Going to the doctor isn’t fun no matter how old you are. Stopping everything you’re doing, packing into the car and sitting in a waiting room for what seems like forever – just to be poked and prodded by someone in a big white jacket. No, thank you! So when it came time for Mom to take Baby into the doctor’s office, she expected a fight. If she didn’t enjoy the doctor’s office as an adult, it was safe to assume he didn’t want to be there either. But when the nurse began the appointment by checking Baby’s vital signs, Mom was shocked by how he responded…
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Checkups are an important part of childhood – and getting the information about your child’s physical, mental and emotional progress is an essential part of being a parent! That’s why Mom knew she had to schedule a checkup for her little one. After weighing him and checking his temperature, it was time for the nurse to evaluate Baby’s heartbeat. The cold stethoscope usually made her patients coil up, but this little boy was different! Instead of shrinking away from the cool metal, he focused on her warm skin and bright smile!
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With a grin spread across his own face, Baby leaned over and rested his head on the nurse’s arm. Her calming presence was all he needed to forget the strange room and chilly tools! This sweet video is proof that nurses are the unsung heroes in the medical industry. Their demeanor has the power to turn a scary appointment into a cuddlefest, a painful procedure into a fun game or a heartbreaking moment into one of growth and love! Watch this adorable little one curl up on his nurse’s arm below. Thank goodness Mom was able to catch this all on her camera!
Mike Song loves to dance. He does so in his free time, while teaching his students and even at home with Mom and Dad. So when Mike’s mother mustered up the courage to ask for a little help, he was quick to agree. He wasn’t sure how fast she’d pick up the moves to “Gangnam Style” but was eager to spend a little extra time with her. Turns out, Mom can learn to boogie very quick! She may be 60 years old, but the woman has natural talent. This adorable mother-son duo looks like professionals dancing to this fun song. How impressive!
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Even though it can be easy for the elderly to hide away in their homes and avoid physical activity, The Your Care Everywhere website explains that dancing has a wide variety of benefits for those who are getting a little older. Dancing’s physical benefits are evident and plentiful – moving around for even a few minutes each day can help you build and tone muscle tissue, keep your core fit and your heart beating healthily. While the physical plusses are great, the mental benefit of dancing is equally as important. A solely sedentary lifestyle is one thing that can make getting older that much more difficult – and dancing is an easy solution to boredom, loneliness and being out of shape. Those are some of the reasons why Mom is so excited to swing with her son.
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After hours of practicing, Mike and Mom are ready to show the world their impressive skills. Mom flows alongside her son, and he does his best to keep up with her! Take a peek at their impressive “Gangnam Style” dance routine for yourself below. It’s clear to see these two make excellent dancing partners. Hopefully, Mom and Mike release more videos in the future!
Some little boys dream of being a superhero; others hope to be a famous ball player like they watch on TV. Their aspirations are grandeur and adorable at the same time.
Ever since a little boy named Mikey could speak, there is only one thing he has wanted to become. A big brother.
Facebook/Jessica Marotta
Mikey was an engagement baby for Jessica Marotta and her future hubby. Jessica shared with Love What Matters that for as long as he could talk, he would ask for a baby brother.
The Massachusetts mom and her husband Mike began trying for a second baby when Mikey was three. But month after month… nothing.
Facebook/Jessica Marotta
Mikey kept asking his mom and dad when he would finally have his baby brother — it was all he could think about. After trying to conceive for a year, the couple sought help from a fertility specialist. Jessica even underwent surgery in the hopes of increasing the odds.
Finally, the pregnancy test showed a plus sign — and it happened on Mikey’s fifth birthday. They sprung the news on family members and everyone was thrilled.
But one month later, Jessica began experiencing complications. An ultrasound showed that at 11 weeks, they heartbreakingly lost the baby.
Testing revealed that the baby had trisomy 13, a condition that would have been fatal to the infant, Jessica said. And if that wasn’t soul crushing enough, the nurse confirmed that the baby was a boy.
“It took my breath away. Mikey had gotten his baby brother, except now he was our angel baby.”
The family of three picked up the pieces of their shattered hearts and resumed living life as best they could. They moved to their forever home and found a terrific school for Mikey to attend.
While cleaning out the garage, they tossed out all of Mikey’s old baby things that they had hung on to for their now angel baby. Those things haunted them every time they laid eyes on the car seat, stroller and crib.
Once they settled into their new home, Jessica and her husband decided they didn’t want to go through that pain ever again. They would be content as a family of three.
“After that, every time Mikey asked for his baby brother, we would explain to him that there may be a chance that he may never get a baby brother. It broke our hearts to say these words to him, but we found a way to settle into a life just the three of us in our new home and enjoy our summer.”
