tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71154583270870565052024-03-06T15:33:26.957+11:00Journal MummaCreative Soul | Journal Addict | Planner | Mumma to 5 | 4 on earth 1 in heaven | Heal | Inspire | Connect | Create | Nurture
http://www.journalmumma.comAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-68069479826983538212014-02-24T22:00:00.002+11:002014-02-24T22:00:58.816+11:00Resignation<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the moment my daughter passed away I made the decision
to break the silence, speak about my daughter and share my experience with
others in the hope that they wouldn't feel alone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grief is such a lonely road. Unless someone has experienced
the depth of losing a child they could never possibly understand and even then,
everyone’s experience is different and personal to each individual and family. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I continue to break the silence, speak my daughter
Yasminah’s name and share my personal experiences. I will not be
silenced. I will not let another
person’s actions define my future. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iwjrrMjcg1WsOnWTWT5g-tqSmpd1kzn7McLZouUzLrJApinORKWi9hkI5ixGfKZFi1z0A0CFXQXg3NAWjTD1Iutx3YULUm7mAwuhkSJj3tCfPIgMb-V55kt2YwY97D2ONEpOhwvkdbig/s1600/1901743_10152648535883345_787753417_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iwjrrMjcg1WsOnWTWT5g-tqSmpd1kzn7McLZouUzLrJApinORKWi9hkI5ixGfKZFi1z0A0CFXQXg3NAWjTD1Iutx3YULUm7mAwuhkSJj3tCfPIgMb-V55kt2YwY97D2ONEpOhwvkdbig/s1600/1901743_10152648535883345_787753417_n.jpg" height="320" width="293" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I planned to return from my leave of absence as President of Yasminah's Gift Of Hope but my position became untenable. Last week I have
formally advised the NSW Office Of Fair Trading that I have not been involved
in any operational capacity for Yasminah's Gift Of Hope since the 23rd November
2013. As of Friday 21st February 2014 I'm no longer the Public Officer. After seeking legal and regulatory advice from
this moment forward I will have no further affiliation with Yasminah's Gift Of Hope.</i></span><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During my absence I have continued to personally offer support to families and was honoured to help deliver two important resources with some very special people for care givers and families to utilise at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital NICU and Westmead Public Hospital NICU.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOc9twiVs2gRIS5_jWZycJJ8pLKLFZA783d8D-8VzP4ldn8knsRLMpQSq-b3J9CHyaBfr80hrxh27EKub3fRga0611nxY_MCTp9QvSsRezSDXMxWpwr09-LHQnYly7fZMoW-ap74qt6CKB/s1600/58818_10151550903990412_20712994_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOc9twiVs2gRIS5_jWZycJJ8pLKLFZA783d8D-8VzP4ldn8knsRLMpQSq-b3J9CHyaBfr80hrxh27EKub3fRga0611nxY_MCTp9QvSsRezSDXMxWpwr09-LHQnYly7fZMoW-ap74qt6CKB/s1600/58818_10151550903990412_20712994_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo90p9VYJdzz6y47WPb4Ix2VXXsWU79xISakIncdbiSpa3e9iXalv6XdEP78kgvcsoiL2zdoUC-yv7joclLLzMEl1VTa9NL6Q4iyPtVVg4CL_J0uhYVt8jblp5zfEA2IDhIWw16Ku744bq/s1600/580803_635605449817427_227045933_n.jpg" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lynette Grech and myself delivering the first <a href="http://www.ygoh.org.au/cuddle-time-program/" target="_blank">CuddleTIME Cold Cot</a> to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital NICU Bereavement Room in loving memory of Lynette's son Bodhi Grech. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Both pregnant with our rainbow babies due a few weeks apart.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzdogYd1jgcRt10VPwct-zPRcymGfQ3BeYZH9sHAaOlkjBt-_OVLalh-krFAnMHqI9rzhVDvTguAD2QE4Bbm4b08DhBcqI2N6L3_6yTDtbUaMwsAwwdGwKm7vzjlUlY-1X8bYWxKf2Oo_/s1600/1920521_10152631690858345_1060391157_n.jpg" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lynette and myself would like to express our deepest gratitude and support to the individuals, families and companies that supported this special gift of time to bereaved families. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kLdZCYDLVJIMXWs_pYeG8624A1WpjDZbQfQIRLa8cyZlZ1MRw3eVFLV1ufcRzbOWRmOML4xFCV60k1zKgcX7CCD71TF9p-jiqqHyXC5eoVTtnZjvPQL-jOPYwQ3MmPfC8_eH_0my0ZkD/s1600/1459303_10152409182873345_392365076_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kLdZCYDLVJIMXWs_pYeG8624A1WpjDZbQfQIRLa8cyZlZ1MRw3eVFLV1ufcRzbOWRmOML4xFCV60k1zKgcX7CCD71TF9p-jiqqHyXC5eoVTtnZjvPQL-jOPYwQ3MmPfC8_eH_0my0ZkD/s1600/1459303_10152409182873345_392365076_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Twin Crib donated in honour of Aisha and Aaliyah Aziz and Isabella and Olivia Ribera</span> </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJZSv4t1gUm36SOyG_l-OvgDVQey8HrbqF3i3EDvuFS1uM-Ja6C4k_edWL77wKit7T3GtCAEaZLlP_T665L1euNF8wgY3KEF7MPQGJV-5_a7oXAcT9uz7HY8Kg4Mcyst5SKBHtiCa4WO2/s1600/1424338_10152409182623345_2053653410_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJZSv4t1gUm36SOyG_l-OvgDVQey8HrbqF3i3EDvuFS1uM-Ja6C4k_edWL77wKit7T3GtCAEaZLlP_T665L1euNF8wgY3KEF7MPQGJV-5_a7oXAcT9uz7HY8Kg4Mcyst5SKBHtiCa4WO2/s1600/1424338_10152409182623345_2053653410_n.jpg" height="640" width="384" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMF07TNhXvV6S4JX6WTQF3kPT2-B3yX7-9f1q0iK7lbRBMZ-rcYsIT4hrB11iDfUf6k10xbDURVCLXkzToc8gbapIPkRqO8cLGVrhJ-_JFIonw_mPAI6-AmFjHosC9zqKFxcJjKasCzor/s1600/1426717_10152409030648345_869030866_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMF07TNhXvV6S4JX6WTQF3kPT2-B3yX7-9f1q0iK7lbRBMZ-rcYsIT4hrB11iDfUf6k10xbDURVCLXkzToc8gbapIPkRqO8cLGVrhJ-_JFIonw_mPAI6-AmFjHosC9zqKFxcJjKasCzor/s1600/1426717_10152409030648345_869030866_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGShxVw_8YGKRxUipcVvihjZVxYY1wvgDqLqIOzWVa60E82g3Lu8Px4EXkc74pqQ5VgBGThGGMDFW9QVpYLf3MmSnP2j2da7xwvY1nRASaVV7pRF1_ZX3L4Axtdr5IqSswS7-GMT9DVO8p/s1600/1465260_10152409030833345_918003162_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGShxVw_8YGKRxUipcVvihjZVxYY1wvgDqLqIOzWVa60E82g3Lu8Px4EXkc74pqQ5VgBGThGGMDFW9QVpYLf3MmSnP2j2da7xwvY1nRASaVV7pRF1_ZX3L4Axtdr5IqSswS7-GMT9DVO8p/s1600/1465260_10152409030833345_918003162_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUB7HsrQhqsFOkbA1wQz4YBreDlR_jSklkSUNudI91Ybf8WqM5Ex92ZoWzDd4lg0nPtgpdAx9_5QS7mzrTm2TX5QwKtXjv0uccGzDcPbIE36SoyUYhuZ-NqqMHIZZSo-KyQ_NBhEcgN5GC/s1600/1779943_10152612641833345_1500509286_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUB7HsrQhqsFOkbA1wQz4YBreDlR_jSklkSUNudI91Ybf8WqM5Ex92ZoWzDd4lg0nPtgpdAx9_5QS7mzrTm2TX5QwKtXjv0uccGzDcPbIE36SoyUYhuZ-NqqMHIZZSo-KyQ_NBhEcgN5GC/s1600/1779943_10152612641833345_1500509286_n.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Little cuties Axel and Ryley Maloney seen her trialing the new cot for the first time! <br />Very HAPPY!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qMQH0ULbsmTtspzgAq9BCAWPK2sU_K1fJNsoXqeXiWBfuCVJj-lM3R-sSEwhXBztx5Lg-3E0Ls-widOOWGkZAmPfU6CvPEFqkGKw9-01wWsSMe4JY3NAA759BAJEN19NLXEOJgJBn4Ud/s1600/1888694_10152612639108345_617137056_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qMQH0ULbsmTtspzgAq9BCAWPK2sU_K1fJNsoXqeXiWBfuCVJj-lM3R-sSEwhXBztx5Lg-3E0Ls-widOOWGkZAmPfU6CvPEFqkGKw9-01wWsSMe4JY3NAA759BAJEN19NLXEOJgJBn4Ud/s1600/1888694_10152612639108345_617137056_n.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The beautiful letter I personally received from Westmead Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after my family, along with Nicole and her family delivered the first twin crib the unit has in late November 2013. Together Nicole and I collectively raised $2500 to purchase the Twin Crib in honour of our own twin daughters Aisha and Aaliyah and Isabella and Olivia who were all born prematurely and spent time at Westmead NICU. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During my involvement over the past 4 years with Yasminah's Gift Of Hope I have been honoured and humbled to receive generous acknowledgements for the support the organisation and it's outstanding volunteers provided including </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CHILD of the Year Award for Raising Limb Deficiency Awareness</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bernardos Mother of The Year Nomination 2011</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Australian of the Year Nomination 2011</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Campbelltown City Council International Women's Day Certificate of Appreciation 2012</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First Runner Up Lil' Aussie Prems Foundation Premmie Hero Award 2013</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm so very grateful to have been afforded the opportunity to share my own personal story several times and help raise awareness alongside the dedicated volunteers via the media including</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Holroyd Sun and Parramatta Sun </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://networkedblogs.com/qzIFM?a=share&ref=nf" target="_blank">Brave Discussion </a></span></li>
<li><a href="http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/11921264/five-year-old-girls-food-phobia-battle/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assisting Emma Coles receive treatment overseas </span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/the-stories-behind-our-scars/story-fn6jaj16-1226301294861" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunday Telegraph Body+Soul</span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sidsandkids.org/wp-content/uploads/Enigma-May-2012-Online-edition.pdf" target="_blank">SIDS and Kids Enigma Magazine</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Radio interviews on 2GB, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-mLeAH638o" target="_blank">2SM</a> and SWR FM </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cosmopolitan Pregnancy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's Life </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scrapbooking Memories</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have also been actively involved with the National Premmie Foundation since May 2011. In that time I have progressed from a general committee member to my current role as the Vice President. During my tenure I have </span></span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Represented the National Premmie Foundation and each of the member groups including Yasminah's Gift Of Hope at it's first NSW Baby and Children's Expo</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Organised Questacon as the first building to light up purple as part of World Prematurity Day for 2012 and subsequent years</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Established several connections within the media for the National Premmie Foundation and the member groups including radio interviews with SWR FM and publications in Cosmopolitan Pregnancy </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My passion and dedication to raising awareness and providing support to families who have experienced the premature birth or loss of their child has been unwavering. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm extremely proud of the accomplishments of each and every volunteer past and present and the difference that they have made to the lives of many. It has always been a team effort. It's been an absolute honour to work alongside so many passionate members of the community all with the common goal to offer support and make a difference no matter how small. Majority of the volunteers have personally experienced or been touched by pregnancy loss or premature birth. We are </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">all in different places, emotions, seasons, grieving processes, but our hearts were always united to help make this time a little easier for those who are newly bereaved or experiencing the Neonatal Intensive Care</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> Unit or Special Care Nursery. </span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Just like the wings of a butterfly cause a ripple in the world, your love, support and commitment has not gone unnoticed and will always, always be remembered. