I try to make my kids a cake in the theme of their choice. My son decided last year that he wanted an ambulance cake this year and he held to that decision all year long! Here is a picture of the cake I made for him:

I also wanted to share a couple photos from when my son was born. He was born by routine c-section and had very high apgar scores. About 30 minutes after he was pulled out, though, he started to have problems. He ended up going into respiratory distress and was transferred to a hospital with one of the best NICU's around. At 8 days old, we finally got to take him home.

So here are a few pictures from when he was born, as well as him now- healthy and growing up great!

The picture to the right was taken the evening after I had my son. I still had the catheter and IV in, but they finally allowed me to see him by wheeling me into the NICU. As you can see, I had been crying for many many hours. He wasn't doing well at the time- the CPAP on him wasn't helping enough and we were scared.

The next picture was taken after my son was transferred to the children's hospital. The ventilator was in place and he was sedated. When he was 5 days old, his ventilator was out and I got to hold him. I had only held him briefly after birth, so I was very excited to have him in my arms. The next day they let me feed him, and two days later I finally took got to take my baby boy home.

Here is my son on his last birthday- so very healthy and big!

When we celebrate my son's birthday, we are reminded of his rough start and how wonderful it is that he is well now. It was a time of constant prayer as my husband and I sat by his little basinet 19 hours a day, praying that God would heal him quickly.

It's obvious that God is always working behind the scenes. We are thankful for His mercy in healing our son.

During my pregnancy, we had picked out my son's middle name: Josiah- which is Hebrew and means, "Healed by God". We felt the name was perfect for him . After everything with his birth, we were positive his name was a perfect fit.

"O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me." Psalm 30:2

C-Section Recovery Tips

This post comes from Elizabeth at Worry-Free-C-Section.com . She recently posted a list of links to blogs that have tips for recovering from a c-section. You can find one of mine on there as well. Here's her article:

**************************************

While researching for helpful c-section recovery tips I came across a few posts that I couldn’t resist mentioning. These articles are my ‘best of’ picks because they are filled with good ideas, both personal and professional.

If you have had a c-section or are expecting to have one these are definitely worth the read. There are some great golden nuggets here:

C-section Recovery Tip - Avoid Comedies
By Morgan at Adventures in Diapering
http://adventuresindiapering.blogspot.com/2009/05/c-section-recovery-tip.html

Recovering after a C-Section
By Heather of “A Mama’s blog”
http://amamasblog.com/2008/03/28/recovering-after-a-c-section/

How To Get out of bed Post Cesarean
by The labor nurse
http://rebirthnurse.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-to-get-out-of-bed-post-cesarean.html

Recovering from a Cesarean Birth
By Brenda Minica
http://www.doulasanantonio.com/recovering-from-a-cesarean-birth

Emotional Recovery after a C-Section
By Elizabeth McGee
http://worry-free-c-section.com/blog/c-section-recovery/emotional-recovery-after-your-c-section/

Fire Safety Tips for Kids

No one wants to think that a fire could happen to them. However, it's good to be proactive and do some preventative actions to better ensure our children's safety in the event that a fire does occur. The following is a list of fire safety advice straight from a real fire fighter:

*Make sure your kids know not to hide or run from firefighters if their house is on fire. Instead, they should call out to the firefighters and know that firefighters are there to help them.

*If their clothes catch on fire, make sure they know to:

1) Stop Moving

2) Drop to the Ground

3) Cover Their Face with Their Hands

4) Roll Back and Forth Until the Fire is Out

*Practice Fire Drills in Your Home and Have One Meeting Place Outside that Everyone Knows to go To

*Check Your Smoke Detectors by Pressing and Holding the Button Until it Alarms to Make Sure it's Working Properly

*Change the Batteries in Your Smoke Detectors Every 6 Months. When you change your clocks, change your batteries

*Replace Your Smoke Detectors Every 10 Years- even if they're working properly

*Discuss hazards in your house with your children, and make sure they know to avoid them.

*Teach Your Children to stay away from candles, matches, and lighters. Make sure you don't place candles on an unstable table or by blowing curtains

*Remind Your Children Not to Play Near the Oven, Water Heater, Fire Place or Anything Else that could Potentially be Hot. Also teach them not to use the oven door/range as a step stool as it could tip over.

