BEACH LIST for summer trips with your Busy Baby Bees

Daddy, Sonny & Zadie's Bathing Suits all in a row

My husband and his family have been vacationing in the same beach town since he was born. When they decided to continue the tradition this summer, I felt like we had to be a part of it, especially since we now have twins to share the fun. So once we committed, excitement was overrun by something much more pressing: the anxiety related to having to pack for three people!

One of the keys to preparing - probably the most important key of all - was creating LISTS. Lots, and lots of LISTS. Not only did it help keep track of what we needed, it also made sure we didn't forget ANYTHING. {Side-note - I did forget to bring one thing, the camera for the monitor. OOPS! Yup, we ended up buying a monitor at the nearest store but that was the only thing that we forgot. Oh well, at least I brought half of it!} I even made a separate list the night before and stuck it on the back door so we wouldn't forget anything on our way out in the morning. 

Months out, I created a "TRAVEL LIST" on my iPhone notepad (isn't technology awesome?) so I had it wherever I went. This helped me prep for an earlier trip - our first family plane trip to Florida - and I edited and altered it to prepare for the beach trip versus a pool trip. 

These lists are for two babies (specifically, we have twins). They were about six-months-old when we went to Florida and eight-months-old when we went to the beach. 

Beach List:

- Bathing suits: 3 for each baby

- Sunscreen: talk to your doctor about preference

- Bucket hats: 2 with velcro straps (helps stay on in the wind)

- Sunglasses: 2 pairs each from She La La (link) 

- Swimmy diapers 
- Scented plastic bags for dirty diapers

- Towels: 2 beach towels for each baby

- Toys: washable & toys that didn't let sand in 

- Diaper Tote: Size 2 & Size 3 diapers; wipes; triple paste (new favorite paste!)

- Sippy cups: 1 per baby

- Milk/formula bottles: 3 per baby (I love Dr. Brown's)

- Small cooler for lunch with spoons: yogurt; fruits; veggies

- Cover ups/terry cloth robes - 1-2 per baby

- 1 large tent

- 1 outdoor washable blanket 

- 1 beach cart - we have the Nantucket Buggy (link)

- 2 beach umbrellas (Our tent ended up breaking so we used 2 umbrellas)

Night Time List: 

- Sleepers: 2 for each since we were able to do laundry

- Onesies: 4/5 for each baby

- Pacifiers: As many as I could find!
- Pacifier attachments: 2 per baby 

- 4 Bebahs: (The comfy toys that are attached to small blankets that they snuggle with at night)

- A box fan  (we all sleep with sound)

- 2 Pac N Plays

- 2 Pac N Play Mattresses (we found this best simulated a crib environment)

- 2 Pac N Play mattress sheets

- 4 hooded towels + wash cloths

- Monitor: don't forget the camera, cords & monitor screen

Toiletries:

- Baby Soap (we love the brand Baby Magic)

- Baby Q tips 

- Tylenol

- Baby Nail Clippers

- Aquafor 

- Extra mini sunscreen

- Extra Triple Paste AF* (recently discovered this gem for bad diaper rashes - works great)

Daytime List:

- Stroller: We decided to bring our City Mini based on what we would be doing with the babies (walks, etc)

- Diaper Bag: I brought two. One, I kept in our bedroom, and the other I kept in the main room where the play-mat was set up

- Dr. Brown bottles

- Formula

- Food: jarred veggies, fruit; Yo baby yogurt; puffs
- 2x Bumbos for easy feeding

- Outfits

- Baby spoons (2x for each)

- Multiple bibs: some for food & others for bottles & drool

- Play Mat: with dangle toys

- Blanket to lay next to play-mat because we are ROLLING

- Books: KINDLE full of children's books + charging cord

- Toys: squishy blocks; crunchy fabric books; tiny beach balls 

- 2x Ergo Baby Carriers {we have 2 & used them everyday to carry the babies to & from the beach}

In the infinite expanse of the internet, I was surprised and frustrated when I couldn't find a cohesive vacation packing list for a new mom heading to the beach with babies. Hopefully, my list helps you and your Busy Beach Babies!

Friendly Day

Book Review: Friendly Day

By Mij Kelly & Charles Fuge

As a special education teacher and new mom of two, I think everyday should be friendly day. However, I guess that it's the type of person I am, hence the desire to be a teacher and a mom. I want every day to be friendly day. This book reminds us that being friendly makes other want to be around us. The more friends we have, the more happy moments and memories we can create. As a new mom, I want everyone to be nice to my children especially when we venture out into this crazy big world. This is a great book to use in a lesson on being friendly and to remind us that happiness is easy to achieve. The adorable animal illustrations help the young reader/listener visualize what acts of kindness look like.

Make everyday friendly day here!

Russell the sheep

Book Review: Russell the sheep

By Rob Scotton

This sweet little guy has no idea how to get to sleep. He tries a few different strategies that turn out to be a fun adventure to be on with him.  The calming colors in the illustrations paired with the story line makes this a great before nap or bedtime book.  

To learn more about Rob & Russell click here!