On Mikey’s first day of kindergarten, Jessica bawled, she confessed. But she also was exhausted.
“I knew something was off, but I did not want to get too excited. I waited until the weekend and I had my husband pick up a pregnancy test. I took the test and waited in the bathroom alone for the result. My husband could hardly believe it and made me take two more tests just to be sure. We were excited but cautious.”
They were pregnant again! But every time Jessica experienced complications, she panicked. She constantly researched online the risk of miscarriage as every week passed by. She clung to hope at doctor’s appointments where she saw a strong heartbeat and normal growth.
Testing revealed a low risk for the baby to have trisomy 13. They also learned that Mikey’s dream would be coming true — it was a boy.
The family’s strength was tested again during their 18-week checkup when the baby measured small. Additional testing at 23 weeks’ gestation revealed the baby just wasn’t growing and Jessica was told they could terminate the pregnancy.
In a fog of disbelief and heartache once again, the couple decided there was no way they were giving up on this baby. This was Mikey’s dream and their child.
Facebook/Jessica Marotta
They knew the baby would arrive early and hoped Jessica would make it to 28 weeks’ gestation. She was admitted to the hosiptal for observation.
“During my one month in antepartum, the baby gave us three scares that he was going to arrive, but we made it to 30 weeks and 6 days. I had a growth ultrasound that day and the baby had only gained two grams in two weeks. The doctor told us, ‘we are going to have a baby today,’ and explained that if we waited any longer we would risk a stillborn.”
The planned cesarean section quickly morphed into an emergency procedure because the baby’s heart rate plummeting due to the anesthesia. But it didn’t take long before Baby Jake Eric arrived weighing one pound, 12 ounces, and measured only 12 inches long.
“Once I recovered a bit, I was wheeled on my stretcher to see him and his smallness took my breath away and my eyes filled with tears. That night my in-laws brought Mikey to see me and we told him he finally had his baby brother, Jake. The first time Mikey saw him, he beamed and said, ‘He has red hair just like me!’”
Once stabilized, Jessica’s husband returned to work, Mikey returned to school and Jessica kept vigil at her baby’s side. It was a tough time, but they managed.
“As a NICU mom, I feel like you go into autopilot and go through the motions without the emotion as much as possible because it is the only way to survive. Living the NICU life was the hardest thing we have ever gone through together. Jake was hooked up to so many wires and tubes and lived in an isolette. We had to leave him alone except for his care times every three hours when you would assist the nurse in diaper changing and taking the temperature. As a NICU mom you get used to all the beeping and alarms.”
When Jake’s heart rate would drop considerably and the alarms would sound, a nurse would have to stimulate him to pull him out of the episode. He experienced as many as eight of these frightening ordeals each day.
“At three weeks, we had quite the scare and Jake was really struggling to breath and was just fighting a lot more than he had been. After a meeting with the nurse practitioner, we decided he would benefit from a blood transfusion to get red blood cells which would allow him to produce more oxygen. Jake was fed via a feeding tube until he was about seven weeks.”
The one thing that pushed the family through this challenging time was when they could snuggle with Jake skin-to-skin. Jessica would sit in the chair next to her baby’s isolette and both she and Jake would calm down.
It also was a beautiful time for Mikey. He was able to touch his baby brother, but couldn’t hold him just yet, which really bothered him.
“He wanted more than anything to hold his baby brother. Mikey was filled with sadness that he could not hold his baby brother. During one of my daily rounds with Jake’s nurses and doctors on day 10, I asked if Mikey could do skin-to-skin with his baby brother, fully expecting them to say no. I was beyond thrilled when they agreed!”Love What Matters
On March 17, 2018, Mikey became the first sibling at the Beth Israel NICU in Boston to be allowed to sit skin-to-skin with his baby. Jessica described it as “amazing and emotional.”
“I truly believe it became the foundation for their brotherly bond. Jake spent 62 days in the NICU and his homecoming was one of the happiest days of our lives. Mikey is an amazing big brother and having Jake has brought a calmness to Mikey’s life, and Mikey has a way of calming Jake when he is upset.”
Every morning, the brothers snuggle together in their mom’s bed. She said she feels honored to witness their love and their strong relationship.
Jessica has no doubt that Mikey and Jake were meant to be brothers. It was destiny.
People like to think of themselves as quick to lend a helping hand, but the reality is that when disaster strikes most people are too wrapped up in their own personal lives to inconvenience themselves with another strangers problems. Fred Crooks and his co-worker Isaac Mantley were heading to a job in their work truck with a trailer attached to the back when disaster struck.
As the men were driving, a septic truck crashed into them, missing their truck but hitting the trailer they were carrying behind them. Thankfully, the two men walked away with no injuries, but had the septic truck hit their truck instead they wouldn’t have walked away at all. Fred’s daughter Chelsea said it was a miracle the men avoided any injuries at all.