Dress Up Fun

When our oldest son was a toddler, I started collecting costumes from yard sales. I was able to find some really good deals on fun stuff to dress up in.

I store everything in a dresser with costumes organized for the girls in two of the drawers, and the boys' costumes in the other two. The kids love to pull out things to dress up in!

If you're interested in starting a dress-up collection for your kids, check out garage sales, clearance racks, Freecycle, and even try cleaning out your own closet! With yard sales, it's possible to find nice costumes for as little as 50 cents or $1!

Here's a list of fun dress up/role play items to collect:

*Old Dance Recital Costumes
*Fancy Shoes
*Fun Hats- i.e. cowboy hat, army, firefighter, sombrero and other funky hats
*Boas
*Fancy Gloves & Winter Mittens
*Halloween Costumes
---to get great deals on these (besides yard sales), check stores such as Wal-mart the day after halloween to get 50% off their original prices. Wait another day or two and get 75% off!
*Purses of Various Sizes
*A Brief Case
*Costume Jewlery
*Scarves
*Tutus, Ballet Skirts, and Leotards
*Silky Robes
*Capes
*Old Men's Jackets
*Clip-on Ties
*Plastic Swords, Shields, and Helmets

What are your kids' favorite things to dress up in? Do you have any suggestions for other fun items I should watch for?

***More Tips and Fun Ideas for Moms

A C-Section could NEVER happen to Me, Right???

I am happy to share an article written by a fellow c-section blogger, Elizabeth. If you're looking for more information on c-sections, you should consider checking out her site on having a Worry Free C-Section. She has a lot of info. on what to expect during the delivery, as well as complications that can arise, how insurance handles c-sections, and many other informative articles that I wish I had read before having my first c-section.

*****************************************************

The following is written by Elizabeth McGee at http://www.worry-free-c-section.com/

Not expecting to deliver by c-section? Ah, but you could!

One of the most amazing statistics today is the one surrounding the birth of your baby.
What I'm referring to is having a c-section birth.

According to WebMD.com, nearly 32% of all births results in C-Section.That means that you have about a 1 in 3 chance of having a c-section.

Why is that?

To accurately answer this question, it helps to know why a c-section is necessary. The four most common medical reasons for having a c-section birth are repeat c sections, failure of labor to progress, breech presentation and fetal distress.

There has also been a decline in VBAC births (vaginal birth after c-section), due in part to hospitals and physicians banning VBACs based on cost concerns and fear of liability.

In addition we're also seeing more moms electing to have a c-section due to convenience and/or the fear of the pain of childbirth.

Most first time moms don't typically plan on having a c-section unless her health or the health of her baby is at risk. However for a healthy first time mom a c-section may never come into question until after many hours of labor.

So what does this mean for you as a pregnant mom?

It means that you should be ready for the possibility of having a c-section.

It's almost impossible to predict whether a woman will experience failure to progress or encounter fetal distress during labor but these are two very common scenarios.

But more importantly, you should also understand why c-sections are performed and what your options may be based on medical conditions at the time.

Having a c-section doesn't have to be a horrible event, but there can be high anxiety and moments of fear if a c-section is unexpected.

My advice to you is to clearly understand why a c-section may be necessary, what you can do to possibly prevent one and have a plan in the event it is necessary. Understanding what can happen during a c-section,and making decisions about medical options such as anesthesia,breastfeeding and medications can make a big difference not only in the birthing experience itself but in your bonding with baby and recovery as well.

C-sections are often a very necessary procedure and if there comes a time when it's the best option for you, you'll be less stressed and much more at ease if you’re are first prepared.

By Elizabeth McGee at Worry-free-C-Section.com/

Visiting the Fire Station

Have you ever taken your children to your local fire station? If not, you should. The fire fighters give a tour of the fire station and tell the children about what they do during the day. Kids get to see where the fire fighters eat, sleep, and play games during the day. They get a chance to see the different trucks and fire equiptment and learn what they do. There is usually a short message about fire safety as well some fire safety coloring books to take home. It's definantly a fun trip, so if you haven't taken your kids for a visit to a fire station, you might consider doing so this summer!

Here are some pictures of our family visiting the fire station this week.

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get 4 kids all looking the same direction.

Sometimes it just doesn't happen!

