Baby Brother's Birth Story

First outfit

Baby Brother was born August 31 at 1:52 am. He weighed 7lbs 10oz, and was 20" long. We were both doing well and went home the next morning, but for some reason I haven't felt up to sharing my birth story. After a few months, I feel like it's time to document it.

My midwife mentioned at my 35 week (since schedules worked out that I missed 34 weeks) appointment that "baby could safely be born anytime after 36 weeks," and I started imagining that he would come early. Contractions started originally on a Sunday night when I was 35+6 weeks along. I remember it being stressful because we didn't have our insurance cards, and I didn't really know/understand the hospital check in procedures. That night they were pretty consistently strong and close together, to the point that I climbed in the bath and did some minor coping. Mario slept through it all, which was slightly frustrating at the time, but by the next morning I was glad he had the sleep and didn't stress about something that eventually resolved itself. It was a bit worrisome to me, though, since the contractions were 5 minutes apart and 1 minute long for almost exactly an hour--the recommended length to come into the hospital--but at 61 or 62 minutes of timing they almost immediately slowed down both in intensity and duration.

First thing that Monday morning, I called the clinic, and got my questions and clarifications answered, which was a bit of a relief. After that, contractions were on and off at about the same strength and duration for the rest of my pregnancy. (At 38 or 39 weeks, I found out that it's called prodromal labor.) It was exhausting.

As time went on, I was to the point that I just wanted something to either just stop the contractions (they were usually uncomfortable, but not yet painful--just enough to catch my breath briefly) or make them more productive so I could be done being so uncomfortable.

On August 28, I was doing so poorly, that I ended up crying to Mom on the phone that I just couldn't handle it anymore. After chatting with her, then later Mario, we decided to check Biggest Sister out at lunch/kindergarten pickup, and utilize the arrangements for the girls to stay with Mario's parents. Contractions weren't too bad by then, but with the way the rest of August had gone, how bad I was doing that morning, and how fast the other 3 came, we decided it was worth being checked. We met Grandma at the Hospital about 10 minutes after we got there, then we checked in. 

After we checked in, I was put on the monitors and given an IV saline solution for dehydration. Monitoring was annoying, due to largely feeling confined to the bed, but otherwise not unpleasant. Towards the end of the hour or so of monitoring, things were still basically the same, so we decided to wait a half hour more just to make sure, and the nurse asked if we wanted any snacks. She listed off a few things, and Oreos caught my attention. Instead of bringing just a couple Oreos, like I expected, she brought a bowlful of Oreos, graham crackers and another cookie/cracker--maybe bellavue? I'm not sure. They tasted like the Delta airplane cookies. After that, we were given the option to induce or go home. We prayed and felt like going home would be better, but that we would probably be back soon. 

We talked about going somewhere to eat out, but we decided going home for spaghetti made more sense. Afterwards, we had what felt like our first date since…. I don't remember when. (We've had temple trips, but this led more to the feeling of a date, rather than hurrying back to kids/babysitter.) We strolled a local Park, and discovered a duck pond and fruit trees that we didn't know existed. It was really nice to wander, chat and reminisce. After we got home, I asked Mario for a blessing, and in it he said Baby would be born the next day. Friday night, I got the best sleep I had possibly since having kids. I woke up Saturday feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on giving birth, and just life in general. Since contractions were still the same, we decided to work on a few more projects. The main thing we did was build an aquaponics setup to go on top of our fish tank. (We retired it since then due to a few "minor" issues that affected the effectiveness more than we expected.) After our day of project finishing, Mario asked if we should go back to the hospital, and I said, "contractions are still the same, so if rather labor at home. Plus, it's still today." We went to bed early, but I still didn't sleep very well. 

Sunday morning contractions picked up a bit, and we decided to have Home Sacrament Meeting, then head down to the hospital. As we got down towards the next City, we decided to walk the temple grounds before going to the hospital. It was nice to talk about the temple, and even though the official grounds were closed to have that time near the temple. We were also impressed by how well fruit trees worked for landscaping. Instead of planning 1-2 fruit trees for our backyard with a couple shade trees, we decided all of our backyard trees would be fruit trees. Then we headed over to the hospital. 

By the time we got to the hospital, contraction intensity and time was fairly consistent, so we thought it would be a fairly short time. We were wrong. They stayed there the whole time I was being monitored with no increase. After the initial monitoring, we were offered an induction again, and even though I was still resistant to pitocin, (Haha! I REALLY didn't want to) we both felt like Baby was supposed to be born, and it felt right. One of those, "not my will, but thine be done" circumstances. Pitocin officially started between 1:45&2:00p, and I spent the first half hour to an hour texting family to stave off boredness. (And I'm glad I had started those conversations, because it's from those messages that I have the times I do.)

I switched from the stationary to portable monitor at about 3:15p, and started wandering around 3:30p after the monitor calibrated. Unfortunately, I was allergic to the adhesive, so I could only use the portable monitor temporarily. Plus, the labor and delivery unit was tiny, and there wasn't much to wander. As labor started picking up, Mario read a Harry Potter fan fiction out loud to me, and I think he started reading after I switched back to the stationary monitor. I believe it was the Mr. Black one. I just remember it being funny.

