Baby R hit the jackpot

I did a little review on my other blog, Bellies In Bloom, about the products I have been sampling on my belly. I like Earth Mama Angel Baby because it is organic and has high ratings for safety for their mother and baby products.

My career motto has been "work smarter, not harder", but the importance of that really struck me this week. Often times I spend hours doing research and posting information about pregnancy and childbirth on my blog. Wednesday I spent all of about five minutes just talking about two products I have been sampling. Because of this post, I was contacted by Earth Mama Angel Baby and they want to send me free products! To put it in her words though, "we (heart) doulas, and we (double heart) doulas that are also massage therapists." This was truly unexpected and I am very grateful and happily accepting.

Friday and Saturday I attended a CIMS (Coalition for Improving Maternity Services - www.motherfriendly.org) conference in Austin. It was two, long days of sitting and listening to speakers. We came away with a lot of great information to share with the Tarrant County Birth Network (www.tcbirthnetwork.org) at our first meeting next week. The best part, though, was the raffle I won. For $2, Baby R scored gdiapers (www.gdiapers.com)!
Gdiapers are 100% biodegradable, eco-friendly, disposable diapers. They have a flushable insert and a cloth covering. They are plastic free, elemental chlorine free, latex free, and perfume free. Yay for another cool product!

Tomorrow I have another prenatal appointment with my midwives. I will be 25 weeks this week. My belly is sure growing and I am loving the little kicks. Scott thinks Baby R is getting ready for March Madness. I think aerobics. Baby R has been having the hiccups this week too. That is an interesting feeling.

So far we don't have anything ready for the baby (well, beside all the diapers that I washed and made room for in my dresser drawer). The baby's room is still getting put back together from the plumbing and termite issues. I am not concerned just yet because Baby R will be in our room for a while anyway. But, I would like to have a nice place to go with the baby to have our quiet and feeding time together. My parents are coming in a couple of weeks to help us out and we are looking forward to and will be grateful for the help.

Our house is under serious construction. Of the nine rooms in our house, only three spaces are free from the mess of demolition. As I write, Scott is tearing up the kitchen. His most recent comment out there was "there better not be something dead under here." I don't even want to know!!!!

2010 here we come

At the beginning of each year we try and get some goals down. We are a bit late this year, but better late than never, huh?

It kind of seems boring just sit and list them out so we make VISION BOARDS! We grab up all the old magazines and cut until we fill the poster with all our dreams and goals for the year.

We make quite a mess, but end up with a neat collage that we can hang up to remind us daily of our vision for family, work, and life.

Arkansas and Baby R - 24 weeks

I am still up at 1:00am because Baby R and tomato sauce are not friends. Hoping this peppermint tea will help and I can get to sleep very soon.

We went to Arkansas this past weekend to watch my sister's kids. Jacob and Heidi had a booth at the NWA Homeshow for their new business, Greenovation Builders, and were needing help with the kids while they were away for long days. Definitely check out their website, it is pretty amazing what they are doing! We are actually ordering paint from them for all the projects we have going around the house. Believe it or not, the price for good quality, healthy paint is VERY reasonable. If you ever need any, call up Heidi, she will hook you up.

We had a great time until the kids started throwing up. Poor babies. Then, needless to say, I got sick when we returned. Thank goodness it was only a 12 hour bug. But, Baby R sure went hungry for a day.

Joely is an eater. I sat her down on the table and she gobbled up a huge orange all by herself. She wasn't interested in a bib, although great grandma sure tried.

I think we may have a little photographer on our hands. Andrew took this picture of Scott and I. Not bad.

Thankfully great grandma and grandpa have lots of toys on hand for when little ones drop by. They had fun for several hours with the train tracks and the barn!



My dear friend gave me this adorable 100% organic cotton onesie just 3 months after we lost our first baby. She just couldn't wait to give it to me! Baby R has his/her first outfit, although hopefully it won't fit at birth. Scott seems to think that Baby R will be wearing this 6-9 month outfit right away. Somehow I worry that he isn't too far off!

happy love day and Baby R - 23 weeks

Today I am 23 weeks!

Happy Valentine's Day! We had a hot dinner date and then came home and I went to bed at 7:30pm. Welcome to pregnancy...huh? I was totally spent after cleaning all day Saturday and working at Gladney Sunday.

Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day with your sweeties!

"good luck with that"

Anyone ever say that to you?

Now that Baby R is starting to poke out in my belly, I have started getting "the" questions.

"Who is your doctor?" and "Where are you having your baby?"

