just the three of us

Intuitive Mothering - My New Business

2011-02-18T06:07:00.000-08:00

My new website and blog are finally up! Visit Intuitive Mothering for a little peeksie.

Happy Friday! I think LB and I will get out again and enjoy this incredible weather. But, first a stop off to pick up some sun screen. Poor little red headed boy got a little toasted in the sun on our play date yesterday.

Love!

snow days are for wimps

2011-02-05T10:40:00.000-08:00

I guess we are wimps then, because we haven't left the house since Monday. Well, Little Bub and I haven't anyway. Daddy went to work 2 out of 5 days and tried another and couldn't get there.

We have one snotty nosed, hacking child over our way so we aren't leaving the house anyway. And, my husband is so bored that he keeps asking me for things to do.

Husband:
Dishes. check. Vacuuming. check. Hanging walls decor that has been sitting around for months waiting for a snow day. check.

Wife:
Nursing sick baby. check. Getting puked on. check. Nursing sick baby. check. Wiping snotty nose. check. Nursing sick....ok, ok, you get the point.

So what exactly have we been doing to occupy our time during this snow week you might ask? Here is a sneak peek!

Eating steamed carrots and green beans and avocados (his personal fave)! We tried pureed, chunked, mashed, you name it. Finally we figured out that he likes slightly mashed bite sized pieces of food that he can pick up on his own or with a spoon. He is quite the independent little feller.
Looking for the perfect cd to listen to! There is a lot of dancing that goes on around here when we are cooped up in the house for days.
Watching the fire truck and ambulance take away our neighbor yesterday. They just moved in last weekend so we don't even know them yet. Sad.
Watching the snow fall and ice from the window because this little bub is too sickly to go out and play in the snow.
Organizing the pantry! As you can see he is quite helpful at weeding out all the plastic that we no longer use.
Taking naps with Daddy! Now that is always a fun one there.
Making a Daddy R, Mommy R, and Baby R snowman family. Sadly they passed away today. They will truly be missed.
Daddy hand tossed and formed the homemade pizza crust himself. Thanks to his Domino's days it turned out lovely.
Mmmm....toppings! Best pizza I have made to date. And for dessert...SNOW ICE CREAM! I made it with milk, sugar, vanilla, and decaf coffee so it tasted like an iced coffee and it was SO delicious! Although, I have decided to lay off the dairy until LB gets to feeling better. I do believe it made him a quite snotty.
Wall collaging! It was about time we put some decor on the walls two years after living here. I have declared 2011 the year of LOVE. This is just a subtle daily reminder.
And, for a little bit of what we do on sunnier days:

Hard to believe that just one week ago we were out in our short sleeves and short pants strolling by the river at the park for 3 hours. What a glorious day that was. Thank goodness we took full advantage of two gorgeous days of 85 degree weather before it turned 19 degrees on us. We went walking, sliding, swinging, and bouncing. LB was thrilled to be outdoors. He is a nature lover. I taught him how to hug a tree.
It is of utmost importance to learn basic skills and chores like unloading the dishwasher. He was so glad to "help" Mommy.
Pausing for a brief moment to soak in nature from the indoors and watch his squirrel friends run from tree to tree.
If he could talk, I imagine he would say, "It is important to have good oral hygiene. I should know because I have 8 teeth myself. I brush my teeth daily and so should you."
A lovely trip to Costco we have a mountain of groceries to unload. He enjoys Costco because he hears things like "oh, he is so cute!" and "look at that precious boy!" He blushes.
We have started attending a breastfeeding group at the birth center where my midwives work. All the babies his size were in the other room hanging out close to mommy. Most of them aren't on the move yet. LB, however, believes he is "big" and went in the other room to play with all of his "big" friends.

On a last note, I was reading Dr. Sears' Baby Book today and found this a bit fascinating...

"The early walker may be the impulsive, motor-driven baby who has raced through each motor milestone before parents could get their camera ready. While there is no definite profile of early walkers, they tend to be high-need babies who early on left the lap stage and squirmed out of infant seats. Body type may also affect the age of walking. Lean babies tend to walk earlier. Early and impulsive walkers are often more accident-prone than their more cautious walking mates."

Wow, Dr. Sears, I had no idea you knew my Little Bub personally! This fits my child to a T. Although, not walking alone, he has walked along furniture for a month now and occasionally he will let go. This is my 7.5 month old child we are talking about here. Thank goodness for that big ol' cloth diapered booty. He pulls himself up on furniture and grabs for anything in site. If CPS were to show up at my door this afternoon they would likely take my child. He has bruises head to toe from crawling, climbing, and falling on these hard wood and tile floors. His snuggling days are a thing of the past. It is way more fun to get down and crawl, I mean race across the floor to explore the next dangerous thing or activity in site. When it comes to making dinner, however, that is when he wants to be held. I have a variety of slings and carriers that he likes to be in while we carefully prepare meals. And, at times he will sit in the high chair and eat and entertain himself while I cook.

Hoping you are all enjoying your relaxing snow days and getting refreshed for spring. God apparently knew that a few of us *ahem* needed some down time.

Love and happies from us to you!

my baby isn't a baby anymore

2011-01-14T20:44:00.001-08:00

It is 10:45pm. Daddy and LB are snuggled in bed. My house look like a storm blew in from the north, but I don't care because this is the only time I have had to myself all day. The dishes from dinner are a foot high in the sink and there are three loads of laundry piled on the couch that can wait until.....well, I really don't know when.

You see, these days I spend most of my time catching my child and protecting him from hitting his head one too many times on the tile floor. We have a nearly seven month old going on three year old. He is a teething, crawling, climbing, talking, crazy little guy and at the end of the day we are both exhausted. Then, we get up and do it all over again. LB has eight teeth and still exclusively breastfeeds. I have tried to feed him bananas, rice cereal, butternut squash, pears, apples, and sweet potatoes. Let's just say he is less than enthused about solids. Every time I warm up a frozen cube of organic, homemade food made with love by my own two hands, he seems to care less. Two bites and he is finished. I have decided not to waste our time with that right now. No need to force feed him at this point. He is perfectly happy with mommy's milk every 2-3 hours.

Last week he learned how to go from army crawling to full on hands and knees racing. Then the next day he dared to try and pull up, then the next day he decided to walk along the couch, and the day after that he thought he could let go of whatever he had pulled himself up on. That is where the crashing comes into play. We had to have a heart to heart that six and a half months old aren't ready for that stuff yet. He wants to walk so badly, but he can't balance and his legs aren't quite that sturdy yet.

I love kisses. Slobbery, wet kisses. Sometimes I think I go a little overboard with kissing LB. What is a mommy to do with such a sweet angel though. Kisses, kisses, kisses. LB has learned to kiss too. He will grab my face and pull it and give me a big, slobbery, messy, wet kiss on my face anywhere he can plant it and I absolutely feel like the best mommy in the world when he does this. Love is in this house no doubt. I am glad my child knows this one thing for sure.

Sometimes I read facebook posts of moms who have more than one kid and think to myself "ya, right, like they really have time to do all that". I mean, really, I maybe and I mean maybe have time to unload the silverware from the dishwasher before he has scurried over to "help" me. I try not to be "that mom" who freaks out about everywhere he goes, everything he is getting into. But, I would be lying if I said that corners of dishwashers and drawers with plastic wrap in them don't worry me a tad bit. Usually I let him roam all over. I have put the poisonous plants and breakable dishes out of reach. But, when he pulls up on things he sometimes loses grip and slams his face into the couch, cabinet, desk...you name it. Most of the time he comes out unscathed. I have perfected the quick mommy reflexes to catch most of his falls.

But, I love motherhood and wouldn't change it for anything. The good things far outweigh the exhaustion and overwhelming days that come with the package. He is ALL boy and I love everything about him!

By now, I was hoping to have my website up. I am selling slings and really wanting to start advertising my services online and get that all going. But, after a conference call with my web guys last weekend, it looks like we are reworking quite a bit of things so it will still be a while before I share my site with the world. It's going to be great when it is all finished though.

Looks like all the time I am going to get for myself today before I head to bed myself *yawn*.

believe

2010-12-21T19:24:00.000-08:00

Do you believe? A few days ago we were at my in-laws and they have a decorative sign on the wall that says believe. I looked at it really closely and this is what I saw...bELIeve. Wow. So many emotions come with thinking about this. My little Eli was definitely prayed for a lot and I believed and trusted that God would send us a perfect little angel. I could not have asked for a more precious baby. We are so blessed.

I enjoy motherhood. And that is just what it is. Motherhood. My child is active, curious, and very bright if I may say so myself. He keeps me on my toes. It is a 24/7 commitment and I love every moment. When we go on walks, I load his wagon or stroller with toys, but he would rather people watch and observe what is going on all around us. It never ceases to amaze me how curious he has become.

Here is a brief synopsis of my new every day sayings:
"No."
"Nope, little punkin, that is dangerous."
"No, that is Mommy's."
"Don't get too close to the edge, you will fall."
"If you climb on that, you could get hurt."
"That is going to poke your eye out."
"Oh, yucky, we don't put that in our mouth."
"No, sweetie, that is Daddy's."
"No, those are for Christmas."
"No."
"No."
"No."

In short, we are learning the word "NO". Sometimes "no" is a funny word to him. I try and make it as non-humorous as possible so he understand no is associated with danger. Eye contact is key.

My next post will be a recap of the year. Overall it has been a wonderful and blessed year. But, we have had some sorrow as well. After Eli was born was one of the most difficult times we have experienced. We were dealing with the adjustment of a new baby, my physical, emotional, and hormonal recovery, and the job search for Scott. I can't listen to a particular musical toy of Eli's that we used to play at night when he was first born. It brings me to tears. It is interesting how little things can make bring about such strong emotions. It is hard to have memories like that because it was just a joyous time in our lives as well as such a difficult one too. I am so thankful to be past that difficult season of our lives.

This Christmas is our first as a family of three and the first Christmas that we are not completely stressed about how we will be able to enjoy gift giving without braking the bank. And, we have already started creating Christmas traditions. One of them we stole from an old Holthus family tradition of cruising around in pjs and looking at Christmas lights. One that created two years ago was going to Christmas Eve service and then out to dinner. This year we are adding more traditions now that we have a wee one. We are looking forward to Christmas morning. I am sure that it won't take long for Eli to figure out that ripping paper is AWESOME!

I hear stirring. Back to motherhood.

Love and Christmas Blessing to you and your family!

life lesson on pee

2010-12-15T20:24:00.000-08:00

Eli is a big ball of energy these days. If he sees something shiny, fuzzy...you name it, he is after it. The more dangerous the object the more "fun" it must be! He put nail clippers in his mouth today. First of all, gross, second of all where was I when he got a hold of these. Right next to him is my answer. Nothing is safe. He has figured out how to scoot fast. I can barely keep up with him anymore.