I had been holding off on having my water broken, since I remembered it being much more pleasant delivering Baby Sister without breaking my water, but I gave in and asked to have it broken around 5:00p. My midwife had a delay, and she wasn't able to break it until about 7:00p. Contractions quickly started picking up, and I wasn't able to keep up with texting starting around 8 or 9p. At first, it was because I wanted to listen to the story more than respond, but labor also required some major coping. First birth ball, and at some point I couldn't handle the contractions, so we turned off the pitocin and I got in the shower. 

First meeting

My nurse was amazing. She applied counter pressure and helped Mario know where to spray the water. While in the shower, she asked if I wanted a pain killer, but I said no, so she left to let me cope. Then, almost as soon as she left, we called her back and said yes. I asked for an epidural, but she encouraged me to try something else (I don't remember what. I think it started with an F?) with an anti-nausea med, since I didn't think I could wait for the anesthesiologist to get in. She gave both through the IV, and I almost immediately got a little light-headed and headache-y. My nurse said that was normal for the pain killer, and to rest and drink water. I don't remember how long it was, but it didn't seem very long between when the pain killer was given and when I felt the urge to push. My midwife said Baby Brother was born in 3 contractions, but apparently I couldn't push through the whole contraction because I counted 6 pushes. After he was born, I texted family again until about 3:40a on Monday 8/31, when I crashed. I woke back up and responded to one at 6:40a explaining that I thought it was a literal adrenaline crash. Baby Brother and I stayed in the hospital all of Monday, with Baby in the nursery a lot so I could rest while Mario was at campus teaching his first class. We checked out Tuesday morning, and Grandpa brought the girls back home around lunchtime. 

Now

After that, it was pretty much business as usual. Due to covid-19, we didn't have anyone else come help, also due to covid-19 and allergies, we didn't have the Ward bring meals. It wasn't too bad at first, but I easily overdid it. I think I still have a little resentment at the circumstances and lack of help. (Though I know in many ways it was self-inflicted.) However, I certainly have felt blessed because I have been able to do so much more than I am capable. I feel a lot like the people of Alma: my burdens have been light.

Charity and Ministering in Unusual Circumstances

Sacrament Meeting Talk: 6/28/2020

"Charity never faileth." (Moroni 7:46) It's a common theme throughout the Church, and it's posted in the Relief Society rooms of most buildings, as it is the Relief Society motto, but what is charity? 1 Corinthians 13 and Moroni 7 list many things that charity is not, but both also list a few things that charity IS: 

• rejoicing in truth

• bearing all things

• believing all things

• hoping all things

• enduring all things and enduring forever

• kind

• long-suffering

• pure love

• the greatest of all gifts

To me, all these attributes can be summed up in the phrase ‘like Jesus Christ: perfect and purified”

Charity is also often summarized by the quote from Moroni 7:47, "charity is the pure love of Christ… and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." Not only is that the common summary, it is often truncated to just the first half: charity is the pure love of Christ. This is true; charity IS the pure love of Christ, but if we stop there, we miss the bigger point: Moroni 7:48 continues to say, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love…" and I'd add, be blessed with this gift "...which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ;..." 

We have been promised the gift of charity, that pure love and all the accompanying attributes if we are true followers of our Savior, Jesus Christ. One of the things we need to do to receive this gift is to fervently ask in prayer. As we receive the gift of charity, we become like Jesus Christ, "...the sons [and daughters] of God; that when [Jesus] shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure."

Talk about a hefty promise: to be like our Savior--purified sons and daughters of God--and recognize Him and see Him as He is. Isn’t that the ultimate goal of life on this earth? But it is more than that, it's also a warning: "...if ye have not charity, ye are nothing..." "...ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God;" (Moroni 7:46, 10:21)

Charity is not just a list of attributes or gifts that we've been promised will be given us if we're followers of Jesus Christ. It is also a change of heart that if we don't develop, we cannot be saved. Fortunately, our Heavenly Father loves us immeasurably, and we have been given the perfect example of charity: the life of our Savior. 

Jesus "went about doing good" (Acts 10:38). He focused on, served and taught individuals, in usually very personal ways. He ministered personally to the woman at the well (John 4), the woman caught in adultery (John 8) and the woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8). He dined with and taught "publicans and sinners" (Mark 2:15)--people hated and considered unclean amongst the Jews. He healed Lazarus at the request of Mary (John 11:32). He taught parables of the lost sheep (Matthew 18) and the prodigal son (Luke 15) that emphasize the importance of individuals to Him and our Father in Heaven. He also showed us that both the physical needs--when He healed many, varied infirmities and literally fed thousands--and spiritual needs--anytime He forgave sins--of those around us are at least as important as our own.