Facebook/Chelsea Crooks
Following the accident, Fred had to spend the next four hours on the side of the road while the police sorted things out and filed a report.
That’s when a tiny blonde girl with two dogs came into the picture . . .
Fred recalls the encounter saying,
It was a terrible day for me but this little girl was the highlight of my day. She didn’t know me from the bogeyman or the man on the moon.
The young girl had been walking her two dogs when she saw the scene of the accident. Without any hesitation she approached Fred to ask how she could help. The girl then took off but moments later was back, this time walking very slowly towards them.
Fred says:
“When she came down the second time this little girl was walking so lightly because she had a glass of cold water and you could tell she was trying hard not to spill it. She brought down some treats, too, and she turned a bad day into a good day. She was so kind and thoughtful.”Facebook/Chelsea Crooks
Fred was so deeply touched by the little girls actions. In the heat of the moment he’d forgotten the girls name. So when he returned home he told his daughter Chelsea about the incident and Chelsea turned to Facebook to find the little girl. She posted about the story saying,
The point of this post was hopefully it would reach the parents of a kind hearted amazing young girl, who blew my dads emotions away with her generosity and how caring a young soul could be. This little girl my father could not remember her name but she was around 11 years old with blonde hair and blue eyes, she had two dogs and the only one that dad could identity was a tall black poodle. She lived on Waterford Ct in Fall River, this sweet little girl after the accident brought my father down water and these treats that are show cased in the picture. Many of people drove past the accident and and 90 percent of them didn’t stop, however this is what this little girl did. She is a behind the scenes hero and angel as the temperatures were hot and they had to stay on the accident scene for hours.YouTube/The Enfield Weekly Press & The Laker
The family wanted to thank the little girl in person.
Thanks to the hero who helped cool my dad and uncle off, and fill their bellies. And please if you see this post share it so it can reach her parents and we can personally thank them. Her act of kindness was worth more than anything. This is a reminder that people are still raising their children with respect, compassion and all the positive. This also goes to show that there is decency left in humankind, and it doesn’t always have to be an “adult” show it. This small simple act has touched a lot of hearts, and will never be forgotten. This little girl needs to be honored, for spreading help & love.
After Chelsea’s post was shared by multiple people they were able to locate the 11-year-old girl named Robin McElroy. Robin’s mom saw the post and responded saying,
Yes !!! I’m very proud… thank you for your very very kind words.. I had to pull over my car to read it before I start work … so glad they’re both ok ?? ??
Heroes aren’t always adults and this young lady proves that being kind to others doesn’t cost anything at all. Watch Robin being interviewed in the video below, explaining why she decided to help the men in need.
This joke was sent to us by a Jeff S. from Billings, Montana.
An 85-year-old man was told by his Doctor to have a sperm count as part of his physical exam.
The doctor gave the man a jar and said, “Take this jar home and bring back a sample tomorrow.”
The next day the 85-year-old man reappeared at the doctor’s office and gave him the jar, which was as clean and empty as on the previous day.
The doctor asked what happened and the man explained, ‘Well, doc, it’s like this — first I tried with my right hand, but nothing. Then I tried with my left hand, but still nothing.Then I asked my wife for help. She tried with her right hand, then with her left, still nothing. She tried with her mouth, first with the teeth in, then with her teeth out, still nothing.We even called up Arleen, the lady next door and she tried too, first with both hands, then an armpit, and she even tried squeezin’ it between her knees, but still nothing.’
The doctor was shocked and said, “You asked your neighbor?”
The old man replied, ‘Yep, none of us could get the jar open.Share this joke using the buttons below.
The summer’s coming to an end so you know what that means – it’s back to school for the kiddos. As many parents cheer, let us also remember all the teachers and school administrators that are busy prepping for a fun, full year (we give you all the credit). And once those doors open again it only gets more stressful as the students actually arrive. Someone who knows a great deal about this is Principal Gerry Brooks from Lexington, Kentucky. When people ask Gerry “what the most stressful part of the beginning of the school year is” – he’s only got one answer…kindergarten lunch duty.
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In the video below, Gerry hilariously explains why helping newbie kindergartners in the lunch room is the most taxing task of all (and there certainly are a lot of them in a school). He describes it as, “like trying to get a bunch of kittens to do something.” Being in a new environment the kids are all over the place, so getting them seated is obviously difficult. In the words of Gerry – “it’s just crazy!” But once they do finally sit to eat, that’s when a new set of problems arise…
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Gerry continues on his comical rant talking about all the kindergartners who bring “fancy” Lunchables, leaving him having to open countless little packages. He then describes all the kids stories that start with, “umm, umm, umm…” and the debates like whether ponies would make good indoor pets. It’s a speech that will have you busting at the seams with laughter and maybe even giving your kids’ educators extra flowers this year. Press play below to watch it for yourself – it’s hysterical!