His new thing is to roll around naked and free on the 1000 thread count sheets, pick up things with his mouth, and growl. Then he pees. I call him Eli the doggie. At this moment, I wish I was in bed. But the sheets are yet again in the wash. I obviously haven't learned my lesson...until now anyway.

Home "Eco"-nomics

2010-12-08T06:10:00.000-08:00

If I remember correctly, my 7th grade class was the last class in middle school to have home ec classes. Those classes taught basic sewing and cooking skills. They were replaced with technology class. Although, obviously much needed in our ever changing techo world, it seems that sewing, some cooking skills, and other aspects of home care have become a lost art. Back in the day, sewing used to be cheaper than buying your own clothes and fast food wasn't conveniently handed to you out of a drive thru in less than 14 seconds. Needless to say we just don't see people knowing how to care for their home and health anymore.

As we move into and era of more earth conscious, eco-friendly awareness, I have decided to restore home ec classes, teaching "Home 'ECO'-nomics" and combining many important life skills with an eco flair.

Click on picture to link to the facebook page.

All through my school years I did 4-H. Around here, I rarely hear of kids in 4-H. I learned many life skills in 4-H. I started sewing at age seven thanks to my mother who sparked my interest. I took cooking and crafting classes too. There were numerous friends of my mother's and women in the community that dedicated their time to teach 4-H classes. I can bake delicious whole wheat bread and other goodies thanks to these women. But, in the end sewing seemed to be my thing. Every summer I would take on a newer, more difficult and daunting project. My mother dedicated a lot of her time and wisdom to helping me learn to sew. The dining room table often became our creative station filled with sewing supplies and tailoring books. By the end of my 4-H career when I graduated high school, I had made several wool tailored outfits including a long double breasted, felted wool coat, a wedding dress and four bridesmaids dresses. Texas is much too warm for a lot of fancy wool outfits so they don't get worn much these days, but some of them still still fit and when I go to Kansas I try them on for grins. I miss my 4-H days.

In high school I worked at a fabric store and taught a children's sewing class. And, one summer as a nanny to another 4-H family, I helped those young girls get their projects ready for the fair. Good times.

Because I am so grateful that someone took the time to teach me these things, I want to pass these skills to others so they can learn at least the simple techniques of how to sew on a button or fix a hem!

Along with the sewing and cooking and in keeping with the eco-friendly theme, I plan to have some classed dedicated to making inexpensive, chemical free home cleaning and self care products that are healthy for your body and your home. I love this. I make my own and feel safe knowing my small baby and my family aren't ingesting harmful toxins that fill the air while cleaning and bathing in harsh chemicals.

Yay for Home "Eco"-nomics!

Christmas cheer and baby clothes for sale

2010-12-01T15:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I am a bah humbug when it comes to Christmas. I wish I could hire someone to transform my home at Christmas time to a lovely picture from a magazine. I love the holidays. I love Thanksgiving and Christmas and family time. I don't love putting up the decor and taking it down a month later. Thankfully Scott is in full swing to get the decorations out and up this weekend and I am going to happily go along with it for the joy of the season.

I have been toiling over what a 6 month old would enjoy for Christmas. My parents got him a wagon which I am totally stoked about. I cannot wait to take Eli for rides around the neighborhood in a little red wagon. Scott and I have agreed to the gift of house projects as presents to one another this Christmas. Thus, the tree will be a bit bare this year. Eli doesn't need a lot of "stuff". He is truly happy to play with the juicer parts and empty oatmeal cartons. I am hoping to evade the plastic toys for my baby as he grows. It makes the earth happier it is better for all of us. We are loving books too and my sister gave him a cute fair trade froggy hat. LOVE THAT!

And, in business news....

My website is slowly but surely coming along. Should be ready to hit the cyber world on 1/1/11!

Here are a few samples for sale so far:

The photo is taken of the back the the pants in these photos. The back side has a bottom patch as seen in the photos, the front does not.

Handcrafted Reversible Red and Khaki Striped Woven Cotton Pants - 9 months - $15

Handcrafted Reversible Green and Black Woven Corduroy and Canvas Pants - 6 months - $15

Felted Navy Shoes with Green Crosshatching - fits approx. 3-9 months - $20

(sorry for the poor quality photos - I am working on that)

I am currently taking custom orders for Christmas if you need/want any shoes or pants for boys or girls let me know asap.

LOVE to you!

fall at our house

2010-11-14T19:36:00.000-08:00

What a busy month so far! Eli will be 5 months on Wednesday. Yikes! Where did the time go? I hug him and give him kisses every day all day long.

The best advice I got during pregnancy was to let the dishes, laundry, and housework come second to taking care of your child, because the moments are fleeting. Well, whoever gave me permission to do that, thank you! Really. Thank you. I honestly don't care one bit that my house looks like a wreck...ok...maybe one bit, but my Little Bubs comes first during the day. We do all kinds of fun things like read books, sing songs, dance, go on walks, take naps together, swing, sit and play toys....

LB has three bottom teeth, he sits, he giggles, he screams with delight, and he says "mommy"..haha, okay so he doesn't say "mommy", but he might as well. Today be pulled himself up on his knees. He is going to be outta here in no time. Guess I better be cleaning and maintaining the floors more often if nothing else. I just can't believe how fast the child is growing up.

Lately I have been very grateful that it isn't last year at this time. Although, I was delighted I had just found out the wonderful news of my pregnancy, I was not feeling well at all. Looking back, I don't think I made the most wonderful pregnant woman. But, I sure did get a handsome little feller out to it all.

I am busy working on a website/blog that I am hoping to launch by January 1st. My lovely friend Val took some beautiful and amazing pictures for the site and some of our family. Here is a sneak peek...

We are working on our house bit by bit and the next step is to get the foundation repaired. Hopefully that will get taken care of between Thanksgiving and Christmas so we can start doing some other much needed work on our house. First comes first, though....foundation. There is a saying here in Texas. "You have had your foundation worked on or you WILL have your foundation worked on." Our house has already been worked on and needs more.

Thank you Mom and Dad for a computer that seems to run at lightening speed compared to our other one. My heart is happy to be able to sit down, check email, and be done in 5 minutes, not one hour. More time for Eli!

So there is a quick update. Nothing too exciting, but an update none the less.

HUGS!

Chunky Punkin'

2010-11-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

ROLLS!

Fall Fest

Freezing at Fall Fest

More Rolls!

Lil' Punkin

it's not easy being "weird"

2010-10-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever look back and wonder about things? I had the realization this morning, four months later, that I can hear everything that goes on outside our bedroom wall. Our house is 50 years old and currently the walls are not insulated. Well, LB's room has been insulated since January when we had the pipes fixed and the termite issue taken care of. Scott had to tear out the walls and start over so we decided to start there. But the walls are paper thin everywhere else. I can always hear our neighbors taking the trash to the curb, getting in their car, and even talking to people that come to their door. So, it makes me really hope that on June 16th they weren't convening out in their driveway listening to me labor. I was sitting on a birth ball under the window that looks into their driveway sounding like a cow giving birth. Well, they haven't moved away yet, but then again, we haven't really talked with them a whole lot either. Not that we talked a lot before. We are obviously the weirdest people on the block. As you can remember from the post in March 2009 when I was watching The Business of Being Born and paused it on the most unimaginable horrific birth scene from the 50's to answer the door to our other neighbors at 10:00 at night while Scott was away on a basketball trip. Yes, they were a bit horrified. We haven't spoken to them since either. And, yes, I guess we are a little "weird". That's okay. I would rather be weird and authentic than be mainstream and fake.

Update on Little Bubs:
He now has two bottom teeth.
He has been standing (with assistance) since 2 1/2 months - that boy is so very strong.
Favorite Food: Mommy's milk
Favorite place to go: Central Market
Favorite time of day: Right when he gets up. He is so smiley and giggly (he is that way a lot anyway though, but especially in the mornings)
Activities: nature walks, sewing with Mom, singing nursery rhymes, playing in the walker, kissing Mommy and Daddy, helping Mommy around the house

Update on US:
Scott is still loving his new job and had a good eval on Monday.
I am working 2 days a week and currently working on getting a website together. I have lots of thoughts and ideas and an anxiously awaiting for this.

There is a squirmy wormy in my lap so I must sign off for now.

LOVE!

watch him grow

2010-10-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

Newborn

One Month

Two Months

Three Months

Four Months

He has popped the two bottom teeth since last week and on his four month b-day last Sunday he weighed in at 2o pounds. He is growing so big and so fast. We are having a bit of an issue with sleep. He is perfectly happy with sleeping for one to two hours a day (with me of course) which means Mommy doesn't get a lot done. Maybe some babies don't need as much sleep as others. He makes up for it by sleeping about 13 hours at night. I have chalked it up to being the phase we are at in life. I will never get this time with him again.

He is such a happy little fella. At the grocery store today we got several comments on what a good baby he is and how happy he looks. I think he is as big of a fan of Central Market as Mommy. :)

amongst the pumpkins

2010-10-16T17:22:00.000-07:00

We have been fall festival-ing and pumpkin patch-ing. We love fall around our house. It means cooler weather and fun family activities!

I know that johnny jump ups aren't intended for 4 month olds and aren't great for their developing hips, but the child literally jumps in my lap. He has strong legs and wants to constantly be standing. Today I put him in the jumper to expend some of that energy.

outta sight, outta mind

2010-10-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

I got a new phone a week and a half ago. It has a lot of cool features including the Internet. Thus, I am not sitting down at the computer any more and haven't thought about writing a blog in a very long time.

There are many changes and happenings going on in our neck of the woods and that has a lot to do with my lack of blogging as well.

At the moment, I am holding my teething, YES TEETHING!, baby in my lap. He seems to be taking this all in stride. I am convinced he has a very high tolerance to pain considering I have dropped my phone and a book on his head and it didn't phase him one bit. He wants everything in his mouth and he is drooling all over the place. But, that just makes for some really wet, slobbery kisses.

Currently, I am working to get a new website and blog going for my business. Lately I have been feeling a bit out of sorts. My mind is going in a million different directions from the moment I wake up until I pass out at night. I have a lot of ideas and limited time to get them going. I guess that is what happens when life drops a baby off. LB is getting all my attention these days. We have been taking strolls, going on play dates, and just enjoying the company of each other during the day. We like to sing, read books, takes naps together, and go on walks when we are alone. My house gets close to zero attention and that is ok. I am enjoying every second of mommyhood!

In September the Tarrant County Birth Network hosted BOLD. My poor husband and baby got neglected for a couple of weeks during this time. To be able to spend time with him, I had to wear him. He sure is a good helper. (FYI- this is NOT the correct way to wear your baby, I know a better way now)

Getting a diaphragm adjustment from Rachel so he can stop spitting up so much. I am not a fan of smelling like vomit all day long.

