Road Kill Easter chicks and other ugly toddler crafts

Critter2 and I spent another couple of nights in the hospital, but we are now home safe and sound and enjoying bed rest together with Baby DIVA. I still am working on fun and exciting crafts and activities we can do together, Momma and Baby DIVA, while butt sitting. This week I kind of blew off the letter theme for our projects and just went with the Easter theme.

Now let me preface these activities with a little learned fact. With an older child these could be performed just fine in bed while momma is bed rested. With a spunky 2 year old, well, take that 10 minutes of freedom you get from bed rest, blow off your daily shower and sit at a table to craft with your tot.

First up, Tissue Paper Eggs. Grandma was over visiting us and helping me keep control of one spunky Baby DIVA. This added some extra fun to this craft. I simply blew up a balloon, handed Baby DIVA a bowl of glue and a paintbrush and let her paint the balloon. Then I let her dig into a basket full of colored tissue paper I had torn up earlier in the morning while butt sitting. She covered the balloon with glue and then slapped on the colored tissue paper. Well, sort of. She really could care less. She thought this was awesome for about 3 minutes and then was ready to move on. I found the original idea Here, at the Imagination Tree, and have high hopes to attempt this project again next year.

Loving the glue

And interest beginning to fade

Grandma and Baby DIVA Crafting

Baby DIVA's creation, post loss of interest

Here is Grandma's masterpiece. She took her eggs and cut them in half. Then she made eggs, chicks and bunnies, out of glue and bread. Super cute! I was napping while she created so I am not sure how she did it, But Baby DIVA loves it!

Then we worked on another great project which H4L has named "Road Kill Easter chicks". I found this idea on a blog and then forgot what blog I found it on. So, if this was your idea let me know so I can give you credit. I worked the idea from memory too, so it might be a little off the original posters plan.

I took 3 paper plates. Traced Baby DIVA's hand prints two of them and cut them out. These will serve as the "wings". While I was cutting her prints out, Baby DIVA dug into the yellow paint and began to decorate the Chick body or the third paper plate. Then I gave her the wings and let her paint these too. After her masterpiece was "yellowed" up, we glued the wings in place and then covered the body of the chick with yellow feathers. And Voila...Road Kill Easter Chick.

Painting Yellow Chicks

Road kill Easter Chick

These were fun and simple Easter Crafts that gave Baby DIVA some fun without stressing out my butt sitting bed rested body. Now, she is two, we are not seasoned artists, but we had fun and these activities will both be on our list again next year, while not bed rested!

Got Camel toe?

I love laughing. I love funky little products that help keep life simple and fun. But this little product takes the cake. This video explains to us, the consumers, how we can rid ourselves of Camel Toe forever!! Really?!? It is hysterical. Have a looky loo and let me know what you think. Oh and if you find yourself in desperate need of this fabulous Cuchini, you can order one Here.

Happy Hump Day!

High Traffic leads to high pre-term birth rate?

Of course as I sit here terrified of impending pre term birth of Critter2 what do I do? Not look at cute happy youtube videos or read my e-books. Nope. I surf the web for all kinds of scary stories of preterm birth. MOMS. We are masochists I tell you! Crazed people who always have to know the worse possible outcome...but only so we can be supermoms and be super prepared, right? I happened across this article about a connection between high traffic roads and preterm birth and thought it interesting. Personally, I do not think that traffic levels play a factor, all by itself. But I do think that people living in higher population volume areas could be at risk for a variety of factors. Pollution, stress and exposure to illness to name a few. However, this study, although interesting does not make me think that the freeway 4 miles from me is going to make my babies come any sooner than they should. In fact it may slow them down given the crazy traffic here in the Houston area. KIDDING!! What do you think?

Bed Rest tot crafting: Letter P

Reading books. Watching TV. Singing nursery rhymes. Learning letters. Sure these are all fun things to do with your tot. But if you know me, I always have to be up to something "Different" and exciting when it comes to entertaining kiddos. Being on bed rest has definitely put a damper in my idea of ways to have fun with Baby DIVA. Have no fear; Baby DIVA and I have figured out to have some fun and we are here to tell what works while "butt sitting" and what doesn't.

First off, on bed rest, you are going to need someone to gather your supplies for you. Luckily since you have nothing better to do, you will have plenty of time to map out a very detailed list of what you will need and how you are going to use it. Pick you project, jot down what you will need and have your "bed rest slave" gather your items and store them near where you stash your booty all day. Don't feel guilty about it either, friends and family are there to help and this helps you keep your baby safe and your toddler happy!

I decided that each week, while we are doing "bed rest crafting" we will pick a letter and a color. Then every activity during the week will have something to do with that letter and/or that color. This week we chose the letter P and the color purple. I found a great website that enabled me to print out all kinds of coloring pages and craft templates that can easily be done butt sitting.