Most people don’t realize how stressful it is for people with disabilities to do something as straightfoward as ordering a coffee. And even if they do notice, how many people do anything to help?
We were so happy to hear this story about a barista who made the effort to make life a little easier for a fellow human being.
Ibby Piracha, who became deaf when he was two years old, goes to his local Starbucks in Leesburg, Virginia at least three times a week. He usually orders the same thing: a caramel Frappuccino.
Even if all the baristas know him and know what he’s going to order, Ibby writes his order on his phone and shows it to the barista.
But one day, one of the baristas did something that changed everything.
Ibby showed the barista his phone and ordered his usual Frappuccino. But to Ibby’s great surprise, the barista, Krystal Payne, passed him a handwritten note in response.
“I’ve been learning ASL just so you can have the same experience as everyone else,” the note read.
Then, Krystal asked him in sign language what he wanted to drink.
Ibby was blown away that someone had taken the time to learn sign language and make him feel welcome.
“I was just so moved that she actually wanted to learn sign. Sign language is really a totally different language and it was something that she wanted to do because of me? Because I was a deaf customer? I was very, very impressed,” Ibby told WJLA.
According to Starbucks, Krystal Payne spent hours watching YouTube videos learning basic sign language so she could give her regular customer the service she felt he deserves.
Ibby was so taken by Krystal’s kind gesture that he had to let the world know. He posted a photo of Libby’s note on Facebook with the hope that more people in the hearing world will take time to understand the deaf community.
Most people probably think that what Krystal did was above and beyond the call of duty. But for Krystal, it wasn’t such a big deal.
“My job is to make sure people have the experience they expect and that’s what I gave him,” Krystal says.
Thanks to Krystal’s amazing effort, Ibby can go to his favorite coffee shop and order just like everyone else.
Please share this story if you also think that Krystal Payne’s incredible effort should be celebrated!
They say age is just a number – and no one embodies that type of youthful thinking like Gramps! On his 102nd birthday, Gramps doesn’t want to sit at home or eat a boring piece of cake, he wants to get up and moving. That’s why he asked the family to put the boat in the lake and get ready for a lake-side day of fun in the sun. It doesn’t matter that he’s ringing in his 102nd birthday – he’s ready to party. So when Gramps and the crew dropped anchor in the middle of the lake, there was no more waiting around. He wanted to jump right in!
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At first, Gramps watched from the boat as his younger loved ones swam about in the lake. It looked like so much fun! Even though his body didn’t work the same way as it used to, Gramps wanted to take a dip with everyone. While he was certainly pleased with the idea, everyone else was worried. Could he handle swimming in such cold water at this age? After discussing it among themselves, the younger family members decided to help Gramps into the chilly lake. But he had another idea! He wasn’t going to wade cautiously into the water like a wuss – he wanted to take life by the horns instead!
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With a little help from his grandchild, Gramps dove into the lake with the grace of a swan! His loved ones watched with smiles stretched across their faces as Gramps swam happily with the group already in the water. He may be 102, but he still wants to get the most out of life. Take a peek at this heartwarming celebration of life in the video below. Gramps’ outlook on birthdays is an inspiration to us all!
Ibby showed the barista his phone and ordered his usual Frappuccino. But to Ibby’s great surprise, the barista, Krystal Payne, passed him a handwritten note in response.
“I’ve been learning ASL just so you can have the same experience as everyone else,” the note read.
Then, Krystal asked him in sign language what he wanted to drink.
Ibby was blown away that someone had taken the time to learn sign language and make him feel welcome.
“I was just so moved that she actually wanted to learn sign. Sign language is really a totally different language and it was something that she wanted to do because of me? Because I was a deaf customer? I was very, very impressed,” Ibby told WJLA.
According to Starbucks, Krystal Payne spent hours watching YouTube videos learning basic sign language so she could give her regular customer the service she felt he deserves.
Ibby was so taken by Krystal’s kind gesture that he had to let the world know. He posted a photo of Libby’s note on Facebook with the hope that more people in the hearing world will take time to understand the deaf community.
Most people probably think that what Krystal did was above and beyond the call of duty. But for Krystal, it wasn’t such a big deal.
“My job is to make sure people have the experience they expect and that’s what I gave him,” Krystal says.
Thanks to Krystal’s amazing effort, Ibby can go to his favorite coffee shop and order just like everyone else.
Please share this story if you also think that Krystal Payne’s incredible effort should be celebrated!