We can know we have charity, or that pure love, when we show genuine concern and compassion for all our brothers and sisters. (Gospel Principles chapter 30) No matter our individual circumstance, Jesus wants us to feel His love as an individual, and sometimes that love is shared by another of His followers. Just as He wants us to FEEL His love individually, He wants us each to SHARE His love individually. Remember, Jesus Christ Himself directed us shortly before His crucifixion, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." (John 15:12) This command, as well as the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10) reminds us not to judge whether someone is like us, or worthy of our help, but to have and develop charity for all. “[The Lord] sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45) and He is “no respecter of persons”. (Doctrine and Covenants 1:34) We cannot have charity if we do not love everyone as He does. 

Between the unique experiences of the ward recently splitting, followed immediately by the COVID-19 shutdowns, it might be hard to know what to do, but we can still serve, teach and minister to each other. It might take some creativity, but I know as we pray for charity we will be blessed with that gift and directed on how to serve each other. 

Remember, we are commanded to create Zion and become "one heart and one mind, and [dwell] in righteousness; [with] no poor among [us]." What can we do to have “[our] hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another”? How can we do that if we don't know what our neighbors need, especially if we don’t know who our neighbors even are? If you need some advice on where to start I would encourage you to go to the Church website’s Ministering page: churchofjesuschrist.org/ministering. 

President Thomas S. Monson gave advice in the October 2001 General Conference, "Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved…" 

To me that means not all we do needs to be tangible things. Gifts and in-person acts of service are great. In fact, the [a family in our ward] dropped by a treat and to introduce themselves, which prompted us to look for ways to meet someone new each week. Something so little--just a thought and a very quick porch visit--has helped us feel significantly more included in the ward. 

However, President Monson also emphasises how perishable these moments are. We must act as the Spirit directs, or we may miss those opportunities. President Monson recommends kind words to say, which aren't limited by in-person interactions. They can be sent as text or video messages, via social media, email, notes left on the doorstep, or phone calls. Hearts can be gladdened in many of the same ways, and sometimes at the same time, as kind words are shared. And souls to save, this might be the most important one at a time like this. With many not feeling comfortable gathering right now, it's especially important that we reach out not only to those we minister to, but anyone we are prompted to reach out to support spiritually: Mosiah 23:18 states, “Therefore they did watch over their people, and did nourish them with things pertaining to righteousness.” Sharing spiritual thoughts and impressions, or simply reaching out, as directed by the Spirit are probably the best ways to nourish each other with righteousness. One blessing I received during the COVID-19 shutdowns was simply a Sister sending me a text with a thought she had about the Come Follow Me lesson for the week. I doubt it was much effort on her part, but it did remind me that we are all striving for the same thing: to maintain our faith in, and come closer to our Savior each day. Remember, ministering as Jesus did means we have charity, or love, for each other as individuals and do what is needed individually, through the direction of the Spirit. 

As we get to know each other in the Ward--whether in-person or via the many virtual ways to do so--we can sincerely come to know and love each other. That will allow us to strengthen each others’ faith and give support and service. As we pray for charity, we will be blessed with that gift and personal inspiration to know how to respond to the spiritual and temporal needs of each member of our Ward, and we will learn to minister to each other individually, as our Savior did. 

I know that my Savior lives, I know that He loves me, and each one of us individually. He knows better than we do what we need and want. He has felt our sicknesses, pains and sorrows, and He suffered them as well as our sins, transgressions and mistakes. He will comfort us through any trial. I know that through prayer, we can know that our sins are forgiven, and we can receive the gift of charity. As we develop charity, and share that love with others, we are showing that love unto Him. Any seemingly small act of service, kindness, charity is counted towards Him.  If you're struggling to feel the love He and our Father in Heaven have for you or develop that pure love, you simply have to ask. They are always there--as is our Mother in Heaven--and They want you to know Their love for you, especially when you're struggling. They also want you to enter Their presence and inherit the Kingdom of God. As we pray for, desire and let charity develop in us we can feel our Savior’s peace and love, and we can share that love as we minister to others through the direction of the Holy Spirit.

I know that He has done everything so that YOU--not just the ambiguous everyone, but you and me individually--can return to His presence. Now all we have to do is to turn to Him and allow that gift to work in us, that we may be perfected, even as He is pure.

I say these things in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Baby Sister Birth Story: 12/30/2017

I was having a hard time feeling her movements Thursday night and Friday morning (12/28 & 29), so one of my midwives, Alice, sent me over to another clinic for a fetal non-stress test. The external monitor had a hard time picking up the movement, but the ultrasound said she (at this point, we didn't know whether we were having a girl or boy) was moving fine. The OB recommended induction, so Alice stripped my membranes around 2p, and we decided to reevaluate other natural induction methods in the morning if nothing happened. Labor picked up almost immediately.

By 3p I was starting to recognize contractions, but not necessarily needing to cope from them. At about 3:45, contractions were pretty consistent, and Alice told me to lay down and rest--which I did for about an hour before I got ansty and couldn't lay down anymore. We intended to go walking, but we never really got out the door until I decided I was craving beef. We (Mario, the girls, my mom and me) all loaded into the car to go to Masa, so I could eat their steak tips. Last minute we decided to go to Golden Corral, which was in the same parking lot. Let me tell you, that was the best Golden Corral if ever had! It was a Friday/weekend, so they had steak and ribs and pot roast, and several other meats, too. I ate A LOT!! And I don't think I've ever had that much meat and potatoes in one sitting. 😅

After dinner, we went back home, I took it easy, took a bath and tried--and failed--to get some sleep. Around 9p I had some hemorrhoids that were really bothering me. 🤪😲 After taking care of those, we put the girls to bed. Around 2p, I think, contractions got really close together, so I called Alice to see when she wanted me to come in. 