Saturday afternoon football and nap time for my guys.

Sunday afternoon helping Daddy out in the yard. Daddy is digging up a tree that was planted too close to the house and causing foundation issues.

Our visit to Starbucks one afternoon. We took a walk on a beautiful sunny day. And, I guess you can see what his favorite toy is.....Mr. Ducky.

sleepy time

2010-09-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

This week I feel like a no good mommy. I have been so consumed with the upcoming birth network event, BOLD, that poor LB has had to kind of fend for himself these days. He sleeps when and wherever he can when he gets bored of watching Mommy work.
Then, when it is cuddle time, he holds on for dear life. I love snuggles with my Little Bubs.

what have we gotten ourselves into?

2010-09-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

When you come from a sports playing and watching family, this is what a Sunday afternoon pose looks like watching football with Papaw. I know, I know, he isn't supposed to be watching t.v. let alone be glued to the screen. But, the fascination of a bigger than life big screen was just too much for Little Bubs to pass up. He was more than intrigued. He will strain his neck to look backwards, forwards, and upside down when it comes to watching t.v. so we try and keep watching to a minimum around here.
"Big" is an understatement these days. I weighed him with me on the scale today and he is topping out at 16 lbs. And, the other night when he was fast asleep, we measured him at 26 1/2 inches long. He has grown 5 inches since birth just three months ago. What are we in for if he keeps growing at this rate? A football or basketball player no doubt. My personal hope is basketball if he picks a sport. Football freaks me out a little bit, especially any position he would play for his build. Anyway, I am not going to tell you what the scale told me. I still have a little work to do to get off these post preggo pounds. Bring on the cooler weather and we will stroll the neighborhood every day. Little Bubs is wanting to stand now that he has found his strength and his legs. We decided to try Johnny Jump Up today. I wasn't sure he would take to it very well, but he seemed to enjoy himself. He knows he is a big boy and he likes when we tell him so. He gets so proud of himself. The Baby Book by Dr. Sears is my go to book. Love that book. It says that at his age babies start to develop a sense of self esteem because they feel proud that they can express their needs and they know they will be met. Daddy still needs to put in the transition piece from the hall to the bedroom under LB's feet.Yesterday I worked away from home for the first time since LB got here. I left the hubs with a bottle and instructions on particulars and headed out for a couple of hours. Still trying to figure out the "perfect" bottle situation. Bottles are such a hassle. Honestly, I think that even if I wasn't so much of an advocate for breastfeeding, I would do it just because I am too lazy to clean the mess that comes with making bottles. It is just so easy to nurse and be done with it. But, Daddy has to feed LB when I am gone so a bottle it was. I got home to find them laying on the bed with a towel wrapped around a leaky bottle and LB sucking away. Not sure the leak situation, we will have to work on that. And, since he is getting a bit heavy these days, our desired position for nursing is side lying. He likes it, I like it and it works. But, I have to admit, I got kind of jealous seeing Daddy feeding LB. I treasure our nursing times and love that bond we have. But I know Daddy needs to bond with LB too. We were meeting lunch with a friend, though, and I didn't have time to watch him take a bottle. I scooped him up and latched him on and we were done in five. Along with this undesire (that is a word I am making up) to make a bottle comes my "undesire" to pump. It takes a lot of thinking and planning to pump...well for me anyway. You have to do it right after you nurse to get the rest out. I can't just do it whenever I want or I will make milk at a time I don't need it and that isn't good for me or LB. Currently, I have about three measly ounces of milk in the freezer and three in the fridge. I would have had about five in the freezer, but I thought it would be awesome to dump freshly pumped milk onto the kitchen counter. I rock.

Daddy has a weird work schedule. On the weekends he works pizza at night. Fridays are hard on Mommy because Daddy comes home, changes clothes, and leaves again. I am quite worn out from the day by then, especially since LB isn't a great napper. Twenty minutes here and there about four times a day isn't helping Mommy catch up on rest. But, LB will take a great nap if Mommy is cuddled right beside. So, Friday we laid down for a nap at 5:30. I had a headache but woke up at around 8:00. He woke up too so I fed him and he fell back to sleep. Daddy got home at 11:00 and LB was ready to play. This is not a good schedule. Mind you, it isn't our regular schedule, but Friday and Saturday this happened. Midnight is not playtime. But when you go to bed at 5:30 for the night, midnight seems like it could be morning already I guess. No one should be this excited at midnight that is for sure...well unless it is New Year's Eve or something. Definitely not a sleep deprived Mommy.

free tickets, free tickets

2010-09-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

Check out the ticket giveaway on my blog - Bellies In Bloom

photo shoot

2010-09-09T13:47:00.000-07:00

talking, standing, and eating fists

2010-09-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

It is a dreary, rainy day. I have a baby laying in my lap chatting away. We called Papa, Uncle Daniel and Aunt Heidi and left messages because Little Bubs had something BIG to say.

Do I want to think about making dinner? Not really. So blogging seemed like a good thing to consume my time.

I added a bunch of video, mostly for the the family, because, well, I know that I get a little obsessive with taking video and not everyone wants a day to day account of my growing boy.

then and now

2010-09-05T07:49:00.001-07:00

I have friends that blog about then and now. It is fun to see kids grow. It seems kinda silly since he is not even three months yet. But, the changes are so great!

THEN
first week

NOW
2 1/2 months

cake and icing

2010-08-31T21:32:00.000-07:00

Today was the icing on the cake of "why mes?"

Let me start out with the cake and then I will get to the icing.

CAKE.

Why did I lose my first baby and a fallopian tube?

Why did I have to bleed in the first trimester of pregnancy and have to get shots of progesterone and progesterone suppositories?

Why did I get PUPPPs when only 1% of pregnant women get it?

Why do I have a sacralization in my spine that made my labor and birth so difficult?

Why did I get a third degree tear?

Why was my baby born with a two vessel cord?

Why did I get a hematoma on my perineum that I am just now getting over 10 and a half weeks later?

And the ICING....

Why, when I am exclusively breastfeeding on demand, do I have my period already!!!!???? One month after he was born I started (something), then 28 days later...again. Today was my very first pap smear. Sorry if this is TMI....but I actually took a look at my cervix and low and behold...there was fertile cervical fluid. Thank goodness I am very familiar with natural family planning because if not, I just might have wound up with another baby next year. The thought totally freaks me out.

So there you have it.

What is a girl to do?

Apparently I need to know a lot of things to become the person I am supposed to be. I guess God knew that I could handle all this stuff and that those who are going through it just might find their way to me. I am not an expert by any means, but I am a mom who has gone through a lot of things just so I can see this cute little face every day.

hungry and broke

2010-08-29T16:58:00.001-07:00

Not us, thankfully.

Ironically, on the way home from the grocery store where I had just finished buying groceries that we could finally afford, I passed a guy standing on the corner holding a sign that read "hungry and broke." It got me thinking, how does someone get to such a desperate point to where they feel they have no other option but to stand on the street corner and beg? I wonder why they are spending their time begging rather than looking for a job? Are they ineligible for a job? Have they been in jail? Can they not keep a job? Who knows? But, I thought about giving this guy some food out of the grocery bag sitting on the seat next to me, but I was in the middle lane and decided not to yell across the busy street to give him food. I don't give beggars money because I saw an interesting thing once, but food or water I don't mind sharing.

That interesting thing I saw was this.

I had been downtown trying to meet some friends at the train station to head out for an evening in Dallas a couple of years ago. I got a bit lost so I stopped in a gas station to ask for directions. There was a lady in there buying beer. About a week later Scott and I went downtown to an art show and I saw the same lady holding a sign asking for money. So, that is why I don't trust beggars anymore. One lady ruined it for them all. It just makes me sad though. I am so thankful to know that if we were ever starting to get to that point, we have family that would graciously help us out. So that was that.

The weekends go by way too fast. We went from seeing Daddy all day every day to him working 50+ hours a week. Don't get me wrong, I am so grateful. We are paying off so many things. But, we miss Daddy when he works his pizza delivery job in the evenings. Saturday morning we went to breakfast for my birthday and then we went to a birth fair. I had to represent the Tarrant Co. Birth Network for two hours at our booth. When we got home we all crashed out. Little Bubs slept from 4:30pm to 7:30am (with three feeding in between of course). I think we are on the same path today. He has been sleeping since 3:30 this afternoon. It is currently 7:30pm. I think he must be going through a growth spurt because he doesn't usually sleep like this. But, I am not a rigid scheduler and feel that if he needs this sleep then he should have it. I am not about to wake him. I was a bit worried that last night he wouldn't sleep through the night, but he did. I am hoping he will sleep tonight too.

Little Bubs was dedicated at church today. And, being the amazing mother that I am, I hope this will forever be captured in our memory since I forgot the camera. He sure looked cute in his "little" (6-9 month) overall outfit. He was such a good boy and so well behaved too. I think every mother who takes her child to the front of the church on a Sunday dreads an outburst. But that, thankfully, did not happen to us. I hope and pray God will give us the strength and wisdom to be good parents and raise him to be a good young man. When I look at him my heart swells. He chose us to be his parents and I feel a lot of responsibility to care for and raise him well.

Inquiring minds want to know....who do you think he looks like? When we look at him we see a blend of both of us. What do you think?And, yes another video of baby babble. He has been talking so much lately and I love to capture it on camera. Mostly for the family who can't be here to watch him grow but also for us as I know that he will be all grown up before we know it.

a 30 year old mommy

2010-08-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

So, what does a mommy do on her 30th birthday? Go to the fabric store. But, I am reminded that, yes, I am a mommy and even on my birthday, my baby still needs me all. day. long. But, just as I was taking my final browse around the store to pick up needles and bobbins, baby started to get the fussies. I knew that waiting until we got home was not an option. I wandered to the back of the store to find a quiet corner to nurse him on the floor. Just as he was finishing up, I looked up to see we had planted ourselves directly underneath the a security camera. Yes, I flashed my boob to the employees at JoAnns....nice. Well, my baby was satisfied with his little snack, so it was all worth it I suppose.

A sound morning sleep. I love to snuggle next to him in the mornings.

Happy little guy.

babies

2010-08-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

In September I am starting back to work 2 days a week. I am a little apprehensive about the whole situation. I will be working half days and he will stay with my mother-in-law and my husband. I couldn't have asked for better care for him if it can't be me. But, there is still the issue of leaving him. I have spent all day every day with him since he has been born. No one knows him like I do. I have so many mixed feelings about the return. On one hand I am happy and excited to return to my clients and on the other I am just not ready to leave him. He seems so little still.

Two weeks ago he weighed nearly 13 lbs. He is getting pretty hefty....not my itty bitty baby anymore. I hold him close every second I can. It won't be long before he won't want to he held tight.