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for dedicating your time, sharing your love and sharing your own personal experiences. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are the moments I will remember with love in my heart and tears in my eyes as I end this chapter and embark on a new journey of grief....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yasminah's 2nd Birthday we held a butterfly release to meet the families we had supported in our first 9 months and send our love to heaven... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">Yasminah's 2nd Birthday Butterfly Release </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first journals I had personally designed and we provided to bereaved and premmie families featured in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgP_Ad00fXo" target="_blank">Mother's Day Tribute</a> video</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The amazing Annual Scrap For Yaz events held over the past 4 years, including the support from SIDS and Kids QLD. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Delivering gifts to sick and premature infants in memory of my beautiful friend Erin Carmody's ( <a href="http://www.hopelightlovehappiness.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/erin-carmody-new-vice-president-ygoh.html" target="_blank">Former Vice President</a> ) little boy Aiden for the Annual NICU Christmas Appeal </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My personal highlight would be the Yasminah's Gift Of Hope Butterfly Garden Ball. It was a beautiful, emotional evening where we honoured and remembered many of the babies we have lost and the babies born too soon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My sincere gratitude and love must also go out to our two incredible ambassadors Haley Bracken and Oscar Chavez. Their personal support, and willingness to open their hearts sharing their own journey's in an effort to help other families is to be commended. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dvGqnOhgTf7QjzcD4ERnPZgkZD-GXAGkx5R2-OTCLd2ISu3ghy3nM62X1kgz0zTtIJ2evnbUqUx5KIo2s2YnsqEa2ipTpZW2xQOQlMpxwKfYQQ_4c2x0zFoThN7HkAxLHj9tbnQfpCLj/s1600/IMG_2098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dvGqnOhgTf7QjzcD4ERnPZgkZD-GXAGkx5R2-OTCLd2ISu3ghy3nM62X1kgz0zTtIJ2evnbUqUx5KIo2s2YnsqEa2ipTpZW2xQOQlMpxwKfYQQ_4c2x0zFoThN7HkAxLHj9tbnQfpCLj/s1600/IMG_2098.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">None of the past 4 years would of ever have been possible without the love, support and encouragement of so many special people. I will always remember your contributions, the letters, the cards, the gifts you lovingly sent me on Yasminah's birthday and your loyal friendship and support. I feel eternally blessed to have shared so many beautiful moments and memories with some truly special people. It's been an honour helping in a small way to make sure that our babies are acknowledged, remembered and loved for a lifetime. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To my little girl Yasminah, my love for you will always remain, forever and always my baby girl you will be. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sending hope, light, love and happiness</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bec x</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-66672220398246823632014-02-09T21:00:00.000+11:002014-02-25T14:25:51.943+11:00CuddleTIME Cold Cot<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Each day 6 babies across Australia are stillborn. A total of 2000 babies each year.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most deceased babies, have to be taken to the mortuary within several hours of birth, cutting short the precious time that a bereaved family have together to create memories.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bodhi Grech was born on the 12th of August and passed away on the 16th of August 2012 Leaving his family heartbroken and shattered. In memory of Bodhi, his mother Lynette Grech with the support of her family and friends began <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ForBodhi" target="_blank">'For Bodhi'</a> with the aim to give back to the bereavement community in his memory. Over the past year Lynette has fundraised tirelessly in memory of Bodhi for the first CuddleTIME Cold Cot to be donated on behalf of Yasminah's Gift Of Hope in his memory to the hospital where he spent his final days of life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yasminah's Gift Of Hope offers early support to those suffering the loss of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Yasminah's Gift Of Hope works to prevent potential incidences of depression as a result of the trauma families experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The CuddleTIME Cold Cot Project will significantly aid Yasminah's Gift Of Hope support role by allowing us to provide the treasured gift of 'time' to bereaving parents and their families. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3yElnO49AHEiZ5pZYFv0WKYcDLsAUDKeG2ON1hZce-mHqQyySt2mfpShhRJL0j7YImUE55Gk-zr5O2Pf7jG7vIixJAg3I7oJhOjuhN5auva-eu17d-CACcH_51R0BwEDStJ93fbX4jRh/s1600/58818_10151550903990412_20712994_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3yElnO49AHEiZ5pZYFv0WKYcDLsAUDKeG2ON1hZce-mHqQyySt2mfpShhRJL0j7YImUE55Gk-zr5O2Pf7jG7vIixJAg3I7oJhOjuhN5auva-eu17d-CACcH_51R0BwEDStJ93fbX4jRh/s1600/58818_10151550903990412_20712994_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Donated by Yasminah's Gift Of Hope in Memory of Bodhi Grech 12.8.12 - 16.8.12</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The CuddleTIME Cold Cots will compliment Yasminah's Gift Of Hope, Gift Of Hope journal support program by extending a families time together to create lasting memories that can be recorded in the journals and kept for a lifetime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Portable Cold Cots will support caregivers and bereaved
families cared for at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Families will have the opportunity and choice to spend quality time together as a family, whilst creating memories to last a lifetime before saying their final goodbye.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CuddleTIME Cold Cot will foster greater support for parents by allowing increased
involvement of extended family in the grieving process</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Will enable families the choice to take their child home
overnight utilising the portable Cold Cot with the support of the hospital</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Creating memories of the deceased child, including interactions such as cuddles, bathing and dressing, have been shown to be very beneficial for a parent's journey through grief</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today two incredible things happened.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met a beautiful lady I've gotten to know over the past 18 months. Lynette Grech. She was warm, compassionate and we hugged like we'd been friends for years. Time was no barrier. We had both been through something indescribable. The loss of our child. Lynette heartbreakingly said goodbye to her son Bodhi Grech 3 days after saying hello.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Together we delivered the CuddleTIME Cold Cot in memory of her son Bodhi. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWi9krOecKQIIU5km0bYm8Lc6gA8sSNjZCo4vxwWR6HFriQQBxbLiQIclITiG5y1lf9ReqAavlSDBJHpJgf24_4_0XIvww0IXfxaIXJhgV7B71yVzzz4RaT4pJ46LpDrCbQW9boH6fu6p8/s1600/580803_635605449817427_227045933_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWi9krOecKQIIU5km0bYm8Lc6gA8sSNjZCo4vxwWR6HFriQQBxbLiQIclITiG5y1lf9ReqAavlSDBJHpJgf24_4_0XIvww0IXfxaIXJhgV7B71yVzzz4RaT4pJ46LpDrCbQW9boH6fu6p8/s1600/580803_635605449817427_227045933_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lynette Grech and myself delivered the CuddleTIME Cold Cot to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital NICU Bereavement Room in loving memory of Lynette's son Bodhi. We are both currently pregnant with our rainbow babies due a few weeks apart.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQB4MF06qecH0Gc5Q33TH1024HIDSdS5uhxSn6NRhLzi8U6_qEKOOpTKrdgCn2MbrwjsdBd_pDkFNNj87cvhcSTqI325rdGRr36_OghAx_pugbRDDNbsgpWZFdb9j83mpD-I3OLouC0xNr/s1600/1920521_10152631690858345_1060391157_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQB4MF06qecH0Gc5Q33TH1024HIDSdS5uhxSn6NRhLzi8U6_qEKOOpTKrdgCn2MbrwjsdBd_pDkFNNj87cvhcSTqI325rdGRr36_OghAx_pugbRDDNbsgpWZFdb9j83mpD-I3OLouC0xNr/s1600/1920521_10152631690858345_1060391157_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love is endless and Bodhi's memory will live on helping many other families spend precious final moments with their child. A love to last a lifetime. Thank you to everyone who supported, donated and helped make the first CuddleTIME Cold Cot possible. </span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-74190440030629059292014-02-04T23:56:00.000+11:002014-02-24T11:13:25.219+11:00Let it beThere are some days when I don't know where to begin.<br />
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Today is one of those days.<br />
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My words may come out all jumbled....a mess.....and probably won't make sense. But it's something I need to write. I need to clear this from my head.<br />
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Sometimes holding on feels like the 'right' thing to do. It shows that I have the strength, courage and determination to see things through. But. There is always a 'but' isn't there? Then there are moments. Other moments. Moments like now. When I just feel like I don't have the strength to push through this anymore. That maybe.....just maybe I should let go. And really let go. Let it all go. Let go of all the pain. Let go of the people who keep hurting me. Let go of the negativity. Let go of the drama. Let go of the things that make me sad. Let go of the people who do so little for me control my mind, feelings and emotions . Let go of what is holding me back. Will it hurt to let go? Of course it will hurt to let it go. Letting go is hard! But it could possibly hurt me more holding on. Holding on is harder.<br />
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Will I ever be free?<br />
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I want to be free.<br />
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I want joy.<br />
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I want peace.<br />
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I want understanding.<br />
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I keep hearing the song 'Let it be' by the Beatles. A coincidence or a sign?<br />
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I wish that there was someone, anyone who could tell me the correct path to walk down. However I'm really the only one who can answer that question. I have to see the light and make the decision.<br />