First up for us, Baby DIVA and I had a Picnic on a Purple blanket in our Pretty living room and crafted a Princess out of the letter P. Scary huh? Baby DIVA had a blast. I didn't have to get up. She learned something educational and had fun AND she couldn't even tell that momma was doing this via mandatory bed rest orders. Perfect in my mind!!

Princess P pieces PLUS

This gorgeous Baby DIVA smile PLUS

Some skilled tot crafting EQUALS

The PRETTIEST Princess P EVER!!!

So whats next? Well we have pigs, parrots, and and pajama parties to entertain us!

Critter2 Update

Hello my friends.

32 weeks complete and we are working on the 33rd! Getting closer and closer! But still on strict bed rest. Boo! Lame. But hey, it is what is best for the beast of a babe cooking in my womb!

Yesterday we saw the Dr. My BP is staying in a safe range on the meds. I lost yet another pound, Butt sitting. SERIOUSLY??? If only I could do that when I'm not pregnant. I had another gallbladder attack this last weekend thanks to some oil that snuck into my food, but we survived just fine. Diet restrictions still in place. Fluid consumption still in place. And Critter2 has demonstrated her high maintenance ways by doing a lovely party trick. She has flipped head up, into a Breech position. I thought she was super active this weekend. And sure enough the Dr confirmed it yesterday that she is head up butt sitting down, just like her butt sitting momma. Coolness.

I have some websites and information packets on attempting to flip a babe in utero head done, naturally. But I have also been advised to do so while monitoring my pressures as the act of babe flipping in Pre Eclampsia patients cause cause a rise in blood pressure. Super cool! Any tips or tricks you might have to share are welcomed on this, I really appreciate ideas and input!

I'm still ordered to stay on bed rest for the duration. Only up to use the restroom, shower and eat. But I have been granted a pass to walk myself to the backyard and sit there. And even though we are already hitting summer like temps outside, it is lovely to be out there and watch my Baby DIVA play, breathe in the fresh air, and picture two baby girls playing in the grass in the very near future!

So that is where we stand...or rather butt sit. We head back in next Monday for another Biophysical ultrasound and checkup. Until then I am off to leave a permanent imprint of my butt in the couch. I leave you with the adorable mug shot of Critter2!!!

We are home, bedrested, but home!

After a little over a week in the hospital, I have finally found my way home. YAY! Baby DIVA is a little perturbed at this situation. While sitting in momma's lap she wants to know why we can not still video chat momma. Hmmmm....

I have pre-eclampsia and I am on strict home bed rest. I am still on blood pressure medication to keep the pressures down, but they are holding. I am on a strict diet and have to rest rest rest. Before leaving the hospital we had numerous ultrasounds and found that my amniotic fluid levels were low. Nothing that a huge load of iv fluids couldn't correct, but this will need to be monitored.

On a super exciting positive note, the ultrasounds also showed Critter2 to be pushing 4.5 pounds. She is a BEAST! And thanks to the steroid shots last week, her little lungs are "breathing" in womb juice. We watched her do tons of breathing exercises in utero and swallow and play and just her general perfectness. In the event of an early delivery, she is looking fabulous!

A problem that I have run into is how to have fun with Baby DIVA while sitting booty on the couch or in bed. I have someone here with me because I am not allowed to lift Baby DIVA or chase her around, and that helps. But in all reality I still want to interact and have fun with my own kid. So, I put my thinking cap on and have gone through our never ending pile of fun activities and will testing them out with Baby DIVA from here on out. As I can, I will be posting what works well and what doesn't. So any other bed rest momma's out there can still smile and enjoy the time with their own kids despite the suckiness of bed rest!

Laugh your way through labor??

So many of my friends these days have decided to go the "natural" way in childbirth. Not meaning just birthing without a c-section or induction, no, they are all for going completely drug free, enduring the pain, experiencing the "ring of fire" and bringing children into the world "old style" if you will.

I am not that kind of girl. Sorry. I do not like pain. But I do want to make sure my child is safe as well as that I am safe. All medical procedures and drugs do have some potential side effects and all that is to be considered and the outcomes weighed against pros and cons. I personally have chosen to go the route of the epidural, and I am happy to have it take its place as soon as my Dr will allow it. The earlier the better, makes me smile.

But the other day I came across this article offering up another option for childbirth. An option that was dropped from circulation many years ago but seems to be making a bit of a comeback. This is an option open to women who may not want "drugs" but need a little something to help take the edge off when the contractions and pain become so intense they think they are going to rip in half, but also wears off quickly enough they can go on and bust through the "ring of fire" just as they intended and enjoy a non drug induced first few moments with their new baby.

This option is laughing gas. Yep. It appears that Nitrous Oxide is making a comeback into the delivery room. Instead of screeching in pure pain, moms can now giggle their way through the horrendous pain and then moments later be snuggled down with a new life, the precious baby they have been waiting for. I personally would still like my epidural, but think this is kind of nice option for those moms who don't want full medications throughout childbirth, but need a little something to help them through. What do you think? would you utilize laughing gas? Are you against it? Why or why not?