Baby Packing for those expecting in Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg

Packing for the Hospital.

Your time is getting close. The nursery is done, you’ve bought the baby gear, the baby clothes are freshly laundered and folded in drawers,  you’ve written your birth plan, done the hospital tour,  but wait!  Have you packed your bag for the Big Day?  For some reason, with both my pregnancies, this was the very last thing I got around to doing,  even though friends around me were going into labor weeks early and getting 

caught short.

So, with this in mind, here is a packing list for you to print off and execute.  Do it NOW, you never know when you might go into labor!

Mom’s bag:

Night gown and dressing gown

Clean underwear (although let’s face it you may end up sporting the attractive hospital disposable pants!), include socks as your feet may get cold in labor.

Wash bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, any medication you routinely take, hairbrush, make up, yes I said make-up,  as you will no doubt have photos taken with the baby, Hairbands (last thing you will want to deal with when you’re in labor is your hair flopping in your face), lip balm.

Frozen fruit pieces like grapes and strawberries for during labor (you may have to smuggle these into the hospital - shhh!).

You may want to take along some of your own pillows or other items from home to make you feel more comfortable.

If you plan on breastfeeding, a Boppy pillow www.boppy.com

Again, if you plan on it, other breastfeeding supplies like pump, breast pads and nipple cream, although the hospital may well provide some or all of these.

Magazines (may be wishful thinking but you never know!).

Dad’s Bag:

All the important documents like medication forms and copies of birth plan to give to doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas.

Sleepwear (the nurses really don’t want to see your hubby in the buff!).

Wash bag, all of the above, including mouth wash (may sound weird, but the last thing you want is hubby gently leaning over you telling you to breathe when he just finished that tuna sandwich!)

Food/drinks/snacks

All the gadgets (hospital allowing):  fully charged cell phone,  MP3 player,  camera,  video camera,  laptop or iPad for Skyping and all accompanying chargers and wires.

Cash for hospital parking, cafeteria, etc.

Car seat correctly installed in the car.

Baby’s Bag:

Going home outfit – ah, the fun bit. Even though I knew I was having a girl, I still brought a neutral outfit as well just in case she popped out a boy!

Receiving/swaddling blankets.

PS: It is also a good idea to have pre-registered at your hospital of choice so you don’t have to mess around with filling out forms in between contractions!

Next week, packing the diaper bag!

Posted by Claire Turner 

Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, nanny, childcare, babysitter, sitter, live-in, au pair, provider, AuPairCare, nannies, children, child, kids, multiples, twins, triplets

Tips for Fall, Food, and Fun with an AuPairCare Au Pair in Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg

I love the fall and I love the activities that come with the change of season.  Having in-home childcare gives children the guidance and help to do the fun things found on the internet, the television, or in magazines during this wonderful season. An au pair can take advantage of everything fall has to offer with your children.

It is such a great feeling to walk in the door knowing your child has been having fun while you worked.  The reward of a big smile and, "look what I did today" are priceless!

Here are some of my favorite fall rituals.  Ask your au pair to do some with your children this fall.

Caramel Apples

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce bag individually wrapped caramel candies (about 50)

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 4-6 medium apples
• 4-6 craft sticks

Instructions

• Place the unwrapped caramels in a shallow microwave-safe bowl.
• Mix in the milk and microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute.  Be careful with this step as the caramel will get hot.
• When the caramels are melted, remove the dish from the microwave with pot holders and stir the sauce until smooth.  Set aside to cool slightly.
• Generously butter a baking sheet.  Twist off the apple stems and spear each fruit with a craft stick.
• Roll one apple in the caramel sauce until it is thoroughly coated.  Place it; stick pointing up, on the baking sheet.
• To thoroughly coat an apple, roll it in the caramel sauce, and then hold it upright so the sauce slides down the sides.
• Working quickly, coat the remaining apples in the caramel sauce.  The caramel coating will be gooey, so refrigerate the apple for 15 minutes or until the caramel is slightly hardened.

Pumpkin Games

Grab some pumpkins at the grocery store and play these games indoors or out.  Have a play date for some friendly competition during the day or do this as a family in the evenings.