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A very close and dear friend posted this tonight on her facebook page.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">A Community Announcement.: STOP. Remind yourself of who was always there to share your tears, success, laughter, embarrassment and fear, and who'll continue to be there until your days here are done. That 'who' is you. Stop and give yourself a break - you've been through so much with 'You', so cut 'you' some slack - you are your best friend. And if you haven't been told lately, I (and many others) think you're bloody amazing. G'night.</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-84653187826330672232013-12-01T19:00:00.000+11:002013-12-06T14:19:01.606+11:00Leave of Absence<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This is a special announcement and not one that I ever thought I would be making. I write this with mixed feelings and have shed quite a few tears as it is with regret to inform you all of my decision to take 12 months personal leave of absence from my position on the Board of Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope as President, with immediate effect. It has been a very difficult decision to make but after much </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">consideration and the support of my family, I believe it is for the best interests of Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope, myself and my family. I anticipate returning to the position of President 1st December 2014.<br /><br />I wish to clarify the reasons for my sudden decision to step back from the Board. There are many but I feel that my immediate and continued contribution over the next 12 months to the Board is extremely limited. I have poured my heart and soul into creating Yasminah’s Gift of Hope in memory of the stillbirth of my beautiful daughter Yasminah and in honour of our twin daughters Aisha and Aaliyah’s premature birth. I wanted to help other parents and families know that they weren't alone on this journey and that there was support and understanding available from someone who has experienced it. The creation of 'Yasminah's Gift Of Hope' being firstly the hand designed journals, then the Premmie Gift Of Hope journal, was one that was designed to not only give parents hope, but also an outlet to heal and a special keepsake and place to record their journey. I started YGOH when Aisha and Aaliyah were only a few months old and I’ve never really allowed myself time to grieve privately and fully acknowledge my own journey. YGOH has been an immense and important part of my healing and growth, but in many ways also shifted my focus and grief. I believe it was in a positive way and one that at the time felt right, helping others who have experienced the same or similar journeys of bereavement and premature birth. I also feel that I have missed out on so much of my little girls first precious years and I don’t wish for that to happen with our precious little rainbow baby we are expecting next year. Family must always come first. At this point in time it is important for me to focus on my physical and mental health, my pregnancy, the impending arrival of my rainbow baby and my beautiful, precious family.<br /><br />I have formed some very special friendships with you all over the past 4 years and together we have shared a lot of highs and lows. I greatly appreciate and thank you all for your love, kindness and support during what has been a very difficult time in my life. I truly value your friendships and the memories I have made will always be held close to my heart. I will never forget you and what you have each contributed to YGOH. One thing we have always prided ourselves upon is our connection to the community and working together with like-minded organisations and people - thank you for believing in YGOH, your support and contributions. I wish to especially thank my dear friends who have donated their time, skills and professional services via their businesses to supporting YGOH over the years. You have helped us grow from my humble dining room table 4 years ago to supporting thousands of families across Australia. YGOH was born from the loss of my little girl Yasminah Ann who has touched the hearts and lives of many and from the kindness and support of our family and friends and complete strangers whose support has been unwavering!<br /><br />I will greatly miss the daily interaction with the volunteers and being involved in the future direction of the organisation during the next 12 months. This is the right decision for me at this moment and for my future. I will be back so this isn’t really goodbye just - see you soon!<br /><br />Please continue in your amazing efforts of raising awareness, funds and supporting YGOH via contributing to journal designing, knitting and sewing. Please keep contributing to our Facebook support groups in order for us to continue the vital support we provide to premmie and bereaved families across Australia.<br /><br />I do hope that you will all keep in touch. I hold many of you and your babies close to my heart and I will be forever grateful for the beautiful friendships I have made along the way. Thank you for sharing your own journeys and opening your hearts to mine. I look forward to sharing the exciting new journey that lies ahead and the arrival of our rainbow baby next year. My phone number remains the same 0409977999 but I can no longer be reached at rebecca@ygoh.org.au Please refer any YGOH related emails to contact@ygoh.org.au<br /><br />Thanking you all from the bottom of my heart. Sending you all Hope, Light, Love and Happiness<br /><br />Bec xx</span><br />
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<a href="http://abadaustralia.blogspot.com.au/p/exhibition.html" style="font-size: 30px;" target="_blank">A Book About Death EXHIBITION</a></h3>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Tweed River Art Gallery, New South Wales, Australia.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">18 October - 24 November, 2013</span></h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This international exhibition originally conceived by Paris artist Matthew Rose was first exhibited in the Emily Harvey Gallery, New York in September 2009.</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The exhibition became a world wide phenomena, involving work from over 500 artists and inspiring artists to curate off shoot exhibitions throughout North America, South America, Europe and Britain.</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now 300 artists from more than 20 countries have submitted new artworks for the Australian exhibition at Tweed River Art Gallery in October 2013.</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The gallery has magnificent views over the Tweed River and surrounding mountain ranges.</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Multiple stacks of artists' postcards will be on the window alcove seats </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for gallery visitors </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to take home and create their own 'unbound' book about death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in February I came across the 'A Book About Death Exhibition. I was inspired and in awe of the artists sharing their gift, expressing what death means to them. Their personal, creative expression of grief. loss and heartache. I knew immediately that it was something I needed to be involved in. This had landed on my screen for a reason. This was my opportunity to express via visual art my grief. My book about death. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm thrilled,excited and slightly daunted that I've just submitted my very first official exhibition piece for the 'A Book About Death Australia' Exhibition, to be held at the Tweed River Art Gallery opening the 18th of October. Below is my submission. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What does death mean to you?</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-65647050288319062442013-09-17T11:14:00.002+10:002013-09-17T11:15:50.627+10:00Roots and WingsI came across the following note that a friend had posted to her page. I don't know who the original author of it is, but it sums up perfectly the way we should parent our children. <br />
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As a mother to three young children, I'm mindful that they won't always be little. That the first few years of their lives, they develop the imagination and skills to tackle the big bright world ahead of them. They need the warmth of love, support and encouragement not processions or trophy's.<br />
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Give them the chance to explore, create and learn by getting dirty in the mud, drawing on themselves with markers and reading books to excite their imagination. Let them be kids and develop a sense of wonder! Every child is unique and will learn and develop at their own pace.<br />
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My eldest Zachariah is 6 years old and was diagnosed as having high functioning autism or aspergers when he was 4. We have always encouraged him to be who he is and have marvelled at the way he views the world around him. I also have two adorable 3 year old twin girls Aisha and Aaliyah, who we call our twincesses! They were born 9 weeks premature and people often suggested that they weren't reaching their 'milestones' when they should have been. Time is a beautiful thing and over time they reached all those 'milestones' at their own pace. Although they are twins, they couldn't be more individual and are growing into strong, confident, happy, caring little girls. <br />
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I could add so much more to this note below, but the pre-school teacher sums it up pretty well! Give your children roots and wings. Let them learn how to fly. <br />
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<strong>Written by a Pre-School Teacher</strong><br />
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I was on a parenting bulletin board recently and read a post by a mother who was worried that her 4 1/2 year old did not know enough. “What should a 4 year old know?” she asked. Most of the answers left me not only saddened but pretty soundly annoyed. <br />
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One mum posted a laundry list of all of the things her son knew. Counting to 100, planets, how to write his first and last name, and on and on. Others chimed in with how much more their children already knew, some who were only three. A few posted URL’s to lists of what each age should know. The fewest yet said that each child develops at his own pace and not to worry.<br />
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It bothered me greatly to see these mothers responding to a worried mum by adding to her concern, with lists of all the things their children could do that hers couldn’t. We are such a competitive culture that even our pre-schoolers have become trophies and bragging rights. Childhood shouldn’t be a race.<br />
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<strong><em>So here, I offer my list of what a 4 year old should know.</em></strong><br />
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She should know that she is loved wholly and unconditionally, all of the time.<br />
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He should know that he is safe and he should know how to keep himself safe in public, with others, and in varied situations. He should know that he can trust his instincts about people and that he never has to do something that doesn’t feel right, no matter who is asking. He should know his personal rights and that his family will back them up.<br />
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She should know how to laugh, act silly, be goofy and use her imagination. She should know that it is always okay to paint the sky orange and give cats 6 legs.<br />
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He should know his own interests and be encouraged to follow them. If he could care less about learning his numbers, his parents should realize he’ll learn them accidentally soon enough and let him immerse himself instead in rocket ships, drawing, dinosaurs or playing in the mud.<br />
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She should know that the world is magical and that so is she. She should know that she’s wonderful, brilliant, creative, compassionate and marvellous. She should know that it’s just as worthy to spend the day outside making daisy chains, mud pies and fairy houses as it is to practice phonics. Scratch that– way more worthy.<br />
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But more important, here’s what parents need to know.</em></strong><br />
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That every child learns to walk, talk, read and do algebra at his own pace and that it will have no bearing on how well he walks, talks, reads or does algebra.<br />