Between midnight & 1a Mario and I got to the Birth Cottage. I got checked in, and pretty much climbed right in the bath. I stayed there until I started to get cold, since I'm really sensitive to temperature changes. Through all of this, Mario was amazing about giving counterpressure, and helping me cope as labor became more intense. After I got out of the tub, I laid on the bed, and decided I was still cold. I sent Mario to warm me up a cup of chicken broth from the kitchen. 

Baby Sister in her first outfit

Pretty much as soon as he left I started pushing. I called out, "help," in a virtually silent voice. I finish the push to my water breaking. At this point, I had voice to holler, "I think my water just broke." Amanda, the student midwife, came to check on me, and things/time started blending together. At some point between Amanda coming in and my next push, Mario and Alice came back in. 
Starting with the push for my water to break, I was on my hands and knees. I didn't consciously move to my knees, it just sort of happened instinctually. My next contraction after Mario and Alice came in, I pushed again, and baby crowned, then got to her shoulders. The next contraction was another push, and she was born.  I don't remember if it was during the last contraction or in between contractions, but at some point between her crowning and birth, I said, "I can't do it; it hurts!" Alice responded, "the head is out. You've already done it; you're almost done!"

She was born at 2:34a, and I was pretty tired afterwards. For a couple minutes, I stayed on my knees, and Alice just laid her in the bed below me. The two things I remember saying after she was born was that she was a girl, and, "I did it without the epidural." (Though I don't remember in what order.) 

At some point I delivered the placenta, which I was tired and didn't want to push. 😅(I've added a photo of it, below--it's pretty cool, but feel free not to scroll down if you're squeamish.) 

Afterwards, she latched, ate well, and we both fell asleep. I'm not sure how long I was asleep, but when I woke up I got in the shower and prepared to go home. We were done and home before 6a, and it was super nice to sleep in my own bed, rather than being trapped at the hospital. (For Bigger Sister, she was checked out first thing in the morning, but I want checked out and allowed to go home until 2-3p--so about 5-6hrs later--not pleasant.)

It was really cool to just sort of do whatever felt right, and not be fighting for what I wanted--like with Biggest Sister--or to have the epidural so handy, that I just gave in, even though I still had a supportive nurse--like with Bigger Sister. Other than that, I'm never quite sure how to respond when I'm asked, "So, how was the birth?" or "What did you think about your birth?" It just sort of flowed, and happened. Almost nothing was intentional/planned. I was just able to do what felt right in the moment. Now, I have a gorgeous 1 month-old daughter, and it pretty much feels like she's always been part of our family. Sure, she's a newborn--and that comes with it's ups and downs--but overall, she's a really content baby, and we're blessed to have her in our lives!

Mario with Baby Sister in her first outfit

Baby Sister today--1 month old

Keep scrolling for photo of the placenta.

Placenta after birth 

"If You Were Me and Lived..."

I received If You Were Me and Lived in... the Middle Ages free for this review, but everything below is my own, honest thoughts and opinions.

I contacted Carole P. Roman, the author, a couple of months ago because I was interested in reviewing If You Were Me and Lived in... the Middle Ages; she not only sent it to me, but also sent me If You Were Me and Lived in... Viking Europe. Both are part of her "If You Were Me and Lived in... Ancient History" series, which is a sequel to her "If You Were Me and Lived in... Countries Around the World" series.

This was a couple months ago. A couple months! I can't believe it has taken me so long to get this written! I have absolutely LOVED reading If You Were Me and Lived in... Viking Europe and If You Were Me and Lived in... the Middle Ages to my girls! The girls're a little bit young for the books, since I would estimate them geared for ages 7-10, but that just meant we took longer to finish the books. We read probably 2-3 pages at a time before one or both girls were ready to do something else.

Both books are written directly to the reader, in a "you are" form, and while educational, the narrative is easy to follow. Carole P. Roman did a good job at keeping me interested through the story, and I was surprised that I even learnt something while reading her books. I liked that she included a glossary and pronunciation guide at the end of each book, as well as defining the words in context; however, her pronunciation guides don't follow any standard guide I've used in the past, so I was a bit thrown off by some of the words. But it is geared towards elementary school students, so perhaps the phonetics are ones I've forgotten or are more intuitive for the target reading level.

If You Were Me and Lived in... the Middle Ages and If You Were Me and Lived in... Viking Europe are the most recent books in the "If You Were Me and Lived in... Ancient History" series, and I'm excited for when my girls are a little bit older to get the whole series! I'll post a list of all the books in the series, as well as a few of the "If You Were Me and Lived in... Countries Around the World" series, after the sample images, below. Honestly, the biggest demerit I've run into about this is that Carole P. Roman published directly through Amazon, and her website doesn't organize anything other than linking directly to her Amazon author page, so it's been kind of difficult to find the rest of the series.

