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Product Placement
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art blog(derogatory)
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we're not kids anymore.
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if i look back, i am lost
2025 on Tumblr: Trends That Defined the Year
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he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
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@riaa-isabel
Reading Goals for 2022
Reading Goals for 2022
Welcome back friends! It’s the start of a new year and I am HERE for it! Last year was a really great reading year for me. Actually, the last 2 years have been really great years of reading! I met ALL of my goals in 2020, and almost all of them in 2021. It’s been a challenge, but for someone who loves to read, it’s been so much fun! I’ve kept a reading journal since 2016. Now, don’t go getting…
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Reading Goals for 2022
Reading Goals for 2022
Welcome back friends! It’s the start of a new year and I am HERE for it! Last year was a really great reading year for me. Actually, the last 2 years have been really great years of reading! I met ALL of my goals in 2020, and almost all of them in 2021. It’s been a challenge, but for someone who loves to read, it’s been so much fun! I’ve kept a reading journal since 2016. Now, don’t go getting…
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Nana
Hey y’all, it’s been a while… I’m sure some of you might be wondering where I’ve been, maybe some of you didn’t notice my absence. Either way, I’m here today and so are you (if you’re reading this lol)! Man, this year has been a hard one. There has been a lot going on in my life and in the lives of the people I love most. I honestly just haven’t had the heart or the passion to write, until now.…
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Here Comes the Sun
Here Comes the Sun
Hey y’all.. I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything..these last few months have been FULL of ALL sorts of changes. So many things have happened that I just haven’t had the time or the ENERGY to sit down and write (well, type lol). But tonight, I find myself feeling a little sentimental and I decided I’d spend this time to let it out. (Despite the giant pile of laundry staring me down…
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July + August Reading Wrap-Up Life has been busy! But I finally got around to sitting down and chatting with you all about some of my most recent reads!
YouTube Channel Introduction
Hey guys welcome to my channel! My name is Riaa and I create motherhood and lifestyle content with a focus on #preemiehood and what life is like raising a micro-preemie. I love being apart of the YouTube community and connecting with fellow YouTube mom creators. Supporting one another and encouraging each other in this crazy thing called life! We are in the thick of toddler years and raising my…
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How We Do Occupational Therapy At Home
How We Do Occupational Therapy At Home
Hey y’all so it has been a busy last few weeks! Scarlett has been doing really well in all areas of child development despite not being able to see most of her therapist face to face.
We have been working with Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) since we brought Scarlett home from the hospital. In today’s video, our scheduled OT session didn’t go as planned but I still worked with Scarlett on…
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Back-To-School Clothing Haul: Toddler Style
Back-To-School Clothing Haul: Toddler Style
Hey y’all welcome back! Join me as I clean out my daughters clothes and take things out that no longer fit her! Toddlers grow so fast & there was so much in her closet that she had outgrown so it was time to say “bye-bye’!” But that’s not all! One I’ve cleaned out all of the clothes that no longer fit her, I will dig into her “grow-into” bin and pull out all of the clothe she will need in the…
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DIY Project Using Plaster of Paris
DIY Project Using Plaster of Paris
Hey yall! Thanks for stopping by! Today I am sharing with you all how to create your very own painting craft using Plaster of Paris! As y’all know I am a DIY’er and I LOVE crafts! (I also needed a side hustle to help bring in a little extra income) so I started making and selling Custom Paint Your Own Name kits! They were such a hit!! & If you would rather someone else make these kits for you…
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Healthy Grocery Haul: I Started Weight Watchers
Healthy Grocery Haul: I Started Weight Watchers
Hey, yall! Thanks for stopping by today! I wanted to share some exciting news with you all… I was a little hesitant at first, but if I am going to make this lifestyle change I need to not only be honest with myself, but with my friends and family as well.
I started weight watchers – again.
I’ve done WW before, a couple of years ago for about a month or two and I was so happy with myself…
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80's Roller Skating Party!
80’s Roller Skating Party!
Hey, y’all! I’m so glad you stopped by, today I will be sharing all of the excitement and fun we had a couple of weekends ago. We celebrated one of my favorite people on this planet, and there was no way I was not going to document it! My sister is my bet friend and partner in crime, she always had the most random, fun ideas and when she said she wanted a skating party for her 32nd birthday I was…
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How To Keep Your Toddler Busy While Traveling
How To Keep Your Toddler Busy While Traveling
Hello again! I’m back with some helpful advice on how to keep yout little one busy while traveling. It’s no secret that I have done my fair share of traveling with Scarlett. From 30 minute car rides to the grocery store, nearly 2 hours of driving for doctor visits, to 12+ hours to visit family…we’ve definitely done more than our fair share of traveling lol. Now I am no expert, but, I am always…
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Riojas Cousin Sleepover! Hey, y'all! Thanks for stopping by today! So last week we kid napped my nephew Xavier for a couple of days so that he and Scarlett could spend some good'ol quality time together!
From the Bottom of My Heart, Thank you.
From the Bottom of My Heart, Thank you.
Welcome back I know I missed last weeks blog post but I took a small (not complete) hiatus from most social media and didn’t post much about anything You guys know how much I love celebrating Scarlett’s milestones, both BIG and small. I sometimes get a little carried away, and who could blame me? Well…last week I celebrated a milestone of my own. On Saturday, as I was enjoying my day out with my…
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3 Easy Toddler Hairstyles Part 2 Looking for fun new hairstyles for your toddler? I’ve got 3 simple, easy, and SUPER cute hairstyles in today’s video!
One thing that everyone always told me while Scarlett was in NICU was to remember to “take care of myself”. Scarlett was in excellent, capable hands and while my being there was necessary and extremely beneficial for the BOTH of us. I knew it was important to take care of my self too.