We are getting cute smiles and when he sleeps he laughs out loud. My friend said he is remembering where he came from. I'll go with that.
Scott found a poor, hot baby squirrel when he was watering the flowers the other night. It was still there the next morning, but by the afternoon it was gone. I hope it made it. It sure was hot out last week.

shoes, adjustments, and chats

2010-08-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

I've been a shoe making fool!

Getting an adjustment. He always sleeps so well after his adjustments from Rachel. We love her!

Early morning chats.

jealousy

2010-08-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

My husband and son have the cutest most wonderful chats with each other and I am jealous. Today was the first day that Little Bubs really started talking to me too. I know he was getting so used to Daddy being around all the time and then we went to Colorado and the day after he and I got back from being gone from Daddy for so long, Daddy started his new job. His eyes get really big and he gets the cutest grins when Daddy comes home from work and they sit and visit.

Lost the paci at nap time, but was very excited to find his finger to suck instead. It sufficed.

I can make dinner while he sleeps, although it takes me twice the time. But, at least he is happy and content close to Mommy.He loves bath time!

firsts

2010-08-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Today is our anniversary! Four years to be exact. It is our first year to be married with a baby which means we won't be having a romantic date out. We will, however, be spending some family time together this weekend and I am very much looking forward to it.

This week was Scott's first week at his new job and boy are we excited around here. I will admit that it has been an adjustment to take care of a baby on my own all day, but we are getting into a routine. I have learned to be very efficient in getting things done as he sleeps during the day. It is also nice to be eating dinner at a decent time. When Scott worked at the gym, he wouldn't get home until late and we would finish up dinner close to 9pm. Now were a finished with dinner and having family time and almost getting ready for bed by 9pm.

This is Little Bub's first picture with Papa.

The first piano lesson from Mama.

Uncle Daniel got a first picture with Little Bubs. (Someone thought they were brothers. Haha, they definitely could be - they are only 12 years apart.) Daniel is such a good uncle. He would rush to his side if he cried or fussed at all. Little Bubs just smiles and coos at Daniel. It sure is sweet.

The first long car ride. Ten hours on the road. He did amazing. He fussed about the last 20 minutes from home. I kept him occupied by whistling to him. He like that.

Definitely the first time he has been freezing cold in the 49 degree Colorado morning air.

First time to visit the mountains in Colorado.

Mama and Daniel gave Bubs his first lesson in playing cards.First pair of shades. Looking pretty rad.

This was his first train ride and he sure did love it.

The first time Mommy takes a shower while Bubs is awake. What is a mommy to do? Well, put him in the bouncy chair right next to the shower of course!

father/son time

2010-08-11T20:34:00.000-07:00

Scott started his new job this week and he loves it! But, he is gone all day and when he returns he can't wait to spend time with little Bubs. It is so cute to watch them together. He sure loves his son and he sure loves his daddy.

my hair

2010-08-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I have been blessed with beautiful, naturally blond hair. Every time I go in for a hair cut, I get comments on how lucky I am. I am not going to lie, I do feel very lucky that I am not spending hundreds of dollars to keep up this look as many women have to.

But, since getting pregnant and having a baby, my hair is getting darker. My roots are dark blond not the light that I am used to. I am kind of freaking out about this. Will it every go back? I doubt.

I am not much into considering dying or highlighting my hair, being kind of a naturalist myself. Honey blond isn't so bad I suppose...ho hum.

Then there is the dilemma of what to do with my style. I have always had shorter hair. Prenatal vitamins helped my hair grow fast. I kind of like it grown out a bit, but I am a mom now. Do I have to get a "mom haircut"? What is a mom haircut anyway? It is easier for me to fix longer hair than shorter hair. Shorter hair requires a style and a fix every day. Long hair can be pulled back and thrown up in a flash. And, I can even kind of make it look semi-cute in a matter of a couple of minutes. Before baby I used to take the time to curl my hair. Bah ha ha, that hasn't happened in weeks. Wish I had time to do it, I think it is a cute look.

Then there is the bang issue. I tried the no-bang look and I have such a large forehead that it wasn't a flattering look for me. And, I have a huge cowlick right smack in the middle of my bangs. It makes it challenging to style at times. Bangs it is for now.

I recently spent $16 to get a trim that I am not pleased with from a new girl rather than spending my usual $60. I get my hair trimmed about every 5-6 months. Maybe I should have justified spending the money to go to my normal girl that I love. Now I have to spend the $60 for her to fix it. Wow, a $76 haircut.

I am still thinking on this one.

and...he sleeps

2010-08-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

Since the "freak out" on Tuesday, Eli has been getting plenty of rest. My friend, Lori, advised me that kids can physically hurt when they don't get enough sleep. Yes, this is true I discovered. So, with that incident behind us, I was not going to allow this to happen again. I am usually pretty good at tuning into his needs and feeding him and putting him down to sleep when he shows signs of needing this. But, vacation has messed that up. Yesterday I decided that even if we are on the go, I am going to pay attention to the signs better. He sleeps well in the sling. If I need to go off into a corner and get him to sleep before continuing out and about, well, that is what I am going to do. Nap time is a must. As I write this, he has been sleeping for four hours. He has been playing catch up since Tuesday, poor little fellow.

Today we went to a craft shop to paint pottery. He slept in the sling and I painted him a piggy bank. Well, it was more like a jar to collect money. A rainy day fund I have decided. It is going to be so cute and it matches his room. That is one nice thing about babywearing. Kids love it. Moms love it. And, it can be hands free.

It has been a rather relaxing vacation, but I can tell Eli misses Daddy. He was fussy yesterday and we put Daddy on the phone and let him talk to Eli and he got real quiet. I believe that some of his routine has been thrown off by the absence of his Daddy. I miss him too and am anxious to get back home. It will be a different dynamic now that he has gone from working 15 hours a week to working 60. But, we will have to get used to this new schedule and Daddy not being around as much, which ultimately I am so thankful for.

I am not big on schedules these days. How can you be when you have a baby that you feed and tend to on cue? But, I have decided to start planning my weeks out for cleaning and cooking. I have always wanted to do this but just haven't. Monday through Friday I will have a cleaning list of what to do each day so I am not loading up on all the chores in one day. And, I will make meal plans for dinner and shop for the groceries at the beginning of the week. I bet some of you are reading this and thinking "duh, that is what we do", but I am a procrastinator when it comes to things like this. This may be a new adjustment for me since I am used to working full time and just caring for just two of us. We were used to making our own schedule and doing things as we felt like it. Adding a baby sure changes things. Being a stay at home mom is going to be an adjustment too. I plan to work two half days a week starting in September, but thankfully because of Scott's new job, I can stay home with Eli and love him all day long.

Can't wait to share some pictures of our vacation when we return home this weekend!

happy camper

2010-08-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

Well, we aren't camping here in Colorado, but I sure and one happy camper anyway. Scott got a job! He will be working for a company called WallBuilders in Aledo, TX about 20 minutes from our home. I am not really sure of all the details that this job entails, but I do know that it does have benefits and it is 40 hours a week with great pay. He starts next week and we are all so thrilled! He has decided to also keep his pizza delivery job on the side for now to make a little extra money so we can catch up.

Eli is a bit out of his element here in Colorado. The weather is 70 degrees not 100 and the altitude is a bit high for him. But, he has done fairly well. It is hard to travel without a baby because your routine gets a bit off, but with a baby it gets even trickier. Today his naps between 7:45am and 7:45pm totaled about one hour. This was a set up for a disaster around 6:00pm when he had a total freak out. I thought he was seriously injured or in critical pain the way he was crying. For about 15 minutes I wasn't sure what to do with my son who was crying like I had never heard. I quickly slung him up close to me and took him outside and within a matter of seconds he was zonked. I ate dinner wearing him and then tried to lay him down and he woke. I laid down with him for about 20 minutes to try to get him back to sleep to no avail. I brought him out on the sofa and he still would not sleep. So, when mom turned on the ancient cabin dishwasher that sounds like it could take off any moment he passed out again. Guess he needed some background noise to lull him to sleep. Hope tomorrow is a better day for the little guy.

On a side note, he has dirt under his finger nails. Why? I guess I really should be asking myself why I have let his fingernails get to the length that dirt can get under them. Where is dirt coming from anyway?

mountain air for mommy

2010-08-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

I am overwhelmed. I am tired. I am ready for a big change.

I am a new mom. I am not sleeping. I am lucky to have a shower by noon.

Last week I put my shirt on backwards...TWICE. I am not sure exactly what happened to my body (I try not to look down too much).

Since my last (depressing) post, I decided I needed a mommy/wife time out. Every summer since I was six years old, my family has taken a trip to Colorado. I haven't been since being married. Scott and I have always had to work and haven't really had the money to go along. My parents were getting ready to head out to Colorado on Thursday. Tuesday night Scott and I had a really depressing discussion about the job status and our "situation". Wednesday morning I woke up and felt like I needed to get away for a while. I called Mom and she and Dad said it would be okay for Eli to tag along to Colorado. I frantically packed us up and we left on the 5:25pm train to OKC and then Dad picked us up. We left the next afternoon for VACATION. I am thankful for a much needed break.

We stopped in Atwood, KS on the way out. My dad grew up in Atwood. He and his sisters bought the house they grew up in and it sits vacant for passers by to rent out as needed. We stayed there for two nights. On Saturday morning I needed some things. Mind you, Atwood it a tiny town. You can see downtown from the front porch of my dad's childhood house on Main Street and the high school is 100 feet from the front door. So, Daniel and I (and Eli in the Moby) took the two and a half block trek downtown. We passed the library, and the insurance agency that had a sign on the door saying "We will be closed Aug. 2nd and 3rd to move our boys to college", the hardware store, and the bank on our way to Duckwalls. Duckwalls is the "Hometown Variety Store"....sort of like Wal-Mart, although they didn't have the fabric I was looking for. It is quite a different feel from the big city. Even the town I grew up in is quaint and quiet compared to where we live. It was a nice stop on our way up the hill.

Now I am sitting in a cabin in the mountains breathing in 60 degree, crisp mountain air and feeling very relaxed and carefree at the moment. Eli did very well on the trip. I was nervous that his ears would bother him with the altitude change. But, thankfully, he did so well. We stopped at Whole Foods in Denver for some groceries and dinner on the way up. Although we have one about 20 minutes from our house, I rarely go...not sure why...probably because I would spend a fortune. Love that store!

AND......

It also helps that Scott got a call last Wednesday for an interview on Thursday morning with a business that will offer him a full time job with benefits! So with those two things going, I am a happy, refreshed mommy and wife. He has a second interview with the company owner tomorrow and unless he totally bombs it, he will start a new job very soon. This is huge and is a definite answer to the prayers I know many of you have been saying for us.

