Hospital Bag Must Haves | Hospital Bag for Mom

Even though it has been 8 years since I've needed to pack a hospital bag for mom and baby, I've been on both sides of the fence with my past two. With Kennedy, my oldest, I over-packed & with Kensley my water broke 6 weeks early and I didn't have a hospital bag packed at all. So I am going into this with my hospital bag list knowing just what I need/want to have with me.

Let me also say, the hospital has everything you need for you & baby. All of this is just extra fluff to provide a little bit of comfort & not needed at all.

1. Bag

A big bag is a great idea, so you or your partner isn't carrying 500 different bags full of stuff. I absolutely fell in love with this bag. I am not sure if I'll ever use it again, but I couldn't resist. The entire labor & delivery team couldn't stop talking about it! It is so cute & HUGE.

2. Boppy

This boppy is a must-have for in the hospital. It can help with breastfeeding positions & if you have anyone visiting it can help with holding baby and supporting their arms. Especially great for young ones!

3. Comfy Jammies & Robe

You don't need anything fancy here. I wanted something matching purely for photos, so if that is something that you are going to want, I would plan for! They have such cute sets that even come with a matching swaddling cloth for the baby, perfect for photos. I choose these jammies that weren't even maternity that I could wear after I get home.

4. Extra Long Phone Charger

Plugins are always in such odd areas in the hospital, extra-long cords are a must for your partner & yourself for when you're in bed. Gotta keep the phone charged for photos & keeping family & friends updated.

5. Mirror

This won't be for everyone but I brought a mirror to do my hair & makeup. I feel better with makeup on & I wanted photos where I would feel more confident. This mirror was small to fit in my bag easily & lit up! It was perfect.

6. Swaddles

I brought a few swaddles for him. For photos & to just have. I constantly am using swaddles at any given time with all of my babies. I love these muslin ones.

7. Pacifiers

This is another that will vary per person. My babies never got nipple confusion & I had no issues with introducing a paci. I brought a couple in case he didn't like one or the other.

8. Slippers

These are great for walking around. You want to make sure you have something with a hard bottom not soft. 

9. Going Home Outfit

If you are wanting to get something special for baby make sure you order it in enough time. Also, think about yourself & what you are going to want to come home in! I got this super comfy set & so glad I did.

10. Cosmetics & Toiletries

Makeup is optional, of course. I for one didn't want to be doing a whole skincare routine in the hospital but know some might. I would for sure bring face wipes & makeup remover wipes, super simple & gets the job done. They will come in handy. I brought dry shampoo, lotion, this lip mask because for whatever reason your lips get super dry during labor, hairbrush & of course toothbrush & toothpaste.

11. Tripod + Camera

Can't forget your camera! Make sure it's charged & have memory cards. If you don't have a camera make sure your photo storage is cleared out so you have lots of space! I like to back up my photos onto google photos to make sure I have lots of room! Since this birth was during Covid, we weren't able to have a birth photographer as we did with our other two & I really wanted to make sure we got photos with both of us in them. This tripod worked great with my phone!

12. Hats

They put the traditional pink & blue striped hat on baby, but you may want some from home. I feel like everyone I talked to wish they would have brought more hats, they keep them nice & warm. I loved these for Bo.

13. Nursing Tanks + Bras

I lived in just a nursing tank in the hospital. You are nursing so much, & it makes it so easy & comfy. Comfy nursing bras are great as well when wearing pajamas & what I wore during labor. I love these ones that came in a pack of 3.

There is everything I packed, & I used every single thing! Hope this helps you in packing your hospital bag for your delivery!

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 30 Kid Halloween Movies | Family Halloween Movies  

Here are some great PG & G-rated movies to watch as a family this Halloween. Most aren't very scary & only spooky. Some may be a little too much from kiddos. I know my girls are hyper-sensitive to scary stuff & some of these had them peeking through their fingers. But most I feel any kiddo will not have much of an issue with you!

As always with all of my movie recommendation lists, if you are unfamiliar with a movie check it out on CommonSenseMedia.org as every family has differences on what they allow to be watched in their home.