My second son trying out the big ladder truck

I even got a chance to have MY picture taken with a fire fighter! ; )

Related Posts:

*4 Things Your Child should Know when Calling 911

C-Section Recovery Tip- Avoid Comedies!

Just a piece of friendly advice- if you're expecting a c-section, DON'T watch comedies the day after giving birth! Watching funny movies after having surgery in the abdominal area is a big no no!

My husband and I enjoy watching movies while we're snuggling with Baby at the hospital. After one of my c-sections (either my 1st. or 3rd.), a comedy came on television. Boy did I regret watching that! Every time I laughed, I had awful pain in my belly. It's similar to the pain you have when you're walking around after surgery and having to bend over so it won't hurt. Even holding a pillow over the incision and leaning forward still didn't prevent the pain while laughing.

So if you're expecting a c-section, you might consider staying away from silly stuff the first couple days after surgery unless you're really good at supressing laughter!

Weird Things that Can Happen During a C-Section

This is a list of weird/unexpected c-section side effects that I wish someone would have told me about before I gave birth. For those of you that have had a c-section before, did you have any of these things happen? If so, were you scared? Have any of you had any other unexpected side effects during a c-section?

*Uncontrollable Shaking I had no idea that shaking was normal when I had my first c-section. I started to panic a bit because I thought something was wrong. I was really glad to hear that this is normal, okay, and even something that happens to tons of c-section moms. Know that the shaking goes away as the spinal wears off.

*Being numb all the way up to your chest and being unable to feel yourself breathe With each of my c-sections, I have felt numb in my hands and face, and it is very scary, but it's only been really bad with my first two c-sections. The anesthesiologists did the spinal a slightly lower with my last two babies and that seemed to help a little.

*Still being able to feel your legs during surgery, but having no pain I've only had this happen once. It wasn't a bad thing at all, but it was a bit of a surprise.

*Feeling really cold, even with a pile of warm blankets on you. It goes away as the spinal wears off.

*Really really bad pain in your shoulders, arms, and other various places.
You can blame trapped gas on this one. I was very scared after my first c-section when my arm started hurting really bad. My nurse informed me that it was from gas, but I had no idea how common it is for c-section moms. With my 4th. c-section, I had really bad pain from the gas in my shoulders, but remembering that it was normal helped me not get scared that something could be wrong.

*Itching like crazy EVERYWHERE! It's bad, and it's happened for me with every one of my c-sections. With my last one, the antihistamine they gave me didn't work. Then they tried something else, still didn't work. They told me the only other option was giving me something that would wipe out the itching, but would make the pain med. stop working. I opted to continue itching but be pain free.


If any of these things do happen to you during a c-section or recovery, tell your nurse/doctor/anesthesiologist. They can check and make sure everything is alright and help you feel better.

Pink Baby Bathtubs?!?

It's only been 5 1/2 years since I had my first child, but baby products have changed a bit since then. Recently I've noticed that every baby item seems to be coming out in pink. Pack n' plays, strollers, car seats, Bumbos, Boppys, bouncy chairs, swings, activity jumpers, baby bath tubs and even Diaper Pails now come in pink!

They're cute, but I'm not sure how practical it is for people that plan to have more than one child.

So what's up with the increase in pink baby items? I understand having pink clothes, diapers, toys, ect., but pink bathtubs?!?



Related:
*10 Baby Items I Love!
*10 Baby Items I Can Live Without

Mom and Baby are Resting Sign

Yesterday someone came across my blog by searching with the words, "please visit another time, mom & baby resting". I didn't have anything that would fit that description on my blog before, so I doubt they found what they were looking for.

However, I did like the idea of having a sign to stick on the door, (expecially at the hospital), that lets visitors know that Mom and Baby need some time alone. I liked it so much, in fact, that I went ahead and made a sign with those words, "please visit another time, mom & baby resting".

So here it is, my Mom & Baby are Resting sign:

100 Fun Activities to do with Toddlers and Preschoolers- Part 4

25 More Fun Activities to do With Your Young Children! Some of these activities are ones our family has already tried, and others are ones I would like to try with our kids later this Summer.