Here's to a totally relaxing week and a much needed break from the stresses of life right now. We are missing Daddy, but Eli wrote him a post card tonight when we arrived. Maybe next year for our family.

wishing

2010-07-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

There are so many things to be grateful for in our lives. I have a loving husband and the best baby on the planet. I have a great career and love what I do. I have a house and a warm bed. My car runs just fine. I have great friends and family. We are all healthy.

But, sometimes I wonder what in the world is happening?

I wish and pray for so many things to be different right now.

This is RAW, fresh from my heart folks.....

With a bachelor's degree you would think that a job would come easily, but Scott has really had a rough time finding a great job related to his exercise science degree or anything related to anything for that matter. Let me tell you, it sure is difficult to have a new baby and a husband that is out of a job. Thankfully, he just got a part time job delivering pizza until something wonderful comes along. I won't tell you the tears that have been shed around here not knowing how we are going to make it. I have tried not to be "too good for" our Medicaid, Food Stamps, and WIC, but all I really want is for this awesome job to come along with benefits so we don't have to worry anymore. When I look at my son, all I want is for him to have everything he needs. We have been so blessed to have been provided for in unexpected ways and we continue to pray and plead with God every day for things to get better. It is truly exhausting and it saddens my heart to watch my husband go through this - to fill out application after application, to have interviews and get turned down, to feel like his college degree is absolutely worthless.

My contribution to saving money: wash hair every other day to save shampoo, use cloth diapers, use washcloths instead of disposable wipes, borrow baby clothes from friends, put up a clothes line to dry our laundry, quit buying organic for the time being, make gifts, no entertainment, no eating out, walk, don't leave the house unless it is necessary, get a $16 haircut instead of the usual $60, use coupons and don't go grocery shopping when hungry, make my own laundry soap for 1 cent a load, plan ahead for meals so we aren't tempted to eat out, use energy efficient light bulbs, set the a/c on 79 or 80, and the list goes on. I am up for suggestions.

Today I got really mad at the government and our ridiculous health care system. On one hand, I am thankful to have Medicaid. It was helpful during my pregnancy for a few lab tests and after the birth on my unexpected trip to the hospital for stitches. But, I can honestly say that in my opinion, the government does not truly have my best interests in mind. My son is five and a half weeks old and has not had a newborn visit with pediatrician. Because we have Medicaid, doctors will not see us because we have made some decisions about what kind of care our son will have or not have and Medicaid will not cover visits due to those decisions. Now, we have found out that there could be a chance that Eli could have a hernia in his tummy. So, that, coupled with the fact that we still have yet to have his heart checked out due to the two vessel cord issue, we are in a bind. We cannot see a doctor that takes our Medicaid because the state requires vacs for Medicaid patients. Lame. And, we cannot pay out of pocket for a visit a doctor that accepts Medicaid because that is illegal. What is a mommy to do? I am just trying to do the best that I can and be a good mommy to my baby. So, today, after slamming the phone down (after I hung up) on what was probably the 15th call to a doctor and crying my eyes out because I just want to get my son checked, I called a pediatrician that lives an hour and a half away. Tomorrow we will go.

This probably left you feeling unloaded on. Sorry. It is just the way I feel and the way things are in our lives right now. Tough. But, we'll make it. We just have to make it somehow.

Growing Eli

2010-07-22T15:42:00.000-07:00

His shirt reads "I Call the Shots Around Here".

Um, yes, that pretty much sums it up.

We took our first stroller ride in the 90+ degree weather at 8:00 last night. As you can see, he thoroughly enjoyed it.

His facial expressions are very amusing. You would think he was about to burst into tears, but no, just showing me a frowny face.

And, for his usual comfy sleeping spot. Needless to say, I don't get a lot done when he won't sleep in the bed for a nap. But, he will only be my baby for a very short time, so I have been taking advantage of all the snuggle time I can get.

how to celebrate a one month birthday

2010-07-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

Today Eli turned one month old. My baby is growing up too fast already. He isn't a newborn anymore. He is starting to lose hair on his head and the peach fuzz on his face is gone. He has the cutest grin when we talk to him and he is starting to look at things very intently. Earlier today he was staring at the picture frame on the wall of Scott's 2006 basketball championship collage. Scott took him over and explained the pictures and told him he could play ball one day. Ah, does he really have to grow up?

So, here is how you celebrate a one month birthday...

Breakfast at IHOM (International House of Milk)

A trip to Spa de Reasoner for a bath, shampoo, and massage

A four hour nap

Lunch at Lil' Peeps Bistro

Hang out with Dad and Grandpa

Lounge on Daddy's lap

Nap #2 with Mommy

Snack from Cafe au la Momma

Visit with Daddy

Catnap

Dinner at Mom's Milk Grill

Sleep in the sling with Mom

Off to bed

What a day for a growing boy!

baby update

2010-07-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

What a crazy four weeks it has been! Four weeks ago tonight, I went into labor. Hard to believe time has flown by so fast.

A lot has gone on.

We made a last minute trip to Kansas for a few reasons. Scott had an interview for an assistant college coaching position. Unfortunately, he was not selected. We are continuing to pray for the right thing to come along. That has been the hardest and most stressful part of the past few weeks is trying to find a job. There have been many tears, but we are trusting the right thing is out there waiting just for him.

While we were in Kansas, we went to my cousin Emily's wedding. It was Eli's first big outing and he did great. We had gone to Wal-Mart the day before on a short outing as a family too, but that was short and just a practice run to see how he did out in the real world.

So far life has been incredible with a baby. He is so precious and a joy in our lives. We had a visit with the midwives yesterday and Eli weighs 9 lbs. and 8 oz. and is 23 inches long. He isn't starving by any means.

I have attached a few pictures from the past several weeks.

This was Wednesday morning at about 12:30am. My water had just broken, but not much was happening yet. The midwives were on their way because there was meconium in the water. I was happy at this point.

Skip 24 hours ahead to Thursday morning at 12am and I am in the living room in the birth tub. I wasn't very happy at this point....just ready to be done. Scott was in the tub with me. My friend (and chiropractor) Rachel was there to help and one of the midwives was helping as well. It took several hands to help me deal with the back labor. Not a fun thing to go through. During a contraction, they put counter pressure on my low back and I could pretty much not feel any pain. I guess I will know for next time to expect that back pain because of my fusion and have more help throughout the whole process. Not even fun to think about doing that all over again.

This was our first herbal the morning after he was born. Momma loved it, Eli did okay.

He used to nap on the Boppy, but he is already starting to grow out of it! He naps on the sofa now.

I love how alert he has been from birth. He looks all around and listens when we talk to him. It is so amazing and adorable.

Dad's on diaper duty. It really wasn't that stinky, he just thought it was going to be. He is really good about changing diapers.

Sunbathing to help with the jaundice. He loves to be outside in the sun. But, we have to go out in the evening when the temperature has dropped a few degrees. The Texas heat can get too hot for all of us and we don't want sunburns that is for sure!

I love to just stare at him all day long.

The "milk drunk" look.

One of the many faces he makes.

But, I said, "turn that frown upside down"...so he did.

Eli's first sponge bath after he was born. It was a group effort.

It rained a lot the first week he was born. We took him outside to see it one day. I think the look on his face explained what he thought about that.

Yep, I am a babywearing mommy! This is one of my three slings. I love it, he loves it....it is all good.

I love this picture of my two boys.

My niece and nephew were loving on Eli when we were in Kansas.

Gotta love that grin!

Our little family at Emily's wedding. He slept on my chest during the ceremony. I fed and changed him and then he slept in the sling for 2 1/2 hours at the reception. Such a good baby.

My sister and her cute little family.

Momma and her baby girl dancing at the reception.

It was not an easy task, but I got them to take a picture with me.

a mother just knows

2010-07-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

I could never get away with anything in high school. My mother knew exactly where I had been and what I had been up to. Needless, to say, I spent most of my high school days grounded. At the time, I remember being so mad. She was a member of this secret moms club that had an eye out for each others kids. Ugh. But, now that I am a mother myself, I hope I can get into that secret moms club one day. Sorry, Mom (and Dad), for all I put you through.

But, I say all that because now that I am a mother, I know what it is like to have to trust your gut and God about things. I wish that moms could give each other a break. All we really want to do is take care of our kids the best way we know how. Any good mother is going to do whatever she can to give her child the best. Every mother has her own idea of what is "best" and that is okay. It makes us diverse and special individuals.

So, here is what I was faced with after Eli was born. As if facing possible miscarriage in the beginning and then getting PUPPPs wasn't enough, Eli was born with a two vessel cord. A normal cord has 3 vessels, two arteries and a vein. His had one artery and one vein. This occurs in about 1 in 100 pregnancies. We didn't know this prior to birth since our last sonogram was done at 12 weeks. Had we known, I would have most likely been labeled a "high risk" pregnancy. This is because babies with two vessel cords can have issues such as low birth weight and trouble gaining weight, renal issues, and heart conditions. As a high risk patient, I would have seen a specialist regurlarly, had frequent sonograms, and most likely would have had to have had him in the hospital. Thankfully his birth weight was not an issue, but the midwives suggested we see a pediatrician to check him out. In the day(s) following his birth, we knew that the renal problems were not going to be an issue. He was having frequent diaper changes. But, we were considering getting his heart checked even though he was looking and acting perfect. The day and day after he was born we started looking into doctors. Because we are on Medicaid, it was becoming a daunting task. I wanted to go to someone who was a referral, but every place I called didn't accept the kind of Medicaid we had. Finally, after about four days and ten phone calls, I decided to give up. One morning when he was just about a week old, I woke up and decided I would give it one more try. I called Medicaid directly and just got the name of the doctors in our area that would take our Medicaid. There just so happened to be a doctors office right down the block from us and they could see us later that morning. I wasn't completely sure about it, but, after all, we were just going in to get his heart listened to and get on outta there. Scott came with us to the appointment. When we walked in the door, I was immediately wanting to leave. The place was dirty and stark and their were screaming kids running around. I took up our paperwork and was signing in when this conversation occurred:

Me: "Hi, I am Hannah and I am here for my son's check-up.

Front Dest Lady: "Ok, I just need your insurance and shot record."

Me: "I have the insurance card, but no shot record."

FDL: "Will you be getting his shots today?"

Me: "No, we are not vaccinating."

FDL: "Oh, really? I am sorry, but our office does not accept patients that do not vaccinate."

Me: "Okay, good-bye."

That was the confirmation we needed. Scott and I left and agreed that if something was truly wrong with our baby that God would have provided a doctor for us by now. Eli is perfect. He has shown no outward physical signs of any defects or heart related problems, such as trouble breathing or turning gray. At his first visit with the midwives on day four after his birth he had lost 12 ounces. Four days after that he had gained 10 of those ounces back. I think he is just fine...eating like a champ. He is very active and alert and only fusses when he is hungry, but don't we all?