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That the single biggest predictor of high academic achievement and high NAPLAN scores is reading to children. Not flash cards, not workbooks, not fancy preschools, not blinking toys or computers, but mum or dad taking the time every day or night (or both!) to sit and read them wonderful books.<br />
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That being the smartest or most accomplished kid in class has never had any bearing on being the happiest. We are so caught up in trying to give our children “advantages” that we’re giving them lives as multi-tasked and stressful as ours. One of the biggest advantages we can give our children is a simple, carefree childhood.<br />
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That our children deserve to be surrounded by books, nature, art supplies and the freedom to explore them. Most of us could get rid of 90% of our children’s toys and they wouldn’t be missed, but some things are important– building toys like Lego and blocks, creative toys like all types of art materials (good stuff), musical instruments (real ones and multicultural ones), dress up clothes and books, books, books. (Incidentally, much of this can be picked up quite cheaply at thrift shops.) They need to have the freedom to explore with these things too– to play with scoops of dried beans in the high chair (supervised, of course), to knead bread and make messes, to use paint and play dough and glitter at the kitchen table while we make supper even though it gets everywhere, to have a spot in the yard where it’s absolutely fine to dig up all the grass and make a mud pit.<br />
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That our children need more of us. We have become so good at saying that we need to take care of ourselves that some of us have used it as an excuse to have the rest of the world take care of our kids. Yes, we all need undisturbed baths, time with friends, sanity breaks and an occasional life outside of parenthood. But we live in a time when parenting magazines recommend trying to commit to 10 minutes a day with each child and scheduling one Saturday a month as family day. That’s not okay! <br />
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Our children don’t need Nintendo's, computers, after school activities, ballet lessons, play groups and soccer practice nearly as much as they need US. They need fathers who sit and listen to their days, mothers who join in and make crafts with them, parents who take the time to read them stories and act like idiots with them. They need us to take walks with them and not mind the .1 KPH pace of a toddler on a spring night. They deserve to help us make supper even though it takes twice as long and makes it twice as much work. They deserve to know that they’re a priority for us and that we truly love to be with them.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-83435272801625511762013-08-20T12:36:00.000+10:002014-02-25T14:26:53.819+11:00<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE 10 SUPERIOR SKILLS OF THE TWIN PARENT</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found this many moons ago on a blog written in response of things not to say to a twin parent. It is spot on and made me laugh, and I thought it was worthy of sharing. The original post no longer seems to exist so I'm not sure who to credit this to. </span></div>
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<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Strength: Our constant lifting of heavy babies gives us superior muscle tone.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Endurance: We can endure sleep deprivation comparable to special-forces in training.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Speed: We can fly in and out of a baby’s bedroom at 2am like a flipping ninja. (You would too if you risked waking another screaming baby).</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sense: Our sense of smell is heightened to that of a top police tracker dog, being able not only to spot a dirty nappy, but locating it to within 6 inches from the other side of the room.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Humour: We laugh in the face of danger. (Mainly because we accept we can only tackle one danger at a time so the other one may as well be funny!).</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hustling: We have more grey hair than you would expect for our age, which is disarming and helps us hustle.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gift of the Gab: We should all have PhD’s in Diplomacy and Negotiation (e.g. you get to pull the plug out tomorrow, the second hand shoes are magic, three divided by two is one each and one for me, etc)</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Emotional Resilience: We can do all of the above while simultaneously crying without even smudging our mascara. (We have no time for makeup).</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lords of the Dance: We <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">always</strong> have enough people for the hokey pokey.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brute Force: Our prams are bigger than your prams. Move over, we’re coming through whether it suits you or not!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentcolor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">your</strong> qualifications/special skills?</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-20531638109064172022013-08-19T17:00:00.000+10:002013-08-19T17:00:15.977+10:00About Me Monday 20 Questions1. Do you have a middle name? Yes - Ann which I have passed down to my daughters who also have the middle name of Ann<br />
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2. What was your favourite subject in school? Visual Art. I studied 3 Unit art and pursued an Bachelor of Visual Arts degree at University after finishing High School.<br />
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3. What’s your favourite drink? I'm loving Nescafe Green Blend Cappuccino<br />
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4. Favourite song at the moment? 'We come running' by Youngblood Hawke. I recently got to see them perform this song live at the P!nk Sydney Concert <br />
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5. Do you participate in any sports? Nope.... I'm not very athletic however my husband manages our family business, his Karate Dojo in Western Sydney - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WesternSydneyKyokushin" target="_blank">Western Sydney Kyokoshin Karate</a><br />
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6. Favourite Colour? Do I have to pick one? I'd probably say blue, but I love bright colours like <br />
yellow and greens and the subdued browns. <br />
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7. Favourite Animals? Tigers and Panda's<br />
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8. Favourite holiday? We haven't been on many holidays together as a family, but I would have to say our first ever family holiday to Diamond Beach on the Central Coast of NSW was perfect! I got to walk along the beach everyday and soak in the sun with my little ones. It was my twincesses first time at the beach. One other really special thing my son and I did was write Yasminah and other angels names in the sand. <br />
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9. Have you been out of the Country? I have never travelled overseas, but really hope to one day!<br />
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10. Do you speak any other Languages? I have some very basic Arabic knowledge but that's it<br />
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11. Do you have any siblings? I have a younger sister Sandy-Lee and brother David. <br />
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12. What’s your favourite store? Sportsgirl<br />
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13. Favourite Restaurant? Sahara at Parramatta<br />
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14. Did you like school? Yes I did, but I was a bit of a nerd <br />
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15. Favourite Movie? Sleepless in Seattle <br />
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16. Favourite TV show? Grey's Anatomy<br />
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17. What phone do you have? iPhone 4<br />
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18. How tall are you? 175cmAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-43948131894492172342013-07-21T18:00:00.000+10:002013-07-21T23:26:53.960+10:00Oscar Chavez honours his premature baby girl Arianna <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oscar Chavez is the
lead singer of Australian Band Suns of Cascadia. Oscar Chavez shot to fame
after gaining a spot on Team Delta on The Voice Australia Season 2 from over 10,000
applicants. Oscar’s Blind audition has received over 250,000 views on YouTube. <o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">President and Founder of Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope Rebecca
Aziz said ‘We first learnt about Oscar and the premature birth of his daughter
as a contestant on The Voice’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“As soon as I heard about ‘Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope’, I just
knew I had to be involved.” “I wish that I knew about ‘Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope’
while going through what we went through.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is a topic that is very close to my
heart and I want to do all that I can to help” said Oscar Chavez. <o:p></o:p></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rebecca Aziz is the mother of Yasminah who was stillborn and
of identical twins who were born 9 weeks prematurely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her experiences made her realise how
important it is to have something by which to remember each child and their
special birth journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tragedy is
that some families have nothing: no photos, no record, nothing to hold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Premature birth is the number one killer of newborns. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over one million little angels around the world each year never come home. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over 45,000 babies are admitted into neonatal intensive and special care units every year in Australia. This is over 14.5% of all babies born and translates to over 115 admissions every day. </span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In 2009 there were 78
babies who died from SIDS and 2341 babies were stillborn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*Australian Bureau Of Statistics AIHW
National Perinatal Statistics Report<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are roughly 10
times more stillborn babies than babies who die of SIDS each year, yet this
statistic hasn't changed for years. That's roughly 2000 babies a year or six a
day in Australia. We all fear SIDS, yet stillbirth, which is far more common,
is rarely talked about. *Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">‘Yasminah’s Gift of Hope’ is a non-profit organisation that
has provided over 8000 Australian families with a ‘Gift Of Hope’ support
package since 2010. The G.O.H. Journals are special keepsakes that display
ultrasound images, photos, cot cards, arm bands, and foot and hand prints as
cherished mementos. The journals also allow parents to express their thoughts
in a therapeutic and healing way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oscar Chavez said his decision to become an Ambassador for
Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope was after his own personal experience of premature birth
with his daughter Arianna.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I have decided to become an Ambassador for ‘Yasminah’s Gift
Of Hope’ for the simple reason of having experienced the hardship of premature
birth with my Daughter Arianna. She was born at 31 weeks and weighed 1.1 Kilograms.