*In case you missed the first 75 fun activities I listed, you can find them here:

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

76. Play Indoor Basketball Using a Laundry Basket and Stuffed Animals
77. Plant a Garden
78. Cook Breakfast for Dinner
79. Create a Mini-Salon and Give Each Other Funny Hair-Dos
80. Have a Hawaiian Theme Day
81. Dance With a Scarf
82. Go Indoor Fishing
83. Play Freeze Tag
84. Make White Mud
85. Camp Out in the Living Room
86. Go Bug Hunting in the Backyard
87. Build a Sand Castle
88. Make Treasure Bottles
89. Decorate Cupcakes
90. Make Placemats out of Greeting Cards
91. Have a Stuffed Animal Party
92. Send a Message in a Bottle to a Friend
93. Decorate a Card for a Family Member
94. Learn About a Different Country
95. Play “Go-Fish”
96 Make Yogurt Popsicles
97. Create a Lift-the-Flap Picture
98. Tie-Dye T-Shirts
99. Have a Backwards Day
100. Visit Your Local Fire Station

100 Fun Activities to do with Toddlers and Preschoolers- Part 3

25 more fun activities to do with your toddler or preschool aged children!

*In case you missed the first 50 fun activities I listed, you can find them here:
Part 1
Part 2


51. Create Treasure Boxes
52. Have a Tea Party
53. Set Up an Obstacle Course
54. Make Boo-Boo Bunnies
55. Decorate Your Bikes and Have a Little Parade
56. Play with Shaving Cream
57. Open a Doll Spa
58. Do Somersaults Together
59. Have a Pots and Pans Musical Band
60. Play “Rock, Paper, Scissors”
61. Visit a Petting Zoo
62. Make Pet Rocks
63. Decorate Pillowcases
64. Build a Fort Out of Blankets
65. Make a “Me and You” Book
66. Play Volleyball Using a Balloon
67. Create an Alphabet Book
68. Use a Laundry Basket to Throw Stuffed Animals into
69. Attend Free Activities at Your Local Library
70. Make a Bird Feeder
71. Go Berry Picking
72. Play Red Light/Green Light
73. Create Magnets for the Fridge
74. Experiment with Color Mixing Using Frosting and Graham Crackers
75. Make Color Bags

100 Fun Activities to do with Toddlers and Preschoolers- Part 2

Looking for ideas on fun things to do with your toddler or preschool aged children this Summer? Here is Part 2 of 100 Fun Activities to Do with Toddlers and Preschoolers.

*In case you missed the first 25 fun activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers, you can find them here. More detailed descriptions of some of the activities will eventually follow. Enjoy!

26. Make Collage Place Mats
27. Finger Paint with Chocolate Pudding
28. Have a Popcorn Movie Night
29. Write a Story Together
30. Play Dress-Up Together
31. Bake Cookies and Deliver them to Neighbors
32. Act Out a Bible Story
33. Play on a Playground- TOGETHER!
34. Set up a Pretend Hospital
35. Count Your Blessings- Seriously, Make a List and Count them.
36. Exercise and Stretch Together
37. Have a Bike Wash
38. Go Pebble Hunting
39. Make Ocean Bottles
40. Have a Color Theme Day
41. Teach Your Children a Game They've Never Played Before
42. Look at Old Family Photos Together
43. Take a Nap Together
44. Make a Fruit-Loop Necklace
45. Create Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments
46. Use Hand Prints to Make Seasonal Pictures to Hang on the Wall
47. Camp-Out in the Living Room
48. Color Pictures to Send to Family Members that Live Far Away
49. Have a Reading Day- Check Out a Ton of Books from the Library, and Then Spend all Afternoon Reading
50. Make Play Clay

100 Fun Activities to do with Toddlers and Preschoolers- Part 1

Out with the blah mom and back in with the fun mom! That's my plan starting... well, tomorrow I hope! To kick-start back to being a fun and creative mom, here is Part 1 of 100 Fun Activities to do With Toddlers and Preschoolers:

1. Color with Wet Chalk on the Sidewalk
2. Blow Bubbles
3. Play Hide and Seek (or if You Have Several Children, Play Sardines)
4. Make a Dog House out of a Box
5. Play the "Hot/Cold" Game
6. Have an Easter Egg Hunt- Anytime of the Year!
7. Help Them Make a Letter/Picture to Mail to One of Their Friends
8. Build a Tower Out of Blocks Taller than the Sofa!
9. Have a Picnic in the Living Room
10. Make Cut-Out Cookies
11. Take a Walk Somewhere New
12. Make Sock Puppets
13. Create Your Own Movie
14. Plant Some Flowers or Vegetables From Seeds
15. Lie Down on a Blanket Outside and Name the Animals You See in the Clouds
16. Have an Indoor Pretend Campfire
17. Make Popcorn on the Stove
18. Have a PJ Party
19. Play Restaurant
20. Gaze at the Stars through a Telescope
21. Go for a Nature Walk
22. Record Yourselves Telling a Story onto Cassette Tape
23. Have a Scavenger Hunt
24. Play in a Little Kiddie Pool Together
25. Make Edible Play dough

Free Chocolate Friday!