You can find a lot of these kids' Halloween movies on Netflix, Hulu, or Prime!

1. Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest

2. Goosebumps 2

3. Casper

4. Hocus Pocus

5. The Haunted Mansion

6. Hotel Transylvania

7. Twitches

8. Addams Family

9. Spookley The Square Pumpkin

10. The Adventures of Icahabod & Mr. Toad

11. It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

12. Don't Look Under The Bed

13. Scared Shrekless

14. HalloweenTown

15. Double,Double Toil & Trouble

16. Monster House

17. The Nightmare Before Christmas

18. The Corpse Bride

19. Frankenweenie

20. Ernest Scared Stupid

21. Toy Story of Terror

22. The Dog that Saved Halloween

23. Tower of Terror

24 .Paranorman

25. Heffalump Halloween Movie

26. Room on the Broom

27. Spooky Buddies

28. Alvin & The Chipmunks: Meet the Wolfman

29. Little Bear: Halloween Stories

30. Mickey's House of Mouse: Villains

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 Halloween Pajamas Round-Up 2020

It's that time of year again! My annual holiday pajama round-up for Halloween!

It's crazy a lot is already sold out, but there is still a lot available! Also, make sure you look around after clicking on the sets because alot have family pajamas options for baby, toddler, kids & adult sizes! How fun! Obvs, we are a big fan of matching Pajamas!

Click the number below for links to each Halloween Pajama Set:

1. // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. // 6. // 7 .// 8. // 9. // 10. // 11.

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 First & Second Trimester Must-Haves

Good morning! I am jumping on today to write this post about my must-haves through my first and second trimester. This is my 10th pregnancy & not all made it to the second trimester and I've only had 2 live birth, but I like to think I have a pretty good grasp on things that make these first two trimesters go a little better.

Sometimes I would feel guilty about complaining about the woes that came with pregnancy. So many times I would just cry wishing I was feeling sick or the aches that come along with it & felt like if I felt anything less than so happy I somehow wasn't grateful for this pregnancy.

If you ever are in that boat, STOP. Yes, pregnancy is so incredibly beautiful. & whether your journey was easy or hard like ours, sometimes it just plain sucks.

End of story.

The aches pains, sickness, heartburn, acid reflux are NOT fun, & going a human inside of you IS a miracle, but it's not all rainbows & sunshine, it isn't all happy and glowy!

So, here are some things that helped me!

- This pregnancy pillow. I don't know if pregnancy pillow stock has gone down in 8 years but I was thrilled to find a pillow this pregnancy for under $100! This was on sale & had a coupon, which every time I have checked is always available, making this super affordable & truly a dream to sleep with some support & comfort!

- Nausea Relief. These candies are kinda sour but in the best way. They really help curve nausea. I used these will every one of my pregnancies. Brandon also picked up these mama wrist bands for me one day at the store. I am unsure if it really works or not. I never used them alone. But others swear by them. & it's a great non medicated alternative.

- Wide waistband pants. These pants aren't maternity but I have now been wearing them into my Tthird trimester & they still fit great. The band is so comfy & I like they feel like leggings but aren't super tight like leggings. Bonus, they are super cute!

- Books. You will probably be spending a lot of time lounging. Good books are a must for me. This Belly Laughs book I get for every friend that is a first-time mom. It is a real, raw & hilarious book about pregnancy. Think like of it as a real take on the what to expect book. You must order!

- Smoothie Tums. The acid reflux is REAL. Normal tums taste like chalk to me. These smoothie ones are thin & not chalky, I prefer the all berry flavor as they taste better. Keep them on my end table now. Even if you don't have acid reflux yet, you most likely will, & you're going to want to have them on hand when it strikes!

- Stretch Mark oil. The word is whether you get stretch marks or not is hereditary. I am not sure if that is true, & honestly, I think the damage is already done my belly BUT that doesn't stop your belly from stretching and itchy & uncomfortable. I use this oil at least once a day if not more, & it soothes the itch & stretch & supposedly will help with stretch marks appearing & lessen the ones already there as a bonus. It has a slight smell that Brandon says smells like a grandma {LOL} but I don't think it's bad.