We are all doing well. I am recovering "down there" a lot more quickly than I expected thanks to Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm! He is a good eater, sleeper, and pooper. Poor little guy gets the hiccups frequently. He always had them inside and I figured it would continue. Mom learned some acupressure points and is going to be working on him so he can hopefully overcome that little issue.

Being a mom is kind of exhausting, but so wonderful all at the same time. I love to look at him and tell him how much I love him. He is such a good baby and I am so happy he is finally here.

Eli's Birth Story (the edited version)

2010-06-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

As I reflect back to a week ago, I am glad we are through that. But, I am sad that my baby is already almost a week old. We are definitely cherishing each and every moment - even the night time feedings. A week ago I was in labor. In fact, I was about to start active labor this very moment I am writing. Whew...again, I am glad it is over. I need a little time to gather my thoughts before I write out the entire birth story. I have had many people anxiously waiting to hear it. Maybe it is because I am a doula, and pregnancy, birth, and babies are my work that everyone is expecting an amazing, incredible, joyous, peaceful birth story. You know, just because I am a doula, I think that I had to experience a birth that was quite far from this. My work with women will ever be changed by my birth experience. It was long. It was very difficult at times. We had some unexpected things happen. But, in the end, Eli was born at home. He was born in the middle of the living room in the water in the presence of 5 midwives, 1 chiropractor, my mom, my sister, my husband, and me. He is perfect and healthy in every way. As of right now, it is difficult for my family and husband to talk about this experience. When I am able, I will post the whole birth story, but here are some highlights.

My mom arrived on Monday night, June 14th - the due date. On Tuesday, the 15th, I went to work at Gladney. I stayed for about an hour and then didn't really feel up to being there so I came home. Mom and I ran some errands and did some last minute shopping instead. That afternoon we did a belly cast out of plaster of paris strips which was so fun. I am excited to paint it when the inspiration comes to me. When Scott got home from work that night we ate dinner and then game 6 of the NBA finals was on. Scott watched that while Mom and I played Racko. I was feeling uncomfortable, but nothing far different than "normal". I did have to sit on a ball for a while because of the slight cramping. At about 11:15 we decided to call it a night. While filling my water and taking the evenings vitamins and herbs, I felt a little wetness. I went in and sat on the bed to have a small contraction and felt more water come out. Then, I got up to go to the bathroom and when I sat down I felt a small gush. It wasn't a lot, but I called out to Scott and Mom that I thought my water had broken. They kind of got excited. I watched it for a few minutes as more came out and discovered it was not clear. Because of the presence of meconium, I called the midwives. They decided it would be best to come and assess the situation. They arrived at about 1:00am. They checked me. Eli (still Baby R at this point) still had a bag of water over the head, but it definitely was water that was leaking. At that time, I was 3cm and 30-40% effaced. His head was kinked. I had my wonderful friend and chiropractor, Rachel, on call for me so we gave her a call to come and adjust my pelvis to see if this would help relieve the pain that had started in my back and the kink in Eli's neck. When she left, I tried to rest. I got a short massage from Mom because my back was beginning to hurt and then I went to bed. It was 4:30am. The midwives had decided to stay and sleep at the house and at 6:00am they came in to check my vitals. I was definitely in labor by this point. Throughout the morning we did things like eat breakfast, go for walks, climb stairs, hula on the birth ball, etc. Labor became very intense at about 1:00pm. From this point on, it wasn't very fun. I will continue from here when I am ready, but for now I will just tell you that it became a long, hard journey.

Here's why...

I was born with a fusion in my lumbar 5 vertebrae. The left side of my L5 is fused to my sacrum. I found this out about 8 years ago when I had x-rays at a chiropractor for the low back and sciatic pain I had been having. Because of this, I thought I may have a difficult time during pregnancy so I was receiving weekly adjustments to keep things mobile. For the most part, the sciatic pain stayed under control. I had a lot of round ligament pain and some sciatic pain, but by late in the 3rd trimester, I really was not experiencing any back pain. I could not have imagined that it would show its UGLY face in labor. My pelvis just does not open or give in that area of my low back. Needless to say, I experienced intense, almost unbearable back labor for the remainder of the time until the moment he was born. This is that part that is difficult to recount for everyone there. So, for now, I am going to skip it. But, apparently, according to several chiropractors I have talked to about this, it is a true triumph to have succeeded to have a normal, unmedicated birth with this type of sacralization in my back. I feel so happy, blessed, and brave to know that I defied the odds. And, I had the most amazing group of women surrounding me while I have birth. They all supported and prayed for me throughout the entire process. They encouraged me. They loved me. They believed in me. When I said no, they said yes. I love them all for that.

I never once doubted I could do it. I never once wanted to go to the hospital. It truly became a matter of sheer will and determination that I was going to birth this baby and he was going to get here safely in our home no matter what it took. Something in me decided that I wasn't going to allow anything to stand in my way. Let's just say that the midwive's new line for me is "I am woman, hear me roar!" Um, yes, I was uninhibited that is for sure.

Eli Scott Reasoner was born in the water at 12:24am on June 17th. He weighed 8lbs and was 21 3/4 inches long. And, after all that, I tore. My worst fear of birth was tearing. The midwives warned me that often times your worst fear is the thing that happens to you in birth. Well, it did. In fact, I had a 3rd degree tear because Eli (precious baby) decided to come barging out with a fist and arm flying. Scott thinks he was working on his blocking out skills for basketball. Ha, ha Daddy. Because my midwives didn't feel comfortable in their experience in repairing 3rd degree tears, they suggested that I go to the hospital and I agreed that was the best idea. We called several hospitals to see who was on call and who would be willing to come in to do the repairs at 4:00am. After feeding Eli and getting him settled in and crying my eyes out that I had to leave my new little family, (I wasn't about to take my newborn to the hospital with me) Mom, one of the midwives, and I loaded up and headed to the hospital. We got there about 4:30am. I was immediately taken care of by the nurse who was waiting for me to arrive. She was so wonderful and had had 3 babies of her own at a birth center. I also had an amazing doctor who came in especially for me. They cared for me and worked quickly so that I could get home to my baby. At 5:45am we were on our way home. I was so eager to get back to my family. Scott was anxiously awaiting our return and came out to meet us. We walked in the door to discover Heidi (my sister) had him wrapped up on her chest and he had been sleeping with her for the entire time. I was so grateful to know he was being taken care of so well. She had sent us a text while we were at the hospital to assure us he was doing just fine. I took my baby in my arms and Scott, Eli, and I went to the bedroom to rest. This is when I discovered how difficult the past 12+ hours had been on my husband. He was very emotional and concerned for me and was trying to block most of it out of his mind. All I could say and do at that point was look at our sweet boy and reassure my husband that all I had gone through was worth that precious face we were gazing into.

In the past week I have discovered so many wondrous things about my son. Because he was a chiropractic baby from 10 weeks pregnant to moments after birth and he had a drug free birth, I credit this to Eli being able to track his eyes and follow our voices to look around already. He likes to be swaddled, but only from the armpits down. Those hands and arms must be free. He likes to take naps on the Boppy. He giggled out loud yesterday and he often smiles in his sleep. I know he dreams about milk. The little guys nurses like a champ. He can sleep through getting a diaper change. He only fuses when we keep him from food too long. He loves to be naked in the sun. There are just so many things that I find out daily that make me so happy. I have looked at him and cried at the sheer joy I feel for having him as my son. I love him to pieces.

Scott is the best daddy and husband I could have ever asked for. He was my rock at the birth. He is my sons amazing father. I cannot tell you how he has surprised me as a dad (he has changed more diapers than I have) and how much I see the love he has for his son. We are so blessed as a family. The love I have for my husband and the love he has for me has increased a million times over since going through this and bringing our son into the world together.

If you are still reading, thank you. Thank you for allowing me to share my story. Thank you for your support and love as friends, family, clients, and passers by of my blog.

Baby Eli

2010-06-22T17:22:00.001-07:00

A sneak peek of our family. These are tiny pictures, sorry, but I will have a better post soon along with a birth story. The birth was a bit intense and I am trying to put it back together in my head before I share it.

some last thoughts

2010-06-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

Even though Mommy and Daddy R gently reminded Baby R of the "due date" I think it went in one ear and out the other.

Yesterday was the "due date". It is such a weird feeling for it to be the day you have been thinking about in your head for nine months. Then it comes and goes.

I made it a point to be as productive as possible yesterday. I had coffee (decaf of course) with a friend, visited another friend and her 6 week old precious baby, then had swimming and lunch with the still pregnant girls from my childbirth class. Two of us were due yesterday so it was really nice to be able to hang out and have a little fun. I had intended to go to a going away party for one of my midwives last night, but when I got home from that eventful day I was crampy and contracting so I took it easy instead.

My mom got into town last night. It will be nice to have her here. After I get off work today I am going to have her help me cast my belly. I am not sure why I am waiting until now to do it, but better late than never. I have the oddest shaped pregnant belly. My placenta is sitting anteriorly and to the right and Baby R's bootie sticks out on the left. It looks so odd, especially when I have contractions and my belly gets squeezed around them and it looks all bumpy. So, it will be fun to see what this cast looks like.

We are definitly ready for this little one to come. The next I post it will be of little baby pictures and a birth story to share. :)

Busy May and Baby R - 38 weeks

2010-05-31T06:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day! Remembering those who have served and are serving our country. Thanks for your sacrifices to keep us safe.

Since Mother's Day, things have been a bit crazy. Needless to say, I haven't posted much since then.Baby R is 37 weeks and 5 days in this picture. Today I am 38 weeks. I have a little baby's bootie pressing against my stomach that is making me feel nauseous. Not for too much longer though.

The PUPPPs was getting so out of control and itching so fiercely that I went to Kansas to get acupuncture. I took the train to OKC and Mom picked me up there and took me back. It ended up working out well because I got to see Nathan graduate from high school that weekend too. The acupuncture was perfect. She treated my liver that seemed as though that was the main issue. I have felt really good since then, although, today my belly is itching very badly. That is how I noticed the PUPPPs starting in the first place. But, I am taking dandelion root and showering in a special soap I ordered just for PUPPPs. Praying I can make it through the next few weeks until Baby R gets here.

These pictures are tiny!
Congratulations Nathan! We all made it out to his graduation party and to see him graduate.

Mom brought me back to Texas and stayed a few days. She is pretty much the most amazing woman I know. I wish we lived closer to my family. While Mom was here she made curtains for Baby R's room and for the den. She cooked for us and she helped me plan for a friends baby shower. She left on Saturday so now she is on call for when I go into labor. Heidi is too. We are just hoping they can make it in time.

On Friday, the midwives did a home visit to get acquainted with the environment in which they will come and deliver Baby R. Everything seems to be right on track. I have gained 33 pounds, my blood pressure was something like 100/68 (I guess I have no worries), and Baby R's heart rate is 148. Sleeping is getting a bit more uncomfortable and when Baby R moves I feel like I am getting beat up. It takes my breath away at times. I wonder how big this child is getting. I did tell Baby R that I totally understand that the space in there is getting limited though.