Mars, the maker of M&M's is giving away a coupon for free chocolate to the first 250,000 people that request a coupon each friday now through September. The coupon is good for one free single sized "M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, 3 MUSKETEERS®, MILKY WAY® or DOVE®"! You can receive up to 4 coupons per household from now through September, so if you sign up for one today, you can sign up again next week!

I found out about this freebie from one of my favorite blogs, Freebies 4 Mom. She has links to all kinds of freebies from name brands. If you like getting free stuff in the mail, you might enjoy checking out her site!

Remembering the Lasts

It's hard not to feel convicted after reading the book, "Let Me Hold You Longer", by Karen Kingsbury. I've read the book to my children several times, and have often found myself in tears before the book was over. Tonight I read the book to my children and again felt my heart touched.

"Let Me Hold You Longer" is about a mom thinking about all the things her son used to do, and how she never really realized it was the last time when it was happening. She mentions how she often thought about all the things to come rather than enjoying today's lasts.

We always remember when our children have their firsts, right? First tooth, first hair cut, first steps, first day of school... But how many of us write down their lasts? As my oldest is nearing school age, I know there will be more lasts to come soon. I hope that I can remember to embrace moments as they can come, rather than being annoyed. We never know when something our children do might be the last; then years later we long for those days that used to irritate us and wish for those moments to come back.

What are some of the "lasts" that you wish you had remembered?


♥Here is a link to the book I referenced. It's a tear jerker!

Tips for Bringing Children to Visit Their New Sibling at the Hospital

Here are some things that have helped me when having our children visit their new baby brother or sister after I've had a c-section:

*Let the person taking care of your other children know that you will be playing it by ear on what time you will be up for the children visiting. It's hard to know ahead of time how your recovery will be going, and whether you will be up for company.

*Prepare your children ahead of time on what to expect- let them know that Mommy will be hooked up to some medicine and will be a little sore in the tummy for a while. Let them know that you can still hold and hug them, but that they will need to be gentle.

*Bring a DVD along for the kids to watch in case they get bored and start playing with the birthing lights while the family member that brought them is still visiting. Trust me when I say that it's stressfull having 2 children running around the room making the lights above your legs go off and on while you're still trying to adjust to the anesthesia wearing off.

*Make the visit short and sweet

*Have a little goodie bag waiting for the kids when they get to the hospital. It could have snacks, little toys, (such as a matchbox car or little book). If the kids get bored but you're not ready for them to leave, they can sit down with you or Dad and enjoy their bag of goodies.

*Allow your older children to hold (with your help) their new sibling, and take pictures! It's fun to look back and see the expressions on our children's faces when they held their new siblings for the first time!

*End the visit while you're still feeling okay. It doesn't take long for a recovering c-section mom to wear out.

*Consider waiting until the day after the new baby's birth. I've never waited more than a few hours to have our other children come to the hospital to visit, but I might consider it for next time. I always felt SO much better the day after the surgery- I was more up for company and longer visits. The day of the baby's birth is just overwhelming. Trying to get breastfeeding going that first day can make visits stressfull too, so maybe I'll wait until the day after birth next time. Then again, maybe I won't- it's always so exciting to have the kids visit their new sibling, plus I always end up missing them quite a bit.

Here is a picture from a day or two after my 4th. baby was born. As you can see, the kids were not the calmest company to have after surgery, but it sure was nice to have them visit again. If you asked our 2 oldest children what they remember most about their sisters' births, they will tell you about how they had fruit snacks at the hospital. So there you go- have something yummy for the kids when they come to visit!

In Our New House

We have officially moved into our new house. Today I unpacked our school supplies and pulled out construction paper (which we used to use every week) and put it on the shelf. It was 7 months ago when I packed up the construction paper and 1/2 of everything else we owned.