- This massager is gosh darn Godsend. Everything is achey. Especially my lower back & now my left side as I always sleep on that side for better blood flow to baby. This thing feels SO good. & I feel like it's so affordable for a massager of this kind. 

- Seamless underwear. They are just more comfortable. This pack from Amazon has been so comfy & I barely feel like I have anything on.

- PreNatals. I have a slew of prenatal I have tried & rotate. Gummies, some with Iron, some with DHA, & some with probiotics. This is really great overall one. But, whichever you end up with I recommend something with a probiotic on top of it or something to keep you regular because the constipation is VERY real come second trimester.

- Big Water Cup. I am always always thirsty. I can't get enough of ice water. & more so keeping hydrated is pretty vital during the entire duration of your pregnancy. This cup is HUGE & keeps everything cold. I also of course my YETI. But like the handle & color of this one.

- Lip Mask. Maybe it just that I am seriously always out of breathe, but my lips are SO dry during pregnancies. When I first got this mask I didn't understand the hype. & it turns out I wasn't putting enough on. Now, I can't live without it.

- Pregnancy Tracker App. I don't know if I am just the worst pregnancy person ever, but I can't remember how far along I am for the LIFE of them. There is alot of pregnancy apps, but I love the Ovia App. I think it's fun it does the traditonal "size of fruit" comparions but also other things like bakery treat & small toys! Makes it more fun & the girls love checking it more than I do! 

I plan to have a post up about all the baby products I am planning on using & have gotten as well, so stay tuned for that!.

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Pregnancy Q & A

 Hi Friends! I had you all send me in your pregnancy questions on Insta stories, & I am rounding up the most frequently asked one here! As I said in our announcement post, I know these things are hard for those on their journey, as it was for us. If you need to scroll on, I understand. My heart & prayers are with you, always.

Let's dive in!

Q: When is your due date?

A: I hate giving people due dates because it gives so much pressure as it nears with constant questions etc. But I will say he will be here in December, we hope! :)

Q: How did you find out?

A: I had been feeling sick, & thought it was food poisoning. Then the next day, something flipped. When I get pregnant because of all that happens, there feeling is unmatched. I instantly feel like, what I only can imagine, is death. Everything just feels different & never have I ever felt that way outside of being pregnant. I instantly told Brandon, "I'm pregnant," He said "There is no way" He went out & got a test, that I barely even had to look at to confirm.

Q: Do you have a video of you telling the girls?

A: Surprisingly, I don't. I have bittersweet emotions about it. We waited till I was almost 20 weeks before we told the girls {or anyone}. I wanted to plan it out just right, but we ended up telling them so randomly. We were just in the living room watching a movie. Kennedy didn't believe us. She told us to stop lying and kept watching TV. Kensley lost it, full out sobbing. She just kept repeating how happy she was for me. Kennedy caught on that we weren't telling Kensley we were joking and then she lost it. They both full out sobbed & wouldn't let go of me for hours. So much of me wishes I would have recorded it. But, I truly will never forget it & so glad I have it in my heart forever.

Q: How does it feel to be having a little boy join the family?

A: Can't even describe it! I have wanted a boy so so badly.  Years & years ago, I made a Pinterest board labeled "my imaginary son" where I would post cute boy clothes ect. We all are so thrilled. I can't say I am not nervous, of course. I have this girl mom thing down pat. I've probably asked Brandon a million times if he thinks I am going to be a good boy mom. I can only hope I am. {he assures me I will 😉}

Q: How are you feeling?

A: Better. In the beginning, it was really scary. When I tell you the Dr told me my body may not be able to handle another pregnancy, you can use your imagination on hard it is on me. I wasn't in the hospital or had home healthcare as previous pregnancies, but there were days I should have been hospitalized. I couldn't bring myself to go in. I was so scared of them telling me I had lost the baby. So those days I was sometimes scared of what the girls would walk into or Brandon would come home to. I do know, there is absolutely no way I could have made it this far without this pandemic. I would have no been able to function and do school drop-offs & activities etc in my condition. Again, the puzzle pieces...

Q: Names?