If You Were Me and Lived in the... Middle Ages cover artwork
[Image description: nearly square paperback book cover with series, author and illustrator names (Carole P. Roman and Mateya Arkova, respectively) in white, and installment name in red; pastel artwork  shows a girl in a simple but traditional red dress, with yellow trim on the square collar and wide sleeves, from the Middle Ages. She is wearing a garland headband and her hair in a long braid that appears to be blowing in the wind. She is standing on a grassy hill and her arm is outstretched towards a brown bird and tree that is barely visible. In the distance there is a second hill with castle and a winding dirt path. All is backed by a nearly clear blue sky, with a single white cloud behind the castle and tree. There is a vertical red stripe just to the left of the title.]

If You Were Me and Lived in the... Middle Age sample page
[Image description: two-page book spread with the same traditionally dressed girl from the  cover, her braid laying gracefully over her right shoulder and her hands clasped in front of her. She appears to be standing on a grassy field just a bit off of a traditional town. Between her and the town  is a a bridge and a waterway. Near the bottom right corner is a single, small cottage, isolated by by trees. On the left-hand page, backed in white, are 4 paragraphs of text describing possible girls' and boys' names, family name and race. All text is addressed to "you" as the reader., for example, "You were called Norman because your family came from Normandy..." The lower outside corners display page numbers 12 and 13, and the book is held open by a ringed hand.]

If You Were Me and Lived in the... Viking Europe cover artwork 
[Image description: nearly square paperback book cover with series, author and illustrator names (Carole P. Roman and Mateya Arkova, respectively) in white, and installment name in yellow. Pastel artwork shows a Viking or Scandinavian boy wearing dark blue, long-sleeves  with a long, lighter blue tunic on top, that is cinched with a brown belt; all over green leggings and mid-calf brown boots. He is holding a bow, with a quiver and a few arrows slung over his shoulder. He is standing on a rocky outcropping, with waves of the sea crashing on the rocks. He is looking away, over the water towards a Viking sailboat and another landmass, which has a dock, a path and 3 cottages. The sky is cloudy, starting white near the land blended to a light teal. There is a vertical yellow stripe just to the left of the title.]

If You Were Me and Lived in the... Viking Europe sample page 
[Image description: two-page book spread with the same traditionally dressed boy from the cover, with one hand on his hips/waist, and the other holding his belt. He is standing next to a traditionally dressed girl with a red dress, white sash around her waist, and yellow or gold chain accents around her neck. She has long, curly reddish-brown hair that comes to her waist, and she stands about as tall as the boy's elbow. They are standing on a grassy plain, with cream sheep, the teal ocean, and blue sky behind them. Off to the right side, there is a green hill, a small cottage with a green roof, a path and a fence in the background. On the left-hand page, backed in white, are 3 paragraphs of text describing possible girls' and boys' names, and family name designation. The lower outside corners display page numbers 10 and 11, and the book is held open by a ringed hand.]

As promised, the "If You Were Me and Lived in... Ancient History" series (numbered by publication date, from oldest to most recent, since her volume numbers don't match the publication order):

1. If You Were Me and Lived in...Ancient Greece
   
2. If You Were Me and Lived in...Elizabethan England
   
3. If You Were Me and Lived in...Colonial America
   
4. If You Were Me and Lived in...Renaissance Italy
   
5. If You Were Me and Lived in...the American West
   
6. If You Were Me and Lived in...Ancient China: The Han Dynasty
7. If You Were Me and Lived in...the Middle Ages
8. If You Were Me and Lived in...Viking Europe

The complete (to my knowledge) list of the "If You Were Me and Lived in... Countries of the World" series (also numbered by publication date, from oldest to most recent, since her volume numbers don't match the publication order):

1. If You Were Me and Lived in...Mexico
   
2. If You Were Me and Lived in...France
3. If You Were Me and Lived in...South Korea
   
4. If You Were Me and Lived in...Norway
5. If You Were Me and Lived in...Kenya
   
6. If You Were Me and Lived in...Turkey
   
7. If You Were Me and Lived in...India
   
8. If You Were Me and Lived in...Australia
   
9. If You Were Me and Lived in...Russia
   
10. If You Were Me and Lived in...Portugal
    
11. If You Were Me and Lived in...Greece
    
12. If You Were Me and Lived in...Peru
    
13. If You Were Me and Lived in...Hungary
    
14. If You Were Me and Lived in...Scotland
    
15. If You Were Me and Lived in...China
    
16. If You Were Me and Lived in...Italy
    
17. If You Were Me and Lived in...Egypt
    
18. If You Were Me and Lived in...Brazil
    
19. If You Were Me and Lived in...Poland

Disclosure: I was compensated for this review, and this post may contain affiliate links from which I receive a small commission on purchases. For more information, see my Disclosures page.

#Lebice Popsicle Molds

I received the Lebice Popsicle Molds for free in exchange for my review, but the thoughts here are my own honest opinions.