I've seen the strength that these babies need to survive and I've seen the
incredible nursing staff and equipment required to ensure these babies have the
best chance of survival. Our daughter is one of the children that survived
premature birth and she is the happiest baby I have ever met. She is a miracle
to this world and means everything to me. I wish for other parents with
premature children to have the same chance to hold their happy, healthy
children every day.”</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As Ambassador, Oscar Chavez will promote awareness of the
high rate of premature birth and stillbirths in this country and the ongoing
support and understanding available from Yasminah's Gift of Hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“We’re delighted to have Oscar as an Ambassador and grateful
for his passion for the cause. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oscar
plans to write a song for Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope to help raise awareness. Oscar’s
personally experienced premature birth and knows the struggle that parents go
through at that time. He offers a unique prospective as a father of a premature
infant. So often the focus is on the mother and with his help we can let dads
know that there is support available for them too. ” said Rebecca Aziz<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oscar and his wife are currently expecting their second
child, due later this year. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-28856532168983511412013-07-18T07:30:00.000+10:002013-07-18T07:30:02.712+10:00Collaborate For A Cause<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzk1eq_bdLEsI8nYuJ5z7geDg85IhC4uBEosiVFs7vRkJODLijLFo7mqyzaycSXNKY35sEIUqLM1-RWHJXuc7KJETToiNY3yawI4uwjjzJ3DbTvTQ7IhH8uc-lwhfqCc-dnW5GiXLJhhRt/s1600/13488_560572430642251_1651744126_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzk1eq_bdLEsI8nYuJ5z7geDg85IhC4uBEosiVFs7vRkJODLijLFo7mqyzaycSXNKY35sEIUqLM1-RWHJXuc7KJETToiNY3yawI4uwjjzJ3DbTvTQ7IhH8uc-lwhfqCc-dnW5GiXLJhhRt/s200/13488_560572430642251_1651744126_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Members of Australia’s handmade community will be hoping to raise more than $50,000 for a variety of charities including Yasminah's Gift Of Hope through Collaborate for a Cause – a massive online charity auction being held late July.<br />
<br />
The event – which will take place via Facebook from July 26-28 – involves more than 340 small handmade businesses and hobby enterprises. <br />
<br />
We are honoured and thrilled to have over 25 handmade businesses participating in over 15 collaborations. Together, they are hoping their collaborations raise over $2500 for Yasminah's Gift Of Hope.<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwB45WdqFHarK1iuptFTRJXzNdvK3tWUIG_x6ekInNcdZ-5LXhhmr1UUj_z98osYUOQ2se0XvlpxIMDjm5uPTCZZKpiWmxvplUkW_KZimJ9RMPaXKU2Nq7IheHiqbwsaxvc8pjrGUdxSYs/s1600/download+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwB45WdqFHarK1iuptFTRJXzNdvK3tWUIG_x6ekInNcdZ-5LXhhmr1UUj_z98osYUOQ2se0XvlpxIMDjm5uPTCZZKpiWmxvplUkW_KZimJ9RMPaXKU2Nq7IheHiqbwsaxvc8pjrGUdxSYs/s400/download+(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The inaugural event in 2011 – which included 200+ businesses – raised $18,000. Last year this was doubled to a massive $40,000 shared amongst 105 charities. This year, organiser Jen Kennedy from Ainslee Fox Handmade believes the donation tally could reach $50,000. <br />
<br />
“We’ve had such an overwhelming response from the creative community on Facebook. We’ve got collaborations of two, three, four and even more businesses who have all worked together to create some amazing, beautiful handmade items. "<br />
<br />
“Australia is fortunate to have a thriving community of talented craftspeople – many are stay-at-home mums – and this event is being held in the name of fun, friendship and giving.” <br />
<br />
Members of the public will be able to bid on the auction via the Collaborate for a Cause Facebook page simply by commenting under a photograph of their favourite item. Payments will be taken by direct bank deposit or PayPal. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixx6Kgyp7v1Sc6iHzntRFfKvk7SD-ZNco4w6UcwQKpdJjBXJUMEWoQ8KjnpcwgAHKpgjzyT1zXPsqLtuVmYlNAQKjWzyWJupn_1-qE5lxEMn0sJlSoex9DP1ADln_tlL9sPe5T-0kv1yQr/s1600/c4acpromo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixx6Kgyp7v1Sc6iHzntRFfKvk7SD-ZNco4w6UcwQKpdJjBXJUMEWoQ8KjnpcwgAHKpgjzyT1zXPsqLtuVmYlNAQKjWzyWJupn_1-qE5lxEMn0sJlSoex9DP1ADln_tlL9sPe5T-0kv1yQr/s640/c4acpromo.jpg" width="451" /></a></div>
Full details about the auction and photographs/descriptions of the items being auctioned are available at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/collaborate4acause">www.facebook.com/collaborate4acause</a> <br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-51639013365470190152013-06-07T21:47:00.000+10:002013-12-06T15:33:29.753+11:00Saying Goodbye........Memories of your pregnancy, birth and time with your child are precious.
Before saying good bye you may want to:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Take photos
</li>
<li>Bathe your child
</li>
<li>Wash them in a special scented soap
</li>
<li>Put a nappy on them and dress them
</li>
<li>Take your child outside
</li>
<li>Have family and friends visit
</li>
<li>Take hand and foot prints, hand and feet castings
</li>
<li>Collect a lock of hair
</li>
<li>Place items of clothing, blankets/wraps that your child wore in a snap lock
bag to retain their smell </li>
</ul>
<br />
You can keep hospital bracelets, name cards and other hospital items used for
your child and place them within your journal. Just ask the hospital staff to keep them aside for you.<br />
<br />
<br />
It might help you to create a scrapbook of your memories including items from
your pregnancy like pregnancy tests, ultrasound pictures, belly photos and other keepsakes from your pregnancy and birth.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTzzRGT1edajCyL37HE-7Sbtu2JbiK5a7H65UnQhzvJ6os-_GPEBmekokB7FxkjyvWUpLqvBwex7CihaJy0cTR7uvFkT91qHA1ZQLQTIqP2Q63xiZF-Gl97klgKY3WBaIpQo_m7H7Jchd/s1600/Always+and+Forever+Art+Creations+038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTzzRGT1edajCyL37HE-7Sbtu2JbiK5a7H65UnQhzvJ6os-_GPEBmekokB7FxkjyvWUpLqvBwex7CihaJy0cTR7uvFkT91qHA1ZQLQTIqP2Q63xiZF-Gl97klgKY3WBaIpQo_m7H7Jchd/s320/Always+and+Forever+Art+Creations+038.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nRI37zBprH8xw3hKA2JhjvoiJM-WEtgRzCZgHtp9_JJvvUKHV9k77NHFJJ96z1wZ0H_GCwTsl5pVHA6gobQ88T31zuBaAsLqC5fFe5avuM7jjjW6GgKgsdYXNzfOAz7s87a0p9Xf9UZj/s1600/64257_10151808103683345_303187747_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nRI37zBprH8xw3hKA2JhjvoiJM-WEtgRzCZgHtp9_JJvvUKHV9k77NHFJJ96z1wZ0H_GCwTsl5pVHA6gobQ88T31zuBaAsLqC5fFe5avuM7jjjW6GgKgsdYXNzfOAz7s87a0p9Xf9UZj/s320/64257_10151808103683345_303187747_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkB8Wic4uoauPS4YUSKIlr-Jsx0JIPX2JNolySETbaze7W4DVevFmNp5qTB4AAFXjjjEXxVcqOCYwXLLOCohN5LPTqzsDpdMBLoPtwUpag077Hs_wTy0SRhP1gtcjfZcY_6nSb9UqyYly/s1600/Pregnancy-Test.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkB8Wic4uoauPS4YUSKIlr-Jsx0JIPX2JNolySETbaze7W4DVevFmNp5qTB4AAFXjjjEXxVcqOCYwXLLOCohN5LPTqzsDpdMBLoPtwUpag077Hs_wTy0SRhP1gtcjfZcY_6nSb9UqyYly/s320/Pregnancy-Test.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-36128076663563199752013-06-01T09:00:00.000+10:002013-07-22T12:19:48.615+10:00Journals For June 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqa8tWE8bydsAiBEzSsyJUNbuouvpC2OGT0JPg-k1r3J5FcRZmb3RuUtgx8EwC6Id7Rrqf5VtCB9Ck_Ivy4mxKUlHmlWcAV1YFEvTNBFE-rOqwJARmImZvxOyIxj1s0de_oZVbYeBoe340/s1600/JournalsForJune_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqa8tWE8bydsAiBEzSsyJUNbuouvpC2OGT0JPg-k1r3J5FcRZmb3RuUtgx8EwC6Id7Rrqf5VtCB9Ck_Ivy4mxKUlHmlWcAV1YFEvTNBFE-rOqwJARmImZvxOyIxj1s0de_oZVbYeBoe340/s640/JournalsForJune_2013.jpg" width="462" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-67555157838173312182013-05-21T14:54:00.000+10:002013-12-06T14:23:58.103+11:00Return To ZeroReturn To Zero written by Sean Hanish is a movie about a successful couple played by Minnie Driver and Paul Adelstein (Private Practice) who lose their child on the day he's supposed to be born. They must overcome their grief to save their relationship and start a family together. It is the FIRST film of it's kind that directly focuses on the grief of losing a child to stillbirth and what that experience is like for so many families.<br />
<br />
Each day in Australia 6 babies are still born. Each day! My daughter Yasminah was one of those 6 babies stillborn on the 26th March 2009. <br />
<br />
This film needs to be seen and we need your help to prove to Hollywood that they NEED to bring this to theatres worldwide! <br />
<br />
As a Local Leader for Sydney, NSW Australia I need your PLEDGE to come and see this movie on opening night with me in Australia!<br />
<br />
In the next 30 DAYS our goal is to have 150,000 people pledge to see RETURN TO ZERO opening weekend!<br />
<br />
If each LOCAL LEADER can get 100 people to Pledge, then we will easily surpass that goal and be one giant step closer to getting the film released around the globe!<br />
<br />
Let's get started right away--below is the RETURN TO ZERO PLEDGE FORM! List me Rebecca Aziz as your local leader!<br />
<br />
<br />
In English<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bit.ly/16H3uNz">http://bit.ly/16H3uNz</a><br />
<br />
<br />
In Spanish<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bit.ly/116zM1q">http://bit.ly/116zM1q</a><br />
<br />
There's still time to become a Local Leader in your community! Sign up here!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bit.ly/15QejwV">http://bit.ly/15QejwV</a><br />
<br />
And if you haven't had a chance to view the First Glimpse of RETURN TO ZERO check out this video!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/4Gq7OL-0fs4">http://youtu.be/4Gq7OL-0fs4</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-78810866669668487742013-05-14T20:30:00.000+10:002013-05-14T20:30:03.125+10:00This is your songThere is an African tribe, where it is believed that the moment a woman thinks about having a child, her child is born. This becomes the child's birth date. When the woman decides that she will have a child, she goes and sits alone beside a tree. She carefully listens for the 'song' of the child that wants to come. After she has heard the song of this child, she goes back to the man that will be the child's father and she teaches him, his child's song. When they make physical love to conceive their child, some of that time they sing the song of the child, to bring it to life. <br />
<br />When the woman is pregnant, she teaches her child's song to the midwives and the old women of the village. When the child is born the midwives and old women of the village welcome the child into the world singing the child's song. As the child grows, the rest of the village are taught the child's song. The belief is if the child is injured or hurt, the other villagers sing the child's song to comfort them. The child's song is also sung during important milestones as a way of honouring their achievements. <br />
<br />
<br />
If I had to choose my song, it would have to be 'I was here' by Beyoncé. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/i41qWJ6QjPI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />We may not all be able to sing like Beyoncé, or have grown up in an African tribe that sings your song to you at crucial life transitions, but life is always reminding you when you are in tune with yourself and when you are not. <br />
<br />
When my husband and I first started dating, there was one song that just expressed how we felt about each other and what we both hoped and dreamed, that one day we would have a child together. Without even realizing it, our child was born. Therefor our first born child's song would have to be 'Tamika' by Immature.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