We spent over half a year living with so much of our things in boxes. It's hard to believe I spent 6 months keeping the house so clean while taking care of the kids! All I can say is that by God's grace I was able to do it, because I am not naturally so tidy.

As we get back to life and a normal routine, I hope to share some of our family's fun craft and activity ideas. For now, it's back to unpacking and playing with my kids.

Information for C-Section Moms

What to Pack for a C-Section:

♥What to Pack for Expectant Mom's Bag
♥Packing for Your Husband and New Baby
♥Other Items to Bring to the Hospital
♥What NOT to Pack

C-Section thoughts and Information:

♥A C-Section could Never Happen to Me, Right?

Preparing for a Scheduled C-Section:

♥Things I Wish I had Known Before My First C-Section
♥Questions to Ask During a Hospital Tour

♥Why You Should Write a Birth Plan Before Having a C-Section
♥Example of a C-Section Birth Plan
♥My 5th. C-Section Birth Plan
♥Who Do You Share Your Birth Plan With?

♥Info. on Makeup, Contacts, and Nailpolish During a C-Section
♥What to Expect During the 2 Hours Leading up to a C-Section
♥ In Photos: What to Expect During a a C-Section

C-Section Recovery Information:

♥Dealing with the Emotions after a C-Section

♥Tips for Recovering from a C-Section

♥Tips for Bringing Children to Visit a New Sibling at the Hospital
♥Spinal Headache?

Encouraging Stories of Women that have Safely had 5 or More C-Sections:

♥My 5th. C-Section
♥Aubrey's 5th. C-Section
♥Sabrina's 6th. C-Section

Cloth Diapering Resources

Interested in using cloth diapers? Here are some helpful links:

*Cloth Diapering FAQs

*Cloth Diaper Savings Calculator

*How Many Diapers Do I Need to Get Started?

*Cloth Diaper Reviews

*Storing and Washing Cloth Diapers

*Recipe for Antifungal Wipes Spray

*High Efficiancy (HE) Approved Detergents

*How to Cloth Diaper a Newborn

*Wildflower Diapers

How to Keep A Journal

**Journal Page Ideas

**Ideas for Keeping a Mother's Journal

**Journaling...

**Cool Journals to Pick Up

**What NOT to Journal

100 Fun Activities to do with Young Children

Looking for fun things to do WITH your children this summer?
Here are 100 ideas to get you started!

*Activities 1-25
*Activities 26-50
*Activities 51-75
*Activities 76-100

More fun ideas for toddlers and preschoolers:

*Fun Activities for Fall
*How to Make Popcorn on the Stove
*Make Microwave Popcorn from Scratch
*How to have an Indoor Campout
*Make Pretend Smores
*Collage Place Mats
*I Spy Window Art
*Dress Up Fun

Hand Print Art:

*Hand/Foot Print Turkeys
*Hand/Foot Print Reindeer

Celebrating Holidays and Special Occasions:

*New Years Eve Fun
*Birthday Donuts


Christmas Crafts:

*Picture Frame Ornaments
*Cinnamon Ornaments
*Snowmen Hand Print Ornaments
*Ornamental Icing for Cut-Out Cookies

Scented Play Dough Recipes:

*Mulled Cider Play Dough

Ways to Make Moving With Little Children Easier

Very soon our family will be moving into a new house. The house we live in at the moment is the only home our children remember living in.

Amidst all the anxiety and excitement, here are a few things we will be doing to help make the transition into the new house as stress-free as possible for our little children:

*We're allowing the kids to see our current house after everything is moved out. Seeing the house completely bare will help to bring a little more closure that our days in this house are truly finished.

*Each child will have a backpack with their favorite things in it. This will make it easier for them to keep track of their special items when everything else in the house is packed, and it will make it easier for them to transport their stuff.

*The kids will be going with us to the final walk-through on the new house. It will be another chance for them to get to see the house and become more familiar with it so it's not quite so scary when they finally move in.

*Before our kids spend their first night in our new home, we are going to try to have their beds set up, some toys put away, and have their rooms painted. Hopefully when they walk into their rooms they feel like it's *their* special place and it feels like home for them.

All the house selling mess is almost over- finally. YEY!!!

♥If anyone has any other tips for making the transition into the new house less stressful for our children, I'd love to hear them!