This month is the month of baby showers, including one for me. Mine was very special and a lot of fun. I got to see friends I haven't seen in a very long time and visit with all the women that are special to me in my life.

My beautiful shower at my friend Carmen's house. It was so special!

My beautiful hostesses - Carmen, Cristina, Marissa, and Me.

Five lovely pregnant ladies! Rachel - due in Nov., Trish - twins due in Sept., Marissa - due in Aug,. Carmen due in June and Me - due in June.

My mother-in-law got us our car set. YAY!

More goodies!

This past Saturday these beautiful ladies and I had a shower for Marissa and her baby girl Gabriella.

Now, we are just waiting on Baby R. Two weeks until "due date". Hoping I don't go too much past that. It was 100 degrees here yesterday. Today I am going swimming and hoping Baby R likes that. I think it will feel amazing....I will let you know.

true confessions of pregnancy

2010-05-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

Kudos to Michelle Duggar who has done this 19 times.

I, however, will NOT be doing this 19 times.

I am not a fan of being pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I love the anticipation of waiting on Baby R and the wonderment of what he or she will look like, smell like, act like, etc... I love the kicks and little responses he/she gives when we talk or read books. I love a lot of things, but for the most part, I don't think I am well suited for this many more times.

In the beginning, it was the 24/7 nausea. Okay, I dealt with that and made it through. Then, I thought "I can totally make it! I love being pregnant."

But, quite honestly, I am feeling a bit depressed these days.

Why so glum you ask?

I am 36 weeks and one day today. At 34 weeks and 5 days I developed PUPPPs (pruritic urticarial papules and plaques or pregnancy). Chances are you have never heard of this. That is because only about 1% of pregnant women experience it. I didn't even know what was going on until I started itching more fiercely than just regular pregnancy related itching. I did a little research and self diagnosed. The midwives agree it's PUPPPs.

Imagine playing and rolling around in the yard on a summer afternoon and getting bitten by chiggers..... all. over. your. body. That is the feeling I am experiencing. It started on my belly, moved to my arms, then back, then legs, bottom, and now the soles of my feet. There is no "cure" for PUPPPs besides giving birth (that could be 4-6 more weeks). They aren't even really quite sure what causes it. I have tried temporary remedies such as...

oatmeal baths

baking soda soaks

homeopathic creams

dandelion root capsules

homeopathic allergy spray

calamine lotion

Rainier PUPPPs Soap

and the list goes on....

I am resorting to acupuncture. Waiting two more days. I am hoping and praying for relief. Until then, I am doing all I can to make it through each day with the constantly itchy skin. Sometimes it is hard because I itch the skin off and get little scabs and then itch those off too. I have been waking up at night with severe itching "attacks" as I like to call them. I can now understand why women want to induce their labor when they have things happen that make them uncomfortable during the final stages of pregnancy. As miserable as I am, however, I will not resort to that. I am just trying to keep my chin up and think of the HAPPY ending. Baby R will be oh so worth all of this.

On the upside, I am sure I will be a more sympathetic doula for all I have experienced during this pregnancy. And, I know that women experience much worse, so I am thankful that at least this condition is not harmful to my baby.

And, I am grateful for a wonderful husband who is truly sympathetic to what is going on. He feels so helpless, yet says all the right things when I feel like I just can't take it any more. I guess this is all preparing him for the birth as well.

What a downer of a post....I know. Thanks for your prayers.

mother's day, pregnancy, and motherhood

2010-05-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all the other mom's out there!

I am going to be a mother this year. Only a few weeks left. Well, technically five. But, who's counting?

The reality of pregnancy hasn't all been glamorous...

throwing up.

24/7 nausea for 10 weeks.

restless nights.

heartburn.

shortness of breath.

itchy skin.

36G.

constant trips to the bathroom.

round ligament pain.

sciatic pain.

sore belly from baby's constant punching and jabbing.

swelling toes and fingers.

and my most favorite....

stretch marks (*sigh*)....but, I am not ashamed to share.

Baby R will be worth every second of these pregnancy discomforts and my forever changed body!

Pregnancy is a joy too....

love to feel Baby R move around.

anticipating the happiness baby will bring to our family.

preparing a space for Baby R.

celebrating pregnancy with friends and family.

daddy reading to Baby R and feeling the kicks of happiness.

preparing for the birth.

34 weeks

I know the ups of motherhood will definitely outweigh the downs of pregnancy. So, I wish all you moms and moms-to-be a wonderful day!

Baby R - 33 weeks and more house projects

2010-04-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

So, what have we been up to? Trying to get ready for a baby and working daily on little (or big) house projects.

Remember from one of my previous posts that we had an uninvited critter in our house while we were away? It hung around for a month. Turns out it was a RAT! Opening up walls and disturbing its habitat apparently brought it inside our house for snacks and comfort. For a bit we thought it was a squirrel, then a mouse, but then after several weeks of trying to catch it in a cage or mouse trap to no avail, we put a rat trap in the attic. Not 30 minutes after putting it up, we had a dead critter on our hands. That heavy duty rat trap snapped its neck right in half. We could hear it writhing around trying to die for a bit and all I could do was laugh while Scott sprinted upstairs. Then I heard him beating it to death with a board, saying "die you stupid idiot!" I don't normally encourage that kind of talk around Baby R, but I'm sorry, I didn't feel sorry for it. That's what you get for coming into my house! After much disinfecting and sanitizing, I think I am finally feeling a little less violated in my own space.

Yes, yes, it's true, I am growing a baby whale! But, I am feeling great! During the past several weeks I had been dealing with round ligament pain, but it has seemed to have dissipated for now. I am getting weekly chiropractic adjustments to keep all lined up. Baby R is constantly moving around and growing. I had an appointment with the midwives last week. Everything checked out just perfectly. Baby is head down and pushes off the right side to stick its little booty out on the left. The kid has some strength. We folded hand-me-down and some new baby cloths last night. I put Scott in charge of folding the socks. We are pretty sure some of those socks would barely fit on his big toe! I am looking forward to fixing the antique dresser that a friend gave us so that we can put these cloths away. Sounds like a weekend project....amongst many others, including painting the baby's room and putting the shelf back together under the kitchen sink where they tore it out to do the plumbing several months ago. I have gotten used to living in a bit of disarray around here.

Daddy R has been keeping busy other such house projects too. He installed Baby R's closet system. We finally got the right paint delivered today after waiting more a couple of months. This weekend he is going to paint while I enjoy friends and fun at another baby shower.

He was also very proud of himself for installing a vent in the living room ceiling this morning. He is working in the attic to get the air flow and duct work just perfect before we put the flooring back down up there. It is at least 10 degrees warmer upstairs than down. My massage room is upstairs and I am quite sure it is getting to the upper 80's while I work. Dripping wet is not a good feeling to have while giving a massage. I think once Baby R's room gets painted, I will move back downstairs to work through May until I cannot do massage any longer before the baby comes.
I got inspired and started making more baby shoes again. A few for friends and I am sure Baby R will end up with a few as well. I also found some cute new and easier patterns that I am going to try too.
Well, thanks for stopping by!

birthdays, weddings, and showers....oh my!

2010-04-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

Last week Scott turned 32! Thankfully he says he still feels like he's in his 20's. Don't wan him feeling too old to be chasing after Baby R.

Saturday we went to Tulsa to a wedding for a friend I went to college with at Oklahoma Christian. I hadn't seen her in 7 years. It was really fun to see each other again. So much life has happened between now and then.

My sister and friend, Katie, hosted a shower for me on Sunday. I felt so truly blessed. Some of the guests brought a blessing bead to share. Each bead or charm on this string represents a blessing shared by my cherished friends. I can wear this in labor to feel supported by the women in my life or while breastfeeding for the baby to play with.

Heidi made a delicious carrot cake that said We (heart) Baby! (and many other tasty foods) The cake had pink frosting! Yummy! And, we recycled "It's A Girl" plates from her shower a couple of years ago. It will be funny if Baby R is a boy. By the way...have you voted yet? Under my baby ticker is a poll. Curious as to what you think Baby R is..Boy OR Girl???

Katie and Jessica (college roommates from U of A).

An exhausted Mommy and sick baby Joely after the shower. I got to use my new ear thermometer to take Joely's temperature. Poor thing had a fever and really didn't care at all for getting her temp taken, but the thermometer sure is cool!

Easter and Baby R gifts

2010-04-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to many family and friends, Baby R will not be without! We were so excited to receive a Pack N Play from Scott's cousin that we decided to set it up that night. Then we realized we still had two and a half months to go and we packed it pack up for now. Thanks to all who have sent us gifts. We feel so blessed!

This past weekend we went to Arkansas to celebrate my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. The actual date is August 1st, but my cousin and I are having babies this summer and this was a more convenient time for everyone. We stayed in some very nice cabins and lucked out with wonderful weather. There were 4 wheeler rides (which I unfortunately could not participate in), hiking, biking (or extreme biking if you look closer at my sisters road rash), an awesome mega Easter egg hunt, Bingo, Easter stories, and so much more!

Bingo was scheduled for 6:30 on Saturday night. Joely won twice and picked out two bunnies. One was just about the size of her! She obviously loves them.

Andrew won this toy and I believe several others. Grandma sure brought enough for everyone to win something!

Jacob and Joely playing peek-a-boo with the bunnies.

Grandma shared the Easter story on her felt boards. Andrew listened very intently and wanted more stories after she was done.

Heidi lovin' on her baby girl.

Jacob and Joely being crazy. This is what happens to a little girl's hair after playing hard with cousins and family all day.

My cousin, Sarah, and I are 6 weeks apart. She is due in late July. We shared bump stories. We are both going to be surprised by the gender. That will be so fun!

Cousins!

Joely trying to catch some bubbles!

Henry and Erica are drawing a picture to put in the scrapbook for Grandpa and Grandma.

Heidi and Andrew are doing the same.

A very nice picture of my grandparents with their four children.

And, one with all the grandchildren and their spouses and children.

And, two of my brothers with their nephew.

My cousin, Joanna, with her precious little guy, Elijah.

The crazy Easter Egg Hunt Extravaganza! Note to self: Next year don't let your sister hide Easter Eggs...the hunt will last forever! Scott and I did however make out with two of the three eggs that had $$$ in them! Go Reasoners!!!

When we arrived home last night, we discovered that some sort of critter must have been in our house while we were away. It had chewed up the hot pad hanging on the island and tore a tiny hole in a bag of rice in the pantry. I am feeling slightly violated! We think it must have been a mouse (EWWW!!!) because it wasn't bit enough to set off the alarm. So strange....