"You mean the world to me, Tamika. You are my everything, Tamika". </div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZepwuAkw7Iw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
We never knew exactly how long it would take to have our first child, or that our first born would be a boy. After 6 years we were completely over the moon to be parents! We never thought that we would fall pregnant for a second time so easily. Yasminah was a miracle from the very beginning. Despite a complicated pregnancy, she was our little angel and never would will realize just how true those words would be. After Yasminah passed away and even on the day of her funeral, Beyoncé's song 'Halo' played everywhere we went. I can still remember the warmth of the sun on my face, as tears streamed down my cheek after laying my daughter to rest. It quite quickly become 'her' song. <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Remember those walls I built, well baby they're tumbling down. They didn't even put up a fight. They didn't even make a sound. I found a way to let you in, but I never really had a doubt. Standing in the light of your halo, I've got my angel now. It's like I've been awakened, ever rule I had you breaking. It's the risk that I'm taking....... Everywhere I'm looking now I'm surrounded by your embrace. Baby I can see your halo. You know your my saving grace."</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/bnVUHWCynig?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
No song could more profoundly be appropriate for our twin daughters Aisha and Aaliyah than Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole's 'Somewhere over the rainbow'. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Dreams really do come true"</div>
</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/w_DKWlrA24k/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/w_DKWlrA24k&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/w_DKWlrA24k&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
<br />
I hope you can find your song. Sing your song. Sing like no one is listening! <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-20773017575909596062013-05-13T00:33:00.000+10:002013-12-06T14:44:16.648+11:00Best BeforeToday grief pulled me back into the depths of sadness and reality that my daughter died. <br />
<br />
Doing the mundane task of groceries, one by one I checked off the items on my shopping list. As I walked through the meat department I searched for the Kangaroo Sausages my son loves! Kanga Banga's! Quite a funny name, but a huge hit in our family with mashed sweet potatoes. I don't know about you, but when I'm shopping I always check the back of the shelves for the freshest produce or the furthest best before date. Reaching to the back for the freshest Kanga Banga's and the date took me by surprise. <br />
<br />
Best Before 26.03.2013<br />
<br />
It stopped me in my tracks. It's not like it's the first time I've seen her date of birth on something, especially on something trivial like food packaging. I felt the tears welling up in my eyes. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-4435520935946586802013-05-12T23:33:00.000+10:002013-05-12T23:33:03.779+10:00Remember the momentsI feel empty. Devoid of feeling. I think I do this mostly to protect myself. Quietly tip toeing around the heartache that one of my 4 children will never be here on earth to wrap their arms ever so tightly around my neck, gently delivering a soft, sweet, tiny kiss upon my cheek. Bringing me their handmade card filled with the colours of their growing imagination. <br />
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I began this Mothers Day in tears as my precious little people ran to my bedside to plant their kisses and wrap their cold hands tightly around my neck. One of my 3 year old twins, gently caresses my face with her tiny hand. Her piercing blue eyes lighting up as a smile appears on her face, asking me if I had a nice sleep. In this moment I realize that it's Mothers Day. I'm grateful that I have 3 of my children here with me on earth. I will always wish I had all 4. I rub my eyes as if I'm wiping away sleepy dust, trying to hide the tears that well in my eyes. I appreciate and adore my 3 living children all the more, because of what losing my first born daughter taught me. Life is precious. Every single moment is precious. <br />
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Mothers Day has been commercialised and the true meaning of the day, I feel a little misplaced. The campaign to declare the second Sunday of May 'Mothers Day' was lead by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Jarvis" target="_blank">Anna Marie Jarvis</a>, one of four living children born of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Jarvis" target="_blank">Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis</a>. On May 12, 1907 two years after her mother Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis passed away, Anna held a memorial for her mother and embarked upon the campaign to have Mothers Day officially recognised. Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis gave birth to 11 children, sadly 7 of them passed away. Mothers Day was meant to be a day to honour and remember a bereaved mother, the children she holds in her womb, in her arms and the ones she holds within her heart. Mothers Day was officially declared a recognised holiday in 1914, by President Woodrow Wilson. <br />
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Mothers Day <em>should</em> be a day to recognise <em>all</em> mothers. I feel that we are beginning to break the silence and bring this day back to it's original true meaning.To all mothers, step mothers, grandmothers, single mothers, bereaved mothers, those struggling to be mothers, this day belongs to you. <br />
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I hope you had a peaceful day, surrounded by the love and family and those who care about you. I was spoiled with a cheese omelette, orange juice and tea for breakfast. The best gift of all was receiving my Mothers Day card, complete with artwork by my 5 year old and 3 year old twins. Zach my eldest drew a little butterfly and told me it was baby Yasminah. I'm truly the luckiest mum in the world, to hold 3 children in my arms and to have held an angel, even if only for a moment. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-11492651052383816442013-05-10T00:45:00.001+10:002014-02-24T11:21:53.062+11:00Never give upRace against the clock. A ticking time bomb waiting to go off. The bomb squad are on standby for full blown war and self destruction at any given point in time. Unstable, unwilling, unmotivated. <br />
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I wipe the tears away from my eyes. Emotion washes over my soul, the tears stream down my face. Unable to stop the water escaping from my eyes. <br />
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Barely able to keep my eyes open. <br />
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Every day is a struggle against the demons inside my head. I constantly have a raging battle against my own mind. Do you have any idea what that is like? I'm thankful if you answered no. I understand if you answered yes. <br />
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I can't do this. I'm not strong enough. I'm just so tired. What is the point of all this anyway. <br />
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I can tell you all the different ways I've thought about giving up. I could take all those prescription pain killers I still have left over from the day that my daughter died. I could grab some rope from the garage and suspend it from the top of my stairs, I think the drop is high enough. I could always let the grip on the steering wheel slip from my hands, and close my eyes as the car veers into the wall or over the bridge. <br />
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It is terrifying when you have thought about all the different ways you could end your life and those thoughts come easily to you. I would never follow through with any of them, but I can't stop those thoughts from still occasionally entering my mind. Occupying that little spot of doubt and lack of self confidence. <br />
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I've been working so hard on trying to change my mindset, trying to retrain my brain to think positively. To ignore the voices in my head. The same voices that tell me that I'm responsible for my daughters death. That I shouldn't care about what other people think, but I do. <br />
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I am an amazing person. I am blessed. I know love. I have lived. I'm grateful. I'm someone's wife, lover, best friend, sister, daughter, cousin, granddaughter, colleague. I'm a mum. <br />
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I inspire people. I never quite understand why. <br />
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Retreating and hoping to find some peace....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-5275338663751264282013-05-06T00:50:00.002+10:002013-05-06T00:50:37.580+10:00I am still standingPutting my thoughts and feelings into written words, hasn't come easy lately. <br />
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I sit here in the quiet still of the midnight air, feeling my chest rise and fall, hearing my breath inhale and exhale with each passing moment. There is no sound, apart from the click of each key I press on my laptop. Writing the words as my fingers connect to the keyboard, pouring the words from my soul. I close my eyes and be still with this moment. Thankful to just be. Thankful for every breath I have taken. Still with each moment and memory past. Thankful for the love and joy in my life. Thankful. <br />
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Just over four years ago I gave birth for the second time. I became a mum again. This makes me smile. I inhaled and exhaled with a purpose to deliver my second child, my first little girl physically into this world. I was guided and supported by my husband and my midwives through the birth of my daughter. The passage of birth, a new precious life that was over before it had begun. With one final force of air through my lungs and pushing with all my strength, my eyes closed for fear of losing my strength, forgetting this memory, my daughter was born into this world, never to take a single breath. <br />
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In that single moment of time. She took my breath away.<br />
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Birth is supposed to be this big beautiful moment of pure happiness, joy, and hope. It still was all these things and more. The elation of meeting our beautiful little girl that had been wriggling around, gently tugging at my heartstrings for 9 months was overwhelming. I felt happiness and nothing but pure love for my daughter. I still feel this way. I will always feel this way. I don't think of her with sadness. How can I be sad about someone so beautiful? I think of Yasminah with love and peace in my heart. I can close my eyes and pull myself back into that moment in time, where everything stood still. My daughter Yasminah may have been born still, but it is because of her that I am still standing. <br />
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I am still standing.<br />
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Today is <a href="http://carlymarieprojectheal.com/" target="_blank">International Bereaved Mothers Day</a>. I send my love, support and hope to mums everywhere. To the mums who yearn to hold their babies in their arms, I want you to know that this will get easier. You will still be standing as time passes. Sending you all hope, light, love and happiness <3 class="goog-spellcheck-word" span="" style="background: yellow;">Bec</3><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-88358844970727529482013-04-29T09:30:00.000+10:002013-04-29T09:30:02.289+10:00Chore Chart<div style="text-align: left;">