I've had this ready to write for almost 2 weeks now, but I just haven't been able to bring myself to sit down and WRITE. I'm not really sure why, either, so far, these Lebice Popsicle Molds are my favorite product I've had the chance to review! Call it writer's block, if you want, but it's not that I haven't had ideas, it's that I haven't been able to bring myself to get those thoughts into written text.

But, I'm here now, and as I said above, this has been my favorite product to use and review to date! It's been a lot of fun to mix together juices, smoothies and fresh and frozen fruit to make our own "Popsicles." The best part: since I know EXACTLY what goes into these popsicles, I don't mind letting the girls have (nearly, since they'd eat all 6 in one sitting, if I let them) as many as then want. (It probably also helped, that popsicle stick molds were another product that was already on my shopping list, that I was able to review for free. 🤗)

4 sides of the Lebice box (bottom right cut off the leak resistant, FDA approved, BPA free and dishwasher safe circles) 

Right off the bat, the Lebice Popsicle Molds sport a bright, festive, summery box featuring fruity colors of oranges, strawberry/raspberry pinks and a kiwi green. I totally didn't realize the fruity-ness of the colors until sitting here trying to describe them. Talk about subtle/sub-conscious marketing! 😉😊 My first impression was how bright and summery the box is. Definitely indicative of a great summer treat--or really anytime in our local, Florida heat.

Also important to note: the molds are leak resistant, FDA approved, BPA free and dishwasher safe. I can't believe I didn't realize until now that I cut these points off when I took the picture. Of course it's just AFTER I decide I don't need the box anymore and recycle it. [Facepalm]

Opened Lebice box with all contents individually wrapped

My first disappointment came when I opened the box. Part of the reason I wanted reusable popsicle molds is because I was tired of buying and throwing away the popsicle sticks and wrappers--though we usually bought Outshine bars or Chloe's Soft-Serve fruit bars rather than Popsicle brand. While I know 9 little plastic baggies are insignificant compared to what we were doing, the individual wrappers still seemed unnecessary.

Closed Lebice box, individual wrapping removed, and popsicle molds assembled

Once the plastic was removed and disposed of, the Lebice Popsicle Molds looked a lot higher quality than they did in the baggies, which look tacky to me. (Probably because I think it's a completely unnecessary waste.)

Lebice mold picture instructions

I just thought it was too funny that there were instructions at all, seems pretty simple: add juice/fruit/whatever to mold, freeze, eat. but it was nice to have the picture that suggest warming the edges to removed the frozen popsicle easier.

Juice and fresh and frozen fruit ready to blend in Vitamix blender

The next several photos are the process of making the smoothie I used as the first sample of popsicles. The instructions came with a couple of recipes and a QR code to more recipes and video instructions, but I just sorta made my own thing. For the first try, I used fresh and frozen strawberries and frozen pineapple, mango and papaya with orange juice and a touch of honey, blended in our Vitamix 5300. (If you want my review of the blender, check out my 30 Day Vitamix Challenge.)

Vitamix on and contents blended into a smoothie

Vitamix pitcher removed from base next to prepared lebice molds

First Lebice mold filled using collapsible funnel

When filling, the funnel filled 1/2 to 3/4 of the way left just about a half inch from the top of the popsicle mold. In future popsicles, I filled them just below the top ridge, but in this first sample, I used 1/2 to 3/4 of the funnel as a measurement.

Filled Lebice molds with 3 yellow and 3 green sticks/lids in place; lebice logo visible

Filled Lebice molds in the freezer

Frozen, ready-to-eat popsicle with mold removed and in background

With the gap left in the popsicle mold, there was a subsequent gap from the lid to the edible portion of the popsicles. When I filled the molds to just under the ridge, there was virtually no gap between the lid and fruity/edible portion, but, of course, I forgot to photograph any future popsicles we made.

Overall, I would totally recommend the Lebice Popsicle Molds to anyone who wants control over the ingredients in their popsicles and/or anyone who wants to limit their waste from traditional popsicles--even though they did come wrapped in the unnecessary individual wrappings, just keep that in mind. They are easy to fill, easy to wash, easy to remove, and my girls LOVED getting to eat popsicles that they helped make.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this review, and this post may contain affiliate links from which I receive a small commission on purchases. For more information, see my Disclosures page.

#Belmint Foot Spa and Massager

I received the Belmint Foot Spa and Massager at a discount in exchange for my review, but the thoughts here are my own honest opinions.

Above is my unboxing video of the Belmint Foot Spa and Massager. My first impression was the simple, compact design. Bonus points for the fun flowers. I was, however, surprised that the cover came completely off, as proven at timestamp 2:14 in the video.

I was a little less than impressed during my first attempt to run the massager, though. The instructions were very limited, and clearly translated into English from another language. (Hubby confirmed that it was Chinese.) Most of the mistakes were subtle, but there were a couple of gems:

"People ,who with serious disorders, should use the product with the accompany and help of others."(Yes, that is the original comma placement, "People ,who...")

"Do not use the water higher than 45ÿ directly into the basin, so to avoid foot scald or make products deformation."