A: I am being *that* blogger & we aren't announcing his name til birth. I know, I know. His middle name however is the same as Brandons. Which is his father's name. Brandon's father passed away when he was 21. His brother's boys have Grandpa's name as their middle name & we are so excited to keep the tradition with our son now. It's such a special thing & I am so glad Brandon gets to carry it on with his son.

Q: Have you felt baby boy yet?

A: Oh yes! He is the most active baby I've ever had! It's been such a blessing as appointments spread out more. I rarely think to use the doppler for peace of mind. Him kicking me gives it to me throughout the day!

Q: What are your cravings?

A: I would literally give limbs for a steak, Cinnabon cinnamon rolls, a whopper, or potatoes simultaneously throughout the day.

Q: How is pregnancy during COVID?

A: Definitely different. Brandon hasn't been allowed to go to any of my appointments. That was particularly hard one of the appts we were looking for the baby's heartbeat for a minute & had to over to the ultrasound room. I thought I was going to pass out from a panic attack. We did pay to get an elective ultrasound so was able to come, but we were bummed even though they normally allow the whole family, the girls weren't able to go. We got the ultrasound on DVD & I swear they watch it every day.

We, of course, are taking all precautions pretty seriously. 

Q: How did you deal with anxiety the first trimester, & now?

A: Quite frankly, I am not & have not. I truly try my best, but 10 pregnancies in & I am honestly always on edge that the other shoe is going to drop. I am always waiting for the ultrasound screen to be turned. I thought I had lost this baby so many times with the amount of bleeding I have had. So it always seemed like my fears were coming true, which doesn't help. I am trying to working through that as time goes on, it is less & less likely but it's hard. I pray before each appointment, in the parking lot & in the waiting room. It helps, but I am unsure it will ever be better.

Q: Do you have a bump?

A: My bump is pretty slow to show. But, trust the rest of my body looks more than pregnant. I have gained so much weight, which is so new for me as my past pregnancy with my sickness make me not gain anything.

Q: What was your first baby purchase?

A: I know jinxing things does not actually exist, but I was terrified of buying anything for this baby. I have all these things boughten for other babies, that just sit in boxes in the closet & it so so hard. It took me so long to feel confident enough to buy something, but finally after a great appointment & my Dr also feeling confident, I ordered him the cutest little sweater lounge set & a bottle. So simple, but was so so huge for me. 

Well, that's it for this Q&A! Thank you again for all of the love, it has been overwhelming in the best way. I am already getting so many questions about products & things I am getting the baby. Don't worry those posts will be coming!

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Family

Have you noticed, I've been MIA?

I am sorry for my lack of posts, but I promise... I have a good excuse. 

We have something to share with you:

                 

      

As many know, this isn’t an easy road for us. This is my 10th pregnancy. We gave up 3+ years ago trying to grow our family.

God's timing is unbelievable. The puzzle pieces that we didn’t even realize were being placed that fit into this to be a successful pregnancy, and continue to be, are truly amazing. (Turns out a global pandemic makes it so much easier to be laid upon your death bed since you have nowhere to go. PS I’m doing so much better.) 

We know some may be hurt they are just now finding out about this. Please understand our hearts. This is a difficult road to navigate alone and even more difficult with others. You see, the second loss.. it's sad. The third time, people are worried about you. Four times, they pity you.. beyond...we were just tired of letting people down. And them feeling our pain, too. So we hope you understand. 

Brandon was finally able to come to an appt and as soon as the screen lit, he teared up. I laid there and even though it had been 20 weeks, it felt so real for the first time. I felt like I was proving to someone that “hey! There is a real baby..ALIVE.. in my stomach. I’m doing it this time. See! We are doing it” Brandon, has been on this journey mourning right along with me. And my biggest part of healing was the amount of guilt I held that I was not only crushing my dreams of our family, but his too. Because of my body, I have put a lot of sadness on his face. And I can not tell you the feeling in the accurate words, that I had seeing his face in that room. Watching our baby (BOY!!) On that screen (sucking his big toe ) His face I will remember the rest of my life. I swear he actually floated out of that office that day. 