At first I would start off by quickly saying we were using a group of midwives and we are birthing at home and immediately follow up with the fact that we only live five minutes from the hospital. One day I told Scott that I felt like I needed to justify the fact that we are having our baby at home. He didn't like that. He told me to be confident in our decision. There is nothing to be ashamed of. What a great, supportive husband I have.

When people say "good luck with that" to me about birthing at home, it just sounds so insincere....like they are just waiting for the day that I come and tell them about the "emergency" we ended up having and that we barely made it to the hospital in time for our lives to be saved. Hello....did I say "good luck with that" to you when you entered the hospital to have your baby? Did you know that around 98% of women birth in hospitals and that 30% of those women will end up with a c-section according to the national average. AND...if you live in North Texas, the statics are an astounding 50-60%. My comment to you is "good luck with that!" Of course, those percentages are lower if you do not have a medical induction or you have an unmedicated birth in the hospital (as many successfully do).

Ina May Gaskin is a midwife in Tennessee. She has helped over 2000 women give birth on The Farm and the c-section rate of her mommies is just 1.5%. Interesting.

The induction rate is steadily increasing as well. In the 10 years between 1990-2000 it jumped from 10% to 20%. Convenience is the key word. Baby R will come when he or she is ready. Although, toward the end I anticipate being very ready, but I know that medical interference would hinder Baby R from having the best possible chance for a safe and healthy arrival.

I am not out to prove anything by having an unmedicated birth at home. I don't feel like I am right and and everyone else is wrong. And, I am not judging you if you feel strongly in a different way. I have convictions about the reasons I am doing this. There are just a few really important things that I hope for when I have Baby R. One is that I will not willfully drug my baby. If IV and epidural drugs are strong enough to control the nervous system of a grown women, can you imagine the effects to a tiny baby? Not to mention the long term physical and mental side effects as they grow. Two, I want to establish successful bonding and breastfeeding immediately after birth. I feel this can best be achieved if my baby is fully alert and aware and not under the influence of narcotics or other drugs. And three, I want to feel safe, warm, comforted, loved, supported, and in control of my birth experience. This involves being surrounded by familiar things, having family there for support, having freedom of movement, and having the option to birth in whatever position I chose in the place I feel most comfortable at the time. I am not fearful. And, I will not fear the birth as it becomes eminent. Fear will inhibit the release of the natural oxytocin hormone that my body will produce to have a productive labor. But, I know this will not be an issue if I feel loved, safe and secure in my surroundings.

I made a promise to Baby R, even before conception, that I would love and care for him or her the best way that I know how. I began talking to my baby even before I knew I was pregnant, and I talk to my baby daily whether it be out loud or in my heart. This connection and bond that I have with Baby R has made me feel empowered during my pregnancy and I know that it will be empowering when I give birth.

Dear Baby R,

You have a little over four more months of warmth and solitude inside my belly. We cannot wait to meet you and look forward to the day you make your arrival. We have waited and prayed for you for a long time. As your mommy and daddy, we are doing the best we can to prepare mentally, physically, and spiritually for you. I love your little kicks and the movements that you make inside of me. Thanks for giving your daddy a little kick the other night. He loved to feel you move around and get comfy in there. I hope that you can hear him when he talks to you and reads you stories. He presses his ear to my belly to say hi to you often. Do you feel him? He loves you very much too. He is preparing a room just for you. He can't wait to hold you in his arms. Just an FYI: he is sensitive, so he may shed a tear or two when you are born. He may want to hold you all the time too. But, he is a big teddy bear and you will be comforted in his arms. Just know that you are already very near to our hearts and we love you.

Love,
Mommy R

getting an outie

Baby R is giving me an "outie" on my white belly. The fuzz is all cleaned out. Baby moves a lot lately and gave Daddy some little kicks to feel for the first time the other night. Hot showers and hot water bottles make Mommy and Baby R very happy lately.

It has been snowing since I got up at 6:30am today. Feels like Kansas. The weatherman just said that this is an all-time record for DFW with 8.7 inches and more to come. Everything is closing and shutting down around here. At work, the girls built a snowman and we had a snowball fight today. I told them they couldn't go sledding. The last thing I want is to take a bunch of injured pregnant girls to the hospital on a nasty, snowy day. The snow on the "Green Beast" accumulated in the hour and a half since I got home from work. It is so unbelievable!

I moved my massage room upstairs to the spare room. It needs tweeking, but it will work for now. The two rooms downstairs are still a wreck. The plumbers finished up on Monday and we have a lot to get back in order. Baby R's room is getting new sheet rock, fresh paint, and of course a new closet system. The other spare room was my sewing room with a daybed, but we are going to put a queen bed in there for guests. So much to do and just four months to go!

laughing to keep from going crazy

So much going on at the Reasoner house. Thought I might post a fun blog to get my mind off things. I found a fun survery on another blog and decided it would be a nice change of pace from termites, birth network, working 7 days a week, emotional melt downs, plumbing issues, and trying to figure out how I am going to do a massage at 4pm tomorrow with no room available at our house at the present moment.