When You Are HAPPY

Book Review: When You Are HAPPY
By Eileen Spinelli

I'm a big believer in the importance of raising happy children. I think it is necessary to talk to children about happiness and other feelings they have. As I recently became a mother of 2 I try to think of as many appropriate weekly activities to keep all of us entertained, learning and happy. We recently took our first library trip and found this gem. With amazing illustrations and array of vocabulary that I wouldn't necessarily use on a daily basis, its a pleasure to read.  From happiness to feeling grumpy, the mother depicted in the illustrations narrates to her child what she would do depending on how her little Busy Bee felt.

Buy it here!  

Everything I Need to Know, I Learned From a Little Golden Book

Book Review: Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Little Golden Book
By Diane Muldrow

This book was given to us recently and I can't stop reading it. I am a positive person and this book tells you exactly what moms and dads around the world want for their children. What the author did was take a variety of different pages from different Golden Book stories and created a master piece of positivity and words to live by. The many pages of this book are full of recognizable illustrations paired with simple wording, make for a perfect read.  A great book for any age. I'm in my 30's and we enjoy reading it to our busy bees.

Some of the lines are:
"Turn off the TV from time to time...and crack open a book!"
 "Give in to a good cry. You'll feel better afterward!
 "...remember to stop and smell the strawberries."
"Frolic."


Buy it now by clicking here.

Preemies: Our Journey Begins

At 35 weeks pregnant, with twins, three weeks prior to my scheduled C-section, on my husband's birthday, I went into labor. Unexpected? Yes. Crazy? Absolutely. But wonderful? Oh yeah, the most wonderful experience of all.

Looking back, I mean, I guess we weren't so shocked. We had our hospital bags packed and in the car, our plan in place, and hypothetical situations in abundance. But for it to happen so suddenly was still extremely intense. Hindsight is 20/20, so obviously my husband and I agree that going early was the best way it could have went down. Just thinking about the anticipation and anxiety I would have felt the night before our scheduled C-section is enough to make me sweat. So I'll take the emergency surgery ten times out of ten.

It's easy to understand how we were taken by surprise - our C-section date was picked months in advance - scheduled precisely at 38 weeks. Since I was carrying twins and was considered a "high risk pregnancy" from the start, we knew there was a chance that the babies could come early. But as we reached 32...33...34...35 weeks, we thought we were in the clear. But on the evening of December 29th, I had some pretty intense pain. This happened from time to time, but it usually came and went. Only instead of subsiding it got worse. Little did I know I was contracting, which I thought I would never experience. We took off for the hospital and only a few short hours later our little twins were born.

It didn't take long for us to realize we had just given birth to two preemies. So what does that mean? Well no one really knows exactly what will happen but the NICU doctors mentioned that their early milestones might be off since they are really younger than other babies born at the same time. For preemies, growth and development in the early years is vital. And we as parents can only do our best by providing as much love and care that we can. My husband and I are committed to them and their wellbeing.

The NICU provided us with so much information and protection. It really was crazy to not be able to bring the babies to our room or have any visitors come see our new babies. The nurses taught us how to handle our tiny babies, both weighing a little over four pounds. We were so nervous and scared to  but we did our best and learned everything we could during our stay at the hospital. The hardest part was leaving the hospital with our babies still in the NICU. I didn't even realize that was an option. I hardly knew what was going on with all the hormones going berserk in my body but I had to say 'see you later' to them and returned as soon as possible for as long as I could. Thankfully they were only there a few extra days.

It is now five months later and both babies are eating and growing well. Both are now cooing, smiling, laughing and able to hold their heads up during tummy time. Continue to follow along on our journey thru childhood with our preemies. I'm pretty sure it will be an entertaining ride!

Did you know? 

Premature Baby or Preemie: is an infant born before the 37th week gestation mark. Full term newborns are born during the 37th - 42nd week after the mother's last menstrual period.

Each year 500,000 babies are born prematurely which turns out to be 1 in every 8 infant in the United States.

Premature babies are often born early due to: 
Abnormal position of the biological mother's placenta,
Biological mother's health issues,
Gestational diabetes (diabetes while pregnant),
Hypertension (high blood pressure),
Heart problems,
Kidney problems,
Infection,
Poor lifestyle choices made by the mother which includes smoking, drinking, etc. and
Carrying Twins/Triplets.

Preemies:
Weight much less
Can have health issues from underdeveloped organs
The later they are born the lower the risk that they will have problems
20% of preemies have no problems at all

Areas most likely affected in premature babies:
Cognitive & Language Delays
Motor - fine & gross motor can result in poor coordination
Vision & Hearing Impairment
Mental Illness - ADD, ADHD

What is the NICU? 
NICU stands for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The purpose for babies who go to the NICU is for the extreme care that is given there to limit a babies stress levels and to meet the basic needs of the babies such as, keeping them warm, nutritional care and protection to ensure growth and development.

Seriously Busy...My apologies

I have been so busy it's unreal. My apologies to my 9 followers! ha {Please help me build that number by sending my links to your friends}

So here's what I have been up to...getting pregnant, finding out we're having twins, being put on bed rest at week 26, staying sane while trying to wrap my head about what is going on, getting prepared from the horizontal position, having early contractions at week 35 and becoming a mom to 2 preemies! Yup that about sums it up. Check in often to see how I survive/d!

And to those 9, thank you for sticking with me all this time!