As we share this we recognize others that have hurt alongside us on their journey. We know many of you are still waiting, and we pray knowing what we have walked through, you will still rejoice along with us, but we know all to well that can be difficult. We know your pain, we see you, and we hope our news will give you a sort of hope, that there may be more to your story, too. 

There has been a hole in our hearts for so so long. A hole, we thought would never be filled, that is now feeling so whole. We can’t wait to hold him in our arms in December!

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 Playroom Reveal | Farmhouse Playroom Decor 

The start of the New Year, actually the day before the actual New Year we decided to finally do the overhaul on the front living room. Years ago, we decided to turn it into a playroom. I had 2 toddlers under 2, & I needed a room without toys. Plus, it was ideal to have it on the main level so I could keep an eye on them. So our main living turned toy free & I had an area to corral toddlers while I got to do things on the main floor. 

However, this room didn' always give a great first impression. It's the first room you see when you walk in. And like the rest of our older home, there is no storage anywhere in sight. So the plan was to put in as much vertical storage as we could. We also had to re-evaluate the room as the girls were getting bigger.

We ditched the toy kitchen & laundry set. We looked at their needs & wanted to turn this room into less of a playroom that screamed playroom as soon as you walk in, but also was a room where they... play.

The room isn't completely finished yet. I need to buy pillows for the couch yet. I am having the worst time finding floor lamps, & the ceiling light still hasn't been installed. But this is where we are!

The whole room was inspired by Laura's Playroom at BlesserHouse.com!

Before we get to the reveal let's take a trip where the room started.

Here is a listing photo from 2009:

Here it is in it's full out playroom glory in the toddler days over 6 years ago

For vertical storage, the plan was to make the built-ins custom like our living room. But, I was able to talk Brandon into buying IKEA Billy Bookcase & beef them up to look like they were custom built-ins.

The middle piece ended up being custom made because they didn't make anything to fit in that area. We didn't take into account that there was a vent on the floor, but Brandon is a genius & rigged the bottom of the shelf to have an airtight airway that we put a vent on the front out of. It works perfectly!

Making storage function and pretty was key. This utility laundry cart was perfect for all their stuff animals & dolls!

I wanted to keep the decor functional, I used the toys they already had to decorate the shelves. I put things like their polly pockets, music instruments, magna-tiles & blocks in jars for storage & they look so cute! We also have a TON of books so I used them as well. On the end cap shelves, I rainbow coordinated the hardbacks for a fun pop of color! Of course, we added some Disney flair as well.

We took out the plastic IKEA kids table as the girls knees were starting to not fit & Brandon made a PBK table look alike, the height will work for them for a long time. 

The use it so much & love having more room & it being more comfortable to sit at!

We wallpapered this back wall for a pop of full, then Brandon also made the girls these half desks on each side. They are amazing for separating for homework!

I know you probably think I am nuts for a while couch in a kids' living room, but I promise it is stupidly easy to take care of! I can throw it in and bleach it & spot treat it with peroxide. 

For the art above, it is lyrics to the song "forever young". I was/am the biggest "Parenthood" fan. Beyond obsessed and grossly attached and in love with every character of the show. I always wanted a big family, so it was my dream world. The theme song has the best lyrics that I truly love & it was the perfect piece for in here!

Sources:

Bookcases: IKEA Billy Bookcases

Rug

Buffalo Check Wallpaper

Industrial Wall Wire Basket Shelf

Rolling Utility Cart

Hocking Jars

Alphabet Scroll

Wall Art {I have the XL}

Dollhouse

Wooden Rainbow Stacker

Gumball Machine

Balloon Dog Figure

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 Questions to ask after school instead of "how was your day"

Do you get the same answer every day when you ask "how was your day" after school to your kiddo? Try these instead! You could even print & put in your glove box to pull out after picking them up!

Don't forget to check my DINNER CONVO STARTERS for more questions to get your kids and family talking more together! CLICK HERE

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Virtual learning School Cart | Homeschooling Supply Cart | Homework Cart 

Virtual Learning Organization Ideas

We don't have a ton of storage for school supplies right now to be out at the ready for the girls. We have  a "craft closet" but I really don't want to mix the two. Especially because our craft closet is always a disaster area. The girl's desk set up is in our front living room/playroom so I wanted something that would be right there. 