Zach our eldest thrives on routine and structure. Since starting school this year it has been a little bit of a struggle to get him to focus on some rather mundane day to day tasks like make his bed, brush his teeth and complete his homework. I had a go at creating my own chore chart but I wasn't happy with it, so reverted to searching the net for a downloadable chore chart that we could customise for each of the kids. </div>
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I found this really cool chore chart via <a href="http://suttongrace.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/chore-chart.html" target="_blank">Sutton Grace</a> blog who found it via ModEcoKids.com.</div>
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Since downloading this chore chart our children have been more focussed and their behaviour has improved dramatically. Because it took me quite a while to find a chore chart that worked for our family I decided to help via sharing here too! I didn't create this chore chart and I'm not the first to share it but wanted to easily be able to find it, when we need to amend our chores as the kids grow. </div>
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Please click below to download the file. It is edit only so you won't be able to save any of the names or chores you type on the document but you can save a template of the file for later use. </div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0ByO7mqPvN05dNjQ0YzM5M2QtYWVkNS00NjQ5LWEyNmMtYzM4YTE4ZWI4ZjA5&hl=en&authkey=CMuojrUF" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Download it here</span></a></div>
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Tip: on the left side of the screen under google docs there are two tabs: FILE and VIEW. Click on file and then select "download original". It will then download to your computer and should open in reader automatically (if you have adobe reader already installed on your computer).</div>
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I love how this teaches them how each child contributes to the family and also visually rewards them for positive behaviour and actions. Zach is only 5 (almost 6) and the twins Aisha and Aaliyah are 3, so the chores we have are very basic. We tend to focus on the little things we struggle to get them to achieve. My husband and I discussed about whether we pay them for the chores that they do. We think that Zach is old enough to understand the concept of money and we have already begun teaching him about earning, saving and spending money. We have followed Erin's example from Sutton Grace and are paying Zach $0.05 for each tick he gets at the end of the week. For Aisha and Aaliyah if they get mostly ticks we will reward them with some stickers or a special craft activity. </div>
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<strong>The Aziz Family Rules</strong></div>
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share</div>
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listen </div>
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be kind </div>
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be honest</div>
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ask once, ask nice</div>
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no yelling</div>
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no talking back</div>
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no whining or complaining</div>
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no hitting, punching or kicking</div>
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wash hands after using the toilet</div>
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respect others, respect yourselves and respect your family and friends</div>
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use our manners - please, thank you, no thank you, you're welcome and excuse me</div>
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<strong>Morning</strong> </div>
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get dressed</div>
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brush teeth</div>
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make bed</div>
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eat our breakfast</div>
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get ready for school</div>
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put our shoes on</div>
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<strong>Afternoon</strong></div>
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put our shoes in the laundry</div>
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complete homework or have quiet time</div>
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<strong>Evening</strong></div>
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wash our hands ready to eat</div>
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eat all our dinner</div>
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take our plates & cups to the sink</div>
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<strong>Bedtime</strong></div>
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put dirty clothes in the basket </div>
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have a shower</div>
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brush teeth</div>
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get dressed in pajamas</div>
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hang up towel</div>
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quiet time and ready for bed</div>
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no whining or crying</div>
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kiss, hug and say goodnight to everyone</div>
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Another method we have been using is a <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/570198002791462258/" target="_blank">behaviour chart</a> I found on Pinterest. You can print it out, laminate it and cut it up. I placed some double sided Velcro on the back of each one and place the appropriate one on the bottom of each children's chore chart. Zach loves this!! Just need to find a Dora or Barbie themed one for the girls, but for the moment we are using the superheros for them too. </div>
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I'd love to hear from you if this works for you too, or if you have any secrets you'd like to share. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-21308250955431367042013-04-17T20:00:00.000+10:002013-04-17T20:00:06.820+10:00Thank you<br />
I want to sincerely thank you all of you who follow, interact, share and support Yasminah's Gift Of Hope. I want to personally thank you for continuing to inspire me and empower me to break the silence for babies born too soon. For over 4 years I have posted quotes, questions, reflections, positive affirmations, shared articles and my personal journey following the stillbirth of my daughter Yasminah and the premature birth of our daughters Aisha and Aaliyah. <br />
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We have a beautiful community, connected by the invisible bond of grief. This page, my blog, our community is more about sharing kindness, support, and love. Breaking the silence, creating awareness and guiding families on their journey. I hope you feel safe and supported in sharing your own experience in a positive space without judgement or fear. <br />
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Too many babies are born too soon. I will continue to break the silence, share our struggles, show compassion and provide support. Thank you for listening and all your kindness. Your love and support is felt, appreciated and returned. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-84499841789696091252013-04-16T23:11:00.000+10:002013-04-16T23:11:21.205+10:00PositivityA little piece of my heart is missing and it will never be filled. I think I keep trying to fill the gap. Helping others - reaching out, over extending myself to breaking point. I have reached rock bottom and come back again more than once. I'm really making an effort to keep some 'order' and normality in my day to day life. Sticking to a routine helps me. It's not always easy. It is never easy. But the alternative is dark, depressing, lonely and down right wasteful. <br />
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I have been blessed. <br />
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I have been incredibly blessed! <br />
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My life isn't the one I imagined it would be all those years ago, but I wouldn't change any of it for a single second. I would make the same choices. I have learnt valuable lessons. Sometimes at the cost of my own heart and sanity. I have been hurt. I have been hurt too many times. I think it's because I'm so trusting. I believe that people are genuine, that they tell the truth, that they are who they say they are. Until they aren't.......and that hurts. I've promised myself that from this day - beginning now I will not let people take advantage of me. I won't allow myself to get hurt anymore. I won't let negative energy into my positive circle. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-27782425764626498392013-04-03T19:30:00.000+11:002013-04-03T19:30:02.255+11:00Westmead NICU Twin Crib<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We need your HELP! Please help us raise $2500 needed for a twin crib in honour of our daughters Aisha and Aaliyah for new multiple families to use at Westmead Public Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">3 years ago we were blessed with the early but safe arrival of Zachariah and Yasminah's little twin sisters Aisha Ann and Aaliyah Ann. Born at only 31+5 weeks old<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Aisha ~ 16/12/09 ~ 11:53pm~ 1554g ~ 41cms ~ </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span> </div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Aaliyah ~ 16/12/09 ~ 11:55pm ~ 1730g ~ 41.5cms ~<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEAPuEiylNSwvKIl-A7Pi0PRH9pXFZ-eeKHUlxjALgm69LOIzBEh4oy1onlum4pdp4HHQOMptHL69WTxa2AjGRKbt3OHx18rwaaqkL4V0f6L5fVcd2Xtm_4ktt4HRK_vBfu2-8kMJZPzK/s1600/IMG_0572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEAPuEiylNSwvKIl-A7Pi0PRH9pXFZ-eeKHUlxjALgm69LOIzBEh4oy1onlum4pdp4HHQOMptHL69WTxa2AjGRKbt3OHx18rwaaqkL4V0f6L5fVcd2Xtm_4ktt4HRK_vBfu2-8kMJZPzK/s320/IMG_0572.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></span> </div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We spent a very long 4 weeks in Neonatal Intensive Care at Westmead Hospital. We anxiously watched and waited for our girls to be reunited outside of the womb. It wasn't until week 3 that they happened to be in adjoining rooms in the NICU and one of our lovely nurses helped put them together for the very first time! She gently carried Aaliyah attached to all her wires and monitors through the adjoining room’s doorway and placed her next to Aisha. The moment they were next to each other they smiled and nuzzled into each other. This brief 30 seconds if forever etched into my heart. It was magical! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQNPpBhcHx4T_wPgIjeUuWHvpQ0SZi8qaOeY1cGV5-EinBA-z8AIPUSUA1UqqBAtm4-9uUn5L2fYIttzp4CuWtXG6UGI2FL3hb6KVzGWgvUm1eqNgi0-tl9SQQ06LNjGDyFNVhnDP1kV-/s1600/IMG_0910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQNPpBhcHx4T_wPgIjeUuWHvpQ0SZi8qaOeY1cGV5-EinBA-z8AIPUSUA1UqqBAtm4-9uUn5L2fYIttzp4CuWtXG6UGI2FL3hb6KVzGWgvUm1eqNgi0-tl9SQQ06LNjGDyFNVhnDP1kV-/s320/IMG_0910.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">That was a turning point for Aaliyah, who up until that time was a little further behind than Aisha. Her condition improved and one week later both of our girls were discharged home 4 weeks earlier than predicted by their caregivers. I honestly believe it was from this single moment.