"Children,the disabled,the mentally handicapped slow to respond to the old man and hot and cold sensitive response should use this product with help of others." (Again, typos are the company's.) 

Hubby's favorite mistake:

"Products shall not be stored in bathrooms and other damp environment, it must be stored in a dry place, to avoid damage to the products." (Emphasis added by hubby.)

Here're my favorite mistakes/oddities:

 "Serious heart disease patients,pregnant women, serious thrombotic cerebral congestion,late diabetic patients are not suitable for the use of this product, or after a doctor's consult...Do not use this product when the people's foot has inflammation, trama,feet, Xian skin scald, and the women in the menstrual period." (The translator and editor missed the spaces again.)

 I don't know about you, but I have feet, so does that mean I shouldn't use it at all? 😉😂

All jokes aside, though the mistakes did make initial use a bit confusing, the biggest hurdle wasn't the language barrier. It was the lack of helpful information. The instructions were quite detailed on what each button is, and what the display means. However, the unit says, "Do not use without water," and the instructions never say how much water to use. We ended up using about 1-1.5 gallons of water, but we probably could/should have used more.

Belmint Foot Spa and Massager basin with 1-1.5 gal water and display: unit is off ( "OF")

Belmint Foot Spa and Massager filled 1-1.5 gal water to bottom of output nozzles without feet

Belmint Foot Spa and Massager filled 1-1.5 gal water to just the top of output nozzles with feet

I was having a little bit of a hard time figuring out what the temperature was, since there isn't an option to switch to Fahrenheit, but a quick Google Search said that 40°C=104°F. The recommended temperature is 35°C (95°F) to 45°C (113°F). When I told hubby, he laughed and said that his "optimal bath temperature is 42°," and that I should have just asked him.

Belmint Foot Spa and Massager display: unit is set to 40°C ("40") with light and massage on

I requested this review, because hubby has bad feet, and I was hoping the foot massager would help him, but the rollers went the wrong direction for him. He wanted the rollers to roll from his heel towards his toes, but they roll from toes to heel. He said he probably would prefer a shiatsu foot massager, but that the warm foot soak in the spa and massager was really relaxing.

While I didn't use it for the full massage time--only about 5 minutes before my "little helpers" needed me--I thought it was really nice. The rollers were firm enough to relieve tension in my arches, but not so deep that it was painful. The warm/hot water was definitely relaxing, and it was like an at-home pedicure.

I used it again, and this time I filled it up to just above the nozzles when empty, which just covered the vent when I put my feet in. It was nice to cover my feet more, and it was a lot quieter, too. I still only used the rollers for about 5 minutes before they started rubbing funny. Hubby let it run too long, and ended up with a couple of blisters, so be warned, and pay attention to how your feet are feeling.

Belmint Foot Spa and Massager filled to above output nozzles without feet

Belmint Foot Spa and Massager filled to just above the vent with feet

Overall, I would rate the Belmint Foot Spa and Massager 3.5-4 of 5 stars. The instructions and short tolerable massage time prevents me from rating it a 5. If you're looking for a high quality, deep foot massage, this isn't the unit for you. But I would recommend it to someone who wants a spa feel at home. I liked that it was a relaxing foot soak, and I liked the option to turn on and off the massage rollers as needed. Add a little Epsom salt, or other foot soak, and it's a portable, at-home pedicure system.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this review, and this post may contain affiliate links from which I receive a small commission on purchases. For more information, see my Disclosures page.

#AmazrockMuslinSwaddle Blanket Review

I received the Amazrocks Muslin Swaddle Blanket free in exchange for my review, but the thoughts here are my own honest opinions.

We absolutely LOVE Muslin swaddle blankets. Ever since we were given an Aden and Anais for our Baby Shower for Big Sister--I can't believe it's been over 3 years already!!--we've been collecting all the muslin swaddlers we can get our hands on, so I was thrilled when I saw the offer to review the Amazrocks Muslin Swaddle Blanket!

Amazrock Muslin Swaddle Blanket in box and Amazon packaging

If you've read my past reviews, you know I'm a fan of simplicity when it comes to packaging, and I am reminded of this again with the Amazrock packaging. Very cute, simple and gender non-specific.

Amazrock Swaddle Blanket box back with swaddle instructions

I remembered to get a photo of the back of the box without the Amazon packaging, which shows the swaddling and care instructions (again, nice and simple), but not the front of the box without the extra plastic.

Side-by-side of open Amazrocks Muslin Swaddle blankets

Right out of the box, the Amazrocks Muslin Swaddle Blanket feels thinner than our Aden and Anais, It's also much stiffer than our Aden and Anais, but that is likely because the Aden and Anais has been washed, used and "broken in" (as my babywearing side likes to say) for the past 3 years. The Amazrocks Muslin Swaddle Blanket feels about the same thickness as a couple small muslin swaddle blankets we got from Ross.

Big Sister and Baby Sister claimed the blankets right away

Even though the blankets were unwashed, Big Sister and Baby Sister had a blast playing with them. They even insisted I took pictures of them right then and there. (So don't mind the mess behind them; this is real life.)