These carts I love so much. We also have one for our lunch stuff! {Ill link that here if you want to check it out} So I thought it would be great to keep all of their school stuff on one, too. That way they can move it in between their desks & put it away when needed. 

I also did not want to mix school supplies with their normal crafting supplies. These children will use 50 glue sticks on one "project" and all the crayons somehow come up missing 😜 So our rule is, anything on the cart is used for school and school only. If you need glue sticks or pencils or crayons, it's gotta come from the craft closet. This way I can also visibly see the inventory of everything, as well.

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At the top of the cart, I used these to hold all of their notebooks, school curriculum books & clipboards. We use clipboards for so much. {I get them at the dollar tree}  Having everything on top and easy to grab has been so easy.

The second shelf, I used non-slip shelf liner so everything doesn't move when they move cart & keeps everything in place. I just used simple Ball glass jars to hold everything & small pails for scissors & crayons. The pail makes it super easy for them to grab & put on the table/desk & put back.

On the last shelf, I used these containers for extras. I bought this box full of like 250 pencils that were super cheap, to keep on hand to restock their pencils. I also keep this timer in there. A huge portion of their work is timed & timer is huge to see how much time is left. I originally got it as their clean up timer so they could see, but it works great for school too. It has magnets on the back.

Lastly, used this pencil sharper to mount right on the side. It works out so great & is sturdy on there. I used 3m hooks to hold this paper organizer to holder their folders as well as loose notebook paper, construction paper & copy paper for easy grabbing.

There you have it. This cart could be used for really anything. Just for crafting, a homework cart, the option are endless.

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Backyard Season: Backyard Patio Fire Pit

Thank you so much to Wayfair for sponsoring this post & making our backyard patio a paradise. This space has become everything I wanted & more. As always, all thoughts & opinions are my own.

Last year I told you all about our quest to make our backyard more utilized & beautiful as we are in this "backyard season" of life. Like I explained before, with our girls ages we have hit this time in our lives where a huge chunk of our spring, summer & fall is in the backyard. The one thing I love about our home is we have a huge backyard, but we weren't using it to its potential at all. So we started with the playset makeover & we have moved into the patio section!

I will have a few other blog posts on the whole area, because we have & still have so much to do in this area to make it what we want. But today's post is about teaming up with Wayfair on making our firepit area perfect for our family!

If you are a new here, we are huge smore lovers. If you follow me over on Instagram you will often see us eating marshmallows & smores proballyyyy a little more than what we should. So, after we made this privacy fence wall, a firepit area was vital. Before we had an old portable firepit thing that was passed down from my parents. Then last fall, we made our own. But, it had it's faults. We had to worry about having wood, & then the wood being dry. Brandon had me move out the pit because he was worried it was too close to the house, & then it wasn't as aesthetically pleasing as decor heart wanted.

So, I found THIS propane concrete firepit. It is beautiful by itself. I mean honestly, we could just not hook it up & I would be happy its so pretty! The outer edge doesn't get hot at all so I don't have to worry about little fingers getting burned or anything. The hose I can easily hide under the rock & stick the tank behind the sectional. It also came with a great cover.

I also got THIS gorgeous white iron end table for next to sectional too! It's a statement piece & super functional. It's metal & withstand the weather fabulously! It adds some light to this color too as the firepit & wood are all very dark!

My striped pillows are also from Wayfair! They are sunbella, so I know the quality is amazing. I got these last year & they look brand new still!

I am so thrilled with how the firepit area came together. It is exactly what I wanted, it feels so cozy & a plate where we can relax &....snack. It honestly feels like an extension of the house. We had built the sectional last year & I am in awe of what just the new fireplace did to space alone, then adding in end table & decor elements really took it to the next level! I see so many summer & fall nights out here cuddled up with blankets around the fire. I can't wait!

As you can see, Wayfair has something to make everyone's patio a paradise. From a quick refresh with some pillows to completely pulling together a space with a firepit! Thank you again to Wayfair for sponsoring this post!

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