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Westmead at the time didn't have a twin crib in the NICU and ever since that moment we have wanted to get one for Westmead, but we need your help to make our dream a reality.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We are asking for your support to make a donation towards purchasing this very valuable piece of equipment for the NICU. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We want to help another multiple family have this same opportunity to capture their premmie twins reunited in the NICU. </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">A twin crib for use in the NICU encourages co-bedding. Cobedded multiples can see, touch, and smell each other at all times, just like they could before birth in the womb. It allows the babies to share space together and they can even have them positioned as they were in the womb. Feet to head, head to head, back to back - however they were placed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Research has shown that heart rate and other stress cues reduce. Cobedded twins seem less irritable than other twins. When twins sleep together, they coordinate their sleep/wake cycles and have less stress and they seem to gain weight better than multiples that aren’t co-bedded.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Twins are used to being together - so when they are in a situation such as the NICU where holding time is limited - giving them the comfort of companionship of their sibling can increase their chances of survival and promote happiness. Cobedded twins seem to have happier parents, fewer episodes of bradycardia, better thermoregulation, and lower oxygen needs.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Please make a donation, every amount big or small can make a huge difference.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtuG-fvi2fjhXqDpyQ36zK4-6I0ypKFQESZJQtE6NW9xvcB-cWtr0JV3fzjTDR62WeRXTliOpXtoKBXfN4v9-RrnBX5glbRiMNnhH9ALyYoXVQPOktZNITUVrNLsfbeScEoeFHJPOa3OV/s1600/IMG_2372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtuG-fvi2fjhXqDpyQ36zK4-6I0ypKFQESZJQtE6NW9xvcB-cWtr0JV3fzjTDR62WeRXTliOpXtoKBXfN4v9-RrnBX5glbRiMNnhH9ALyYoXVQPOktZNITUVrNLsfbeScEoeFHJPOa3OV/s400/IMG_2372.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></span><br />
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">To learn more about Aisha and Aaliyah’s journey please watch</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #868686; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">http://hopelightlovehappiness.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/aisha-and-aaliyah-our-rainbows-at.htm<br />
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-2077692891235322672013-03-21T22:53:00.002+11:002013-03-21T22:53:44.005+11:00Hanging on by a threadI feel overwhelmed with sadness right in this very moment. <br />
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My eyes are heavy, my bones are tired and I feel drained. <br />
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Emotionally, physically, mentally exhausted. <br />
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Hanging on by a thread.......<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-57333900772519340692013-03-19T20:00:00.000+11:002013-03-19T20:00:16.654+11:00I can't bare to part with......There is a small collection of tiny, beautiful, precious items that I can't bare to part with. They were intended for our first daughter Yasminah. <br />
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We couldn't wait to find out if we were having a little boy or a little girl, even though deep down in my soul I knew that it was a girl! After having a boy, it was going to be nice to buy 'pink' but we were told that there was something wrong with our baby, before being asked if we still wanted to know what we were having. Of course we did! We loved this child from the moment we knew a new life had been gifted to us. No one ever truly knows how long their stay here on earth is for, and even despite all that we were told we left the decision in God's hands. <br />
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Time has passed. Things have changed. We have been blessed with 2 beautiful, strong and healthy little girls. <br />
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In the early days of my grief, I was so angry. So angry that she would never get to wear the clothes that I picked out, washed, hung to dry and gently folded before placing in her nursery. I wanted to get rid of everything. I wanted the nappies gone, the cradle gone, the clothes gone. Why would I need to keep them when the one reason all of those items existed was also......gone. My daughter wasn't here to hold in my arms, or to rock to sleep. She wasn't here to use the rocking chair at 2am feeds. She wasn't here to change her nappy, we would never get to change her nappy. These are the things you think about. I became angry at the world because my daughter was gone, my hopes and dreams vanished. Sure we knew it was going to be hard. It was going to be really hard! But she was our daughter and maternal instinct takes over. <br />
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A very good friend sat me down and said that I shouldn't be so eager to give her things away. There was no rush. There was plenty of time to decide if I wanted to keep them. Perhaps we would have another baby. It made sense. We had kept plenty of our son's clothing and other baby items in the hopes that a sibling would one day use them. Why should this be any different? <br />
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I changed my mind and I kept them. <br />
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I kept the special outfit I purchased as her 'coming home' outfit. A cute little Mummy and Daddy Love Me set! It was perfect. <br />
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I kept the little piglet snuggly blanket that a very kind friend had bought for her. <br />
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I kept the cute pink and white 'Little Sister' socks we bought as a gift from her big brother.<br />
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I kept the beautiful soft, white, fur vest that was going to keep her warm during a cold winter. It was a gift from my nan. A gift she thought her great, granddaughter would wear. <br />
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I kept them all and I can't bare to part with them.......and that's ok. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115458327087056505.post-6581526197185771242013-03-12T10:00:00.000+11:002013-03-12T10:00:06.122+11:00The differenceWhen we found out that our daughter had limb differences, I searched for other families, other children that had similar differences. I wanted to connect with these families, find out how they had felt during their pregnancy, handled the arrival of their child, other people's reactions, things that had helped them and what had been supportive on their journey. <br />
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The hospital were fantastic and referred us to a genetic specialist, who then arranged for us to see a genetic counsellor. Our counsellor was lovely, very understanding and supportive of our decision to continue our pregnancy. The hospital arranged for us to meet with Limb Specialists at the Children's Hospital during the pregnancy. We met with Professors and Surgeons and were handed prosthetics that our daughter might one day want or need to use. We discussed adapting her clothing to suit her difference. Carefully selecting clothes that we could easily alter the sleeves. Dresses instead of pants to accommodate the cast that would be placed on her little foot when she was born to correct her club foot. We wondered how she would eat, use a fork or spoon, hold a cup to drink. Would she be able to ride a bike? How would we explain her differences to our family, her brother, our friends? Would she still be able to attend mainstream schooling? It was completely overwhelming, but we wanted to prepare ourselves and understand what options and support were available and give our baby girl the best possible start in life. <br />
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One thing we wanted was to meet other families. Our counsellor mentioned one group the name of which I don't recall, but they had no support groups in our area. There was no website or forum that supported families who were expecting a child with a congenital abnormality, especially a limb difference. I was lucky that I met a lady by pure chance after a Facebook search, whose daughter also had limb differences and she lived locally. She was starting an organisation called CHILD - Children Having Infant Limb Differences to help families like us that were faced with a 'different' outcome than a normal pregnancy. I felt relieved, connected and so grateful. We exchanged emails and then messages via Facebook. We both embraced our daughters difference's and were sure that our daughter's would become life long friends. As Yasminah grew in my womb, my friendship with Katherine grew. I shared her passion of wanting to help provide a supportive place for new families who were diagnosed with a congenital limb difference during pregnancy or after birth. From our personal experiences we envisioned supporting and guiding families through friendship and educating the community about limb deficiency. Katherine was also working on her book and I was honoured to be asked to contribute Yasminah's story. <br />
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Whilst it was mentioned during my pregnancy that the Dr's weren't sure <em>'what the outcome would be for our baby'</em> no one ever mentioned that our baby could die in utero. We were preparing for a life. For her life. The exciting, wonderful life of our second child, our first little girl. It wasn't the dream we envisioned, but the difference to the eventual reality was unfathomable. We dreamed of a life. <br />
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I will never forget receiving a message from Katherine asking if Yasminah had arrived yet. Katherine kindly offered me her little girls clothes that she had outgrown. Heartbroken I had to tell Katherine that Yasminah had passed away unexpectedly in utero a few days before. <br />
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Katherine still wrote and published her book called 'Our Little Miracles' and she very kindly dedicated the book to Yasminah. I was too distraught to contribute her story, but I'm so very grateful that Katherine still included Yasminah as one of 'our little miracles'. Yasminah is our little miracle. Her story needs to be told. There are approximately 1 in 10,000 children across Australia each year born with a limb deficiency. Sadly sometimes families like mine, don't get to take their little miracle home. There is now a variety of support groups for families that experience limb deficiency. <a href="http://www.childorg.net.au/index.html" target="_blank">CHILD</a> provide support to parents when they find out about their newborns limb differences. The deficiency can be diagnosed through ultrasound or after birth of the child. Also if the limb loss was acquired through surgical amputation. Through their extensive network of members from throughout the world, the parents never fall short of someone to talk to. This is a beautiful thing! What a difference time can make. <br />
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I was honoured to make some very special friends along the way. My CHILD friends are still an important part of my life. I'm honoured that they still involve me in their community and feel blessed to see a small glimpse into their world. I often wonder what our lives would be like if Yasminah was here. If she had of had a chance to the live the life that we dreamed of her having. The child we had, but never had and yet will have forever! <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15754034526742242459noreply@blogger.com0