Swaddled Big Sister (age 3)

Since they are SWADDLE blankets, I had to see how they handled swaddling. Since I worked at a early childhood education center (essentially an educational daycare) in the infant/toddler classroom for 4 or 5 years, I would have to say I'm pretty experienced with swaddling, and I'm comfortable swaddling with many different fabrics.

Unfortunately, Baby Sister would have nothing to do with being swaddled; fortunately, Big Sister was SUPER excited to be "mermaid swaddle!" One of the reasons I love muslin blankets so much, is for swaddling: it just molds to the child's body with very little effort. Big Sister, above, is swaddle a bit tighter than I would normally swaddle, but she wanted it super tight. The 48"x48" size made it ideal for swaddling a 3yo, and it would make the perfect infant swaddler--even with wigglers.

Having used the Amazrocks Muslin Swaddle Blanket as a shoulder and lap blanket, I can attest to it's leightweight warmth. Even though it's still averaging in the high 80's, low 90's, I have been getting chills from our air conditioning, and the Amazrocks swaddlers have been great at keeping the breeze and chill off, without making me sweat. Such a reassurance when knowing that the blankets are designed for infants, who aren't really able to regulate their own temperature, yet.

I would recommend these to anyone who wants an easy-swaddle alternative to the traditional hospital receiving blanket, that's big enough to be used for several ages. I'd also recommend it to someone like me, who's sensitive to changes in temperature, but also likes small, lightweight blankets.

Interesting side note: apparently Amazrock has their own site, and doesn't just sell on Amazon. It looks to be mostly an aStore (a website that has Amazon Affiliates and Amazon Shopping embedded and integrated directly into the site), but their brand makes the Amazrocks Muslin Swaddle Blanket as well as Amazrock Woodless Colored Pencils (which, unfortunately appears to be out of stock.)

Disclosure: I was compensated for this review, and this post may contain affiliate links from which I receive a small commision on purchases. For more information, see my Disclosures page

#EZHome_EMT_026 Digital Thermometer Review

I received the Easy@Home Digital Thermometer free in exchange for my review, but the thoughts here are my own honest opinions.

Our thermometer got dropped and broke the last time one of the girls were sick, and it's been on our shopping list since then. The theremometer's been one of those items that I always think, "oh, I'll get that next time,"  every shopping trip, and next time never really comes, so I was really grateful when I saw this review offer, it meant I never had to force myself to just buckle down and buy the new thermometer. (It came at a pretty good time, too, since there's an outbreak of Hand Foot Mouth disease at FSU, nearby, and it will be nice to have a working thermometer if the virus reaches us.)

Easy@Home Digital Thermometer box, front

My first thought when I saw the package is that is was a no-brand knock-off that didn't seem worth the $13 the company is asking.

Easy@Home Digital Thermometer box, back

The back of the box is still pretty simple, and I'm glad it listed the features, since the <10 second read time and fever alarm started to reassure me of the price.

Easy@Home Digital Thermometer in storage case

I was surprised at how accurate and full-size the photo on the box was, and ultimately the size of the display in hand. Our last thermometer got no taller (oriented as pictured above, top being top of photo) than this display screen total, making this screen about twice as tall. The digital display on the Easy@Home Digital Thermometer screen was also a little wider (left to right) than our past thermometer, but not nearly as noticeable of a difference than the thermometer height.

Easy@Home Digital Thermometer under arm test, with results

The instructions say, "from a medical viewpoint this [the under arm] method will always provide inaccurate readings. and should not be used if precise measurements are required.". For this test, a precise measurement wasn't really needed, and it was the only measurement Big Sister would tolerate so I could take a photo. The digital display was very clear, and large, filling most of the display area. You can't see it in the photo, but there was a small triangle under the green area, indicating it wasn't a fever. (Green for no fever, yellow for mild fever, red for high/severe fever.)

The large display and flexible tip surprised me by being very easy to take a measurement on my 3yo, who is normally fights having her temperature taken, even as an under arm measurement.

Easy@Home Digital Thermometer, no battery

I went to test myself for an oral test example, but I was disappointed to discover the low battery warning, after only one test. I pulled out the battery, put it back in, and then tried turning on the Easy@Home Digital Thermometer, again.

Easy@Home Digital Thermometer oral test results

It worked. I waited about a week, to try again, and I haven't had a problem with the battery, since. (And you can even see the triangle temperature indicator under the green area.)

Overall, I'm still a little shocked at the price, since our last one was a $5 thermometer, but a quick search on Amazon shows that $13 isn't too far off for the quick read, large screen, flexible tip, fever alarm, and temperature color indicator. I would recommend this especially for someone who needs the large display and multiple alerts, or someone (like me) who wants the super quick read and flexible tip to take the temperature of someone wriggly, like a toddler. The $5 version is probably sufficient for a single college student, or anyone who just needs a simple, accurate, thermometer with a 60 second read time. (It's amazing how 60 seconds feels like an eternity when trying to take a sick toddler's temperature.)

Disclosure: I was compensated for this review, and this post may contain affiliate links from which I receive a small commision on purchases. For more information, see my

 Disclosures page