In the first few weeks though, that was really hard for me to do. I wanted to spend all of my time with Scarlett, sitting with her, talking to her and letting her know that her momma was there. I never wanted her to feel like she wasn’t important or loved, or that she was doing this alone. We were in this together.
Having a baby in the hospital doesn’t mean you get an easier start on parenthood. (Every child comes with their own set of challenges – ours just started a little earlier than expected) Even though I didn’t have a crying baby waking me up at all hours of the night, I was still having to wake up every 2-3 hours to pump. (Though it was a while before Scarlett would be able to have any of my milk, I needed to make sure I had a supply ready for her.) But I was so so tired. Every morning felt like I was running a marathon. I would wake up early, pump, get ready for the day and hurry to make my way to the hospital before rounds. I didn’t want to miss anything. All I kept thinking was, okay, I have a baby in the hospital and I am fortunate enough to be there for her every day – so I need to make sure that I am.
Because the reality is, not all parents have this luxury. Mothers get 6 weeks of maternity leave – that’s it. Dad’s don’t have that option, and if they do, God bless you. If you can afford it and you have vacation days saved up, you might be able to use those too (if you’re lucky). Or maybe you planned ahead and decided to stop working once you have your baby, that’s awesome!
BUT.
When your baby is born early, your “plans” you had, go out the window. There is no set timeline in the NICU, you never really know when your baby will get to come home. Sometimes, babies don’t make it home; not to the home where their parents live, anyway.
When you stop to think about it, that’s a lot of pressure right?
But, that was my mindset. I knew I was blessed, and I was determined to take that blessing and make the most of it.
But it left me exhausted.
The first time I left Scarlett like actually didn’t see her for a full day, was the day my sister was married. In the days leading up to that, I had been strong. I had come to terms with my current situation and accepted the road I was on. But when that day was over, I completely broke down. I was tired, my boobs hurt and I had spent the entire day wishing I had my baby with me. All-day long people had been asking for her and I wished they hadn’t, because it only made me miss her more.
I remember ending up at my moms’ doorstep that night, sobbing. I just wanted to lay my head down and rest. I think that was the night I had finally realized I needed to take a time out. I needed to stop looking at the BIG PICTURE and instead focus on one thing at a time. I needed to allow myself to feel every single emotion I was feeling, and then deal with them one at a time.
I was angry. I was sad. I was heartbroken. I was scared. I was tired. I was overwhelmed.
And.
It.
Sucked.
It really freaking sucked.
Up until that point, I had just been focusing on staying positive, and being strong. I forgot that it was okay to NOT be okay. I was allowed to cry. I was allowed to feel angry. I was allowed to be sad. Feeling all of those things was normal.
I felt cheated out of something special and I was allowed to mourn its loss.
So I did. I cried and I cried and I felt all of my feelings.
And then I gave it all to God.
I prayed and I talked to him. He, of course, knew how I was feeling, so I didn’t have to say very much. But I did. I talked to him and I asked him to be with me and give me strength and to carry these things for me because I couldn’t. I couldn’t do it alone.
I also talked to my people about how I was feeling. I told them I was struggling and we talked about it all. They, of course, all told me the same thing, take care of myself and that it was completely okay to feel the way I had been feeling. They also held me accountable and checked in on me from time to time. Making sure I was actually taking care of myself and not just saying I was.
You can’t drive a truck on an empty tank right?
So I started taking my time in the mornings, I would sleep in a little later on days I felt I needed a little more rest. I set a routine for myself and kept myself busy in-between visits with Scarlett. I tried to remind myself not to feel guilty for not always staying with her. It was okay for me to get out of the hospital for a little while and do something for myself. So I did. I actually got myself dressed every day and made myself look a little more presentable, which helped me feel better. I took my time getting to the hospital and made sure to feed myself while (if not before) I was there. I usually always grabbed coffee (because duh, who could survive anything without coffee?) and I would take something to keep myself busy as I sat with her. In the afternoons I would leave to go have dinner with my mom and run errands. Or I would try to make plans with friends and family so I would have something to do other than spend ALL day at the hospital or the RMH.
On weekends BJ and I would visit Scarlett and then he and I would go out and do something together. It was important that we spend time together too. I can’t speak for him but I know he was working hard to support us. He was also probably feeling some if not all, of the same feelings I was about our life at the time and we needed to be there for each other too. Honestly, if I didn’t have him I know I would’ve been more stressed and worried than I already was. He has been an amazing partner and an even more amazing dad.
Things got better for me mentally and emotionally.
I thank God for my friends and family who were there for me and made sure I was okay. I can’t tell them all enough how much they helped me survive the most difficult time in my life. I love you all so much. And to the wonderful and amazing NICU nurses and staff who checked in on me and took their time to talk with me every day, Thank you. Your kindness meant the world to me and I hope you know what a blessing you are to families like mine.
Of course, some days were better than others, but I got through it.
So,
To the momma who is sitting in the hospital with your baby right now, please remember to take care of yourself too. That baby is going to need you happy and healthy when they get out of there. So try your best to take care of you. Know that while it is hard, and the road might seem never-ending, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You might not be able to see it yet, but I promise you its there.
Just have faith.
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Chapter Six: Finding Balance One thing that everyone always told me while Scarlett was in NICU was to remember to "take care of myself".
Chapter One: And So Our Story Begins...
Chapter One: And So Our Story Begins…
It’s been almost 9 months since I was admitted into the hospital for a threatened miscarriage. I still remember that morning as if it was just yesterday, it was one of the hardest and scariest days of my life. A day, never in my life I imagined would come to pass, but it did. On October 17th, 2017 my sister took me to the labor & delivery ER at UMC Hospital for bleeding, I was 21 weeks and 6 days…
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