Pumpkin bowling:  Set up a triangle of ten vertical containers such as 2 liter soda bottles, empty cans, paper towel rolls, etc.  Roll the pumpkin 3 times to try and get them all down.

Pumpkin rolling:  For medium to large pumpkins, do a pumpkin rolling game.  Set a starting line and a finish line and have your little ones roll the pumpkins from the start to finish.

 Autumn Yard Collage

This is a great activity with children.  Materials needed to create your autumn yard collage include hay bales, pumpkins (all sizes), scarecrows, witches, cornucopias, etc.  Anything related to fall will look wonderful.  Stack the hay bales to create a backdrop.  Next, place a huge scarecrow (or witch) on the center of the stack.  Then add other complimentary fall accessories.  Your children will take pride in their lovely 3 dimensional work of art.

Posted by Darcy Martin 

Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, nanny, childcare, babysitter, sitter, live-in, au pair, provider, AuPairCare, nannies, children, child, kids, multiples, twins, triplets

At Au Pair Care, we love...

Inspired by our international team at Au Pair Care, we asked around the office to compile a special, nostalgic, yet up-to-date list of our favorite children’s books – books  that we would love to have our au pairs read to our kids.
   
1.    The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business
By Wolf Erlbruch, Werner Holzwarth   
This is a loveable oh-so-funny story about a mole that wants to find out who happened to poo on his head.  So he goes out and asks the rabbit, the bear and many other animals on his way. It’s a lovely illustrated book and a fun story that will keep your kid excited, and will make you laugh for its underlying wisdom.

2.    The Trip To Panama
By Janosch
The colorful and detailed pictures and the exciting story tell a tale about friendship, dreams, appreciation, and home. Everything starts with the little bear discovering a little box while he is fishing at the river. On the box it says “Panama” and it smells like bananas. Immediately the little bear knows this is the land of his dreams. So he runs home to the small tiger to prepare for a long journey to Panama.


3.    Friends
By Helme Heine
This absolutely charming and delightfully illustrated tale for all ages will make you and your child laugh out loud and learn about friendship through the adventures of Charlie Rooster, Johnny Mouse, and Percy Pig. They ride their bikes together, play games together and sleep together- even if that means Percy the pig has to sleep on a Rooster stick. It is one of the most read books in Germany.


4.    The Very Hungry Caterpillar
By Eric Carle
More than 12 million copies of this book have been sold around the world.  Kids are excited to follow the path of the caterpillar while he eats his way through one apple on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, and so on.  The book teaches counting and the days of the week with bright, bold pictures and a butterfly metamorphosis story!

5.    Happy Hippo, Angry Duck: A Book of Moods (Ages 2-6)
By Sandra Boynton
Sandra Boynton is a popular American humorist, songwriter, children's author, and illustrator. This, her newest book on the market, describes moods and emotions with very funny pictures. Kids love to repeat the sounds and feelings that are described in the book and the pages are colorful and vivid!

6.    Farmyard BeatBy Lindsey Craig and Marc Brown
This is a colorful bedtime story, perfect for toddler and preschoolers, to read aloud, repeating the rhymes and sounds. All the animals on the farm can’t sleep, and before you know it there is a party going on.

7.    One Duck Stuck
by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Jane Chapman
Another great counting and animal book with bright and bold illustrations. Why is it special? This book received the Parents Book of the Year award and the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold award.


8.    When I Grow Up I Want to Be Me
by Sandra Magsamen
Oprah calls this one of the most captivating children's books she's ever read. We guess it must be good!


9.    Pippi Longstocking
By Astrid Lindgren
Astrid Lindgren, from Sweden, was famous for her books in America years ago. The target age for these stories is four to six, and quick-to-read children will be able to handle them at seven. Pippi is incredibly strong and can lift a horse on her own. She is also not afraid of anything, so she lives alone in Villa Villekulla with her horse and a monkey, Mr. Nilsson. With her friends, Tommy and Annika, she experiences many adventures, like taking on two burglars, having an unusual birthday party, and rolling down a hill in a wine barrel.

Now – you tell us!  Which book should be number 10 on the list? Please let us know in the comments below!

Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, nanny, childcare, babysitter, sitter, live-in, au pair, provider, AuPairCare, nannies, children, child, kids, multiples, twins, triplets

Post by Karen Hilbes, APC