What is your name and do you have any nicknames? Hannah, Hannah Banana, Hannah Cabana, Hans, Babe (by the hubby)

What color are you socks right now? gray with black and white stripes

What are you listening to right now? Pandora mix of Taylor Swift and the like

What is the last thing you ate? chips and salsa (Super Bowl Night!)

Can you drive a stick shift? Yes, but I am pretty sure you do not want to be in the car with me

Who is the last person you spoke with on the phone? my mom

Last place you went on vacation? Richmond, VA (Kansas doesn't count, but we went there for Christmas)

What hobbies to you have? sewing, cooking, reading, birth research, working out, blogging

What is your favorite sport to watch on t.v.? basketball

What is your favorite drink? latte, but I haven't had one in 22 weeks!

Have you ever dyed your hair? One time I dyed my hair an auburn color when I was 16. I was on a 4-H trip to Massachusetts. It was a wash out color and I washed my hair about 6 times a day to get it out. Didn't care for it and haven't done it since.

Favorite food? I like soups and comfort foods. I like anything my mom makes too, especially her famous cinnamon rolls!

What is the last movie you watched? The Blindside

Favorite day of the year? I like holidays. None in particular, just any day I can take off work and be with family.

How do you vent anger? I don't really get angry much. I go on walks or go shopping.....more browsing than buying. Thankfully I don't spend all my $ just to vent.

Favorite toy as a child? I remember playing a lot of Barbies and My Little Ponies with Heidi.


Favorite season? I like spring with all the new blooms. A fresh start.

Cherries or blueberries? I like both. I eat more blueberries though.

What is your occupation right now? Where do I begin????....Massage Therapist, Childbirth Coordinator at an adoption agency, Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, Meeting/Volunteer Coordinator for the Tarrant Co. Birth Network, and somewhere in there I find time to be a Domestic Goddess! - I think Baby R may slow me down just a tad, what do you think???

What do you want to be when you grow up? Everything I already am, plus an awesome mommy to my babies

What state do you live in? Texas

Living arrangements? Have you been keeping up with my posts??? Need I say more? Oh, and a cooker to Baby R.

Do you have any pets? No. I would like a dog and then I wouldn't. Scott is not interested in the subject.

What is on the floor of your closet? shoes and laundry baskets

What are three of your favorite items at the moment? my hot water bottle, the shower, and my snuggly blanket. Can you tell I am achy and tired these days? :)

What did you do last night? Went to Lowe's with Scott, came home and watched Michigan and Illinois, and feel asleep on the couch at 9pm.

Any news you want to share? I am 22 weeks pregnant tomorrow. The Tarrant County Birth Network is going to be awesome!

What do you like on your hamburgers? I like turkey burgers with mayo, mushrooms, and onions. Or, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and ketchup. Just depends on my mood.

Favorite breed of dog? Golden Retriever or Boston Terrier. Very different personalities I know.

Favorite day of the week? Any day I have off work to relax.

How many states have you lived in? Four. Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas.

Diamonds or pearls? diamonds

What is you favorite flower? Sunflower

Favorite meal in a restaurant and what was the restaurant? I ate grilled fish tacos at Pappasitos.

What music are you currently listening too? I am listening to Pandora. In the mood for country from some reason.

What is one fun thing you are looking forward to this coming year? Easy. Baby R!!!

I WON!

Today I ran errands. I had to get away from our house. It is driving me crazy.

One stop was to The Container Store to pick up some soap dispensers. As I walked in, they were getting ready to start a presentation on the Elfa closet units. If you listened, you could enter to win a $25 gift card. Baby R needs a new closet unit for a more organized, functional space. Hey, we are redoing the whole room anyway and they don't make pre-made units that will fit the closet size. So I listened to the shpeel while sort of browsing at the same time and at the end I won the gift card! I decided to go ahead a purchase a units because on top of it they were 30% off today.

Baby R is going to have the coziest room in the house.

just completely numb to it all

And just when I thought that the plumbing was our only issue.....

Scott discovered TERMITES!!!!!!!

The plumbers have been here for two weeks now. And, Organic Pest Services are on their way as I write to bomb the termites. Even though the chemicals are supposed to be non-toxic and organic, I think I will take Baby R to run errands.

I think that Monday will be the last day of this chaos. I want my house and life back.

I just have to take deep breaths and pretend that I don't notice that my house if falling down around me. At least BabyR will have a nice fresh room to live in upon arrival.