Baby R - 29 weeks

2010-03-30T06:58:00.000-07:00

29 weeks...for real??!!!???
Scott tells me I look cute these days even though I am feeling the far from it. Well, I do have to admit that this little Baby R bump is sort of cute.

Sleep is a thing of the past.

And, the end of massage is coming faster than I expected. I have been getting my Fertility Awareness classes together and have taught one class so far. I have three more lined up before the baby arrives...possibly more.

We are looking forward to a trip to Arkansas for Easter to celebrate my grandparents wedding anniversary a little bit early. They have their 60th in August, but it was easier to get everyone together this coming weekend. It will be fun cousin and family.

My brother, Nathan, turned 18 a couple of weeks ago! I can't believe that he is getting so old. I was just shy of 12 when he was born. I remember so clearly waking up and my parents being gone and my aunt telling us that they had gone the hospital in night and we had a new baby brother. Then, at breakfast, Dad told us he had red hair! That didn't last long, but it was kind of shocking since we were siblings of blond thus far. My parents were here in Texas visiting and helping us with our floor so they didn't get to celebrate his birthday with him. We will have a belated celebration for him when we get to Arkansas.

I just have to brag on my husband (and dad) once again. Several people have come to the house and just marveled at the floor. They think it looks so professionally done and they all are shocked when I tell them it isn't real wood. One of my clients yesterday told Scott he is in the wrong profession. As much as he loves home improvement, it is a bit to much on his knees and body to be doing it for a living. But, I am so thankful that he is able to fix up our home and we don't have to hire it done (well, other than the major plumbing...ugh).

the fabulous new floor

2010-03-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

Remember the before?

They got hung up on fixing the door first because it was leaking water.

Then they started laying the floor.

Scott laying the last piece.

Working on the finishing touches. I thought I had taken a picture of the whole kitchen, but you get the idea.

And, finally, a 26 week pic (yes, I am two weeks off). But life has been going and going and going.

updates and Baby R - 28 weeks

2010-03-25T14:25:00.001-07:00

I am just going to blog and update with pictures later....

Sorry for the weeks it has been since my last post.

I have been starting a birth network, getting things done around the house, working a lot, preparing to teach a Fertility Awareness class, and nesting.

So, here's what's new.

We have a beautiful new floor in our kitchen and hall! (pics to come) Thanks to my dad and husband who worked very hard to get it down while Mom and I did fun things like register for the Baby R. My clients are coming over and are amazed at how wonderful it looks and even more amazed that my family did it. It is laminate wood, but it could definitely pass as a wood floor. It is just so pretty. We feel like we are in a whole new house. Scott is doing the finishing touches with the baseboards and transition pieces as he has time. I like the fact that he gets a bit anal about new things. He has been sweeping the floor constantly...hey, I can't complain.

Yesterday I had an appointments with the midwives. Everything checked out ok...

28 WEEKS - WOW, I can't hardly believe it!
Baby R Stats: Size of a cabbage and about 2 1/2 lbs
Iron Test: Passed
Weight Gain: 21 lbs. (ugh)
Baby R's Heartbeat: 150 bpm
Blood Pressure: 122/62 (I guess my house being under construction for 2 months hasn't made my blood pressure soar)
Position of Baby R: believed to be head down and way in my pelvis. No wonder I feel so much pressure.
Mommy R: was reassured that they will do everything they can to prevent tearing during the birth. (one of my biggest worries)
Pregnancy Glows: love to feel the movement, baby likes music and when daddy reads stories at night. It is funny and very sweet how the baby will be still and Scott starts reading and telling stories, baby starts moving around. I still have good energy, although I can feel myself starting to slow just a bit.
Pregnancy Woes: heartburn, lack of sleep, stretch marks

I headed to my chiropractor after my appointment for my weekly adjustment. Thank goodness for Dr. Rachel! I feel like a different person after seeing her. My hips feel so good and she does a technique to release my round ligaments that give me so much trouble. She told me that she had read that women who receive regular chiropractic during their pregnancy have babies who are able to track voices and see people more clearly right after birth because the mother getting adjustments helps with neurological development for baby. This usually doesn't happen for several weeks after the baby is born. I plan to have her come just after the birth to adjust Baby R. Awesome!

I know you want belly pics and home improvement pics....I will get them out asap!

the house and Baby R - 25 weeks

2010-03-03T15:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Scott came home mid-morning between work to find me scrubbing the kitchen cabinet doors. He said "what has gotten into you?" I told him that cleaning is the only thing I have control over in my house right now. We have so many projects. Note to self (or more to husband): One project at a time is less overwhelming!

I have had a least two emotional break-downs per week. Monday night I spent 10 minutes laying in bed before I fell asleep explaining to Baby R why Mommy has been crying so much. House Projects + Pregnancy Hormones = Not something you want to witness! Scott has been giving me lots of hugs though.

Scott has been making a big ruckus in the kitchen and down the hall taking up the tile floor. We are putting down wood. My parents are coming to help us next weekend. THANK YOU in advance!!!

This is the room I hope to have in somewhat order in the next week before my parents come so they have somewhere to sleep.

Baby R, this is your room...to be. I promise it will look very cute and be a cozy place by the time you arrive.

And, if all of that wasn't enough, Scott decided to take on the project of taking down the popcorn ceiling in the kitchen and down the hall. This all came about because he was taking out three spotlights in the kitchen that were awkwardly and randomly placed. The ceiling came off so easily so his thought was "I'll just take it all down." What can I say? The guy will fix anything that is broken or not "just right". I guess I should be thankful for such a handy hubby.

Only prayer and a lot of patience is going to get me through this renovation process. We HAVE to be done before Baby R, that is all I ask.

AND....

Baby is 25 weeks this week.

I am convinced the child has monkey arms and legs - practicing boxing or jump shots or something like that.

The appointment with my midwives went well this week. Although, it seems that I am not eating enough protein. I have to keep a food diary and looking for protein sources in anything else but meat.

Since Baby R is past 20 weeks, we are listening to the heartbeat through a fetascope now. I just don't know how the baby is affected by the doppler.

I've gained 18 pounds so far. My blood pressure and pulse are good. No more blood work until next visit when they I take an iron test at 28 weeks.

And, despite some pleads for gender, Baby R is still an "it". I haven't had a sonogram since 12 weeks when I was having bleeding and felt it best to check on what was going on. But, we aren't planning another sonogram. If we can wait, so can you! :)

This is also the time to do the glucose testing, but thankfully I can decline that test and the midwives are supportive of my decision.

Childbirth classes start on Friday. They are Friday nights for 12 weeks. I am so excited to start. Scott on the other hand....He'll adjust. Men just don't get into these things like we do.

And, finally, I am currently trying to locate a birthing tub. This is tricky because they can be $200 to rent and I would feel bad if I didn't utilize it like I am thinking in my head that I want to.

Baby R hit the jackpot

2010-02-28T18:30:00.000-08:00

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.moth erfriendly.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.tcbirt hnetwork.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

2010-02-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-23T22:34:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-15T08:41:00.000-08:00

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"

2010-02-12T20:15:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-11T18:31:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-07T17:02:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-02-06T17:42:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

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.

baby r gets color

2010-01-30T19:17:00.000-08:00

Today I went to a cloth diapering demo. Baby R made out with lots of goodies from it. I've decided to use organic, unbleached, pre-fold diapers. I got twenty-four of the 0-6 month size and six larger ones. I got one orange cover. Little Sammy Bear is so cute modeling the diaper.

I got an array of other things as well. On the left is the patch quilt that I am sewing for Baby R. The orange bag on top is the bag for the diaper pale. The blue, brown, and green bag with shapes is the to-go dirty diaper bag. Both the bags have a water proof lining and are washable. I am so excited about them. I also got some Snappis to fasten the diapers, a small bottle of detergent for the diapers, and some washcloths for bottom wipes.

Scott has decided to take on yet another project in my massage room. Our house was built in 1959 and unfortunately is not insulated. Since my massage room will be Baby R's room, Scott took down the bead board and put insulation behind it. He replaced the sheet rock with wood and then he will put back the bead board when he is finished. I am wondering if I will have a massage room by Wednesday??? The plumbers are still at our house. They were here Tuesday-Friday. They have yet more work to do still. They found one more leak at the end of the day on Friday. Once they fix it, they will start filling back the foundation with concrete. My house is in disarray. I am trying not to panic about it.

We are painting Baby R's room green. We got samples at Lowe's and I taped up 11 options. Once we pick a color, I will send the details to Heidi and she will have her "people" match the paint color and send it to us. I am so excited because it is eco-friendly, non-toxic, fume free paint from a company she uses in their business dealings. We are also going to replace our kitchen floor with eco-friendly, wood flooring from Eco Timber Flooring, another company my sister and Jacob get their products from. Thankfully it will all be covered by insurance since they had to dig up the middle of our kitchen to get to the underground leaks.

Our latest thought is that Baby R is a BOY! It was kind of weird. Last night I asked Scott if had any hunches this week. He said he thinks boy and I said I had been getting that feeling too. Baby R is very low in my belly. I feel little kicks and movements way down there. They say boys are low and girls are high. Who knows...just God who sent the little angel to us. :)

great expectations

2010-01-28T15:15:00.000-08:00

Two posts in one day!

I have been sharing my recent postpartum doula experiences on Facebook and the blog, but a friend of mine was so intrigued by the steam ironing that I did last night until 2:30am that she requested more stories. Thus, I titled this post....Great Expectations.

To get you up to speed...

I had a woman call me about four weeks ago inquiring about my postpartum doula services. She was a referral from the lactation consultant at one of the area hospitals. Her first daughter is 14 months and she was going in for a scheduled c-section for her second daughter. Because of the surgery and not having much help from family, she was wanting to hire me to care for her children during her c-section and recovery. Last Thursday she went in for her surgery and I cared for the 14 month old for four days. I stayed at the hotel attached to the hospital at Baylor Dallas. Now that they are home, I am working at nights caring for the newborn so she can recover.

The work of a postpartum doula can include: taking care of the newborn and other siblings, light cleaning, baby laundry, breastfeeding support, and so on. I have done this type of work one other time last spring when caring for a newborn baby boy as the parents adjusted to their life with a new baby. I am grateful for the knowledge and mothering intuition to be able to support these families in their postpartum time. Most postpartum doulas are older women who no longer have children in the house. I know that once I have my own family that I will not be doing postpartum doula work as much, if any. I cannot justify leaving my young family to care for another. But, back to this situation I have gotten into.

May I just highlight a few of the random and interesting things I have observed and experiences I have had to this point:

At the hospital...

14 month old weighs at least 30 lbs. First day, I thought I my back was going to give out on me. She drinks 3 cups of whole milk a day!
Baby has a $880 Bugaboo Chameleon stroller. I fell in love with it and it would be so nice to have one, but I'll settle for hand me downs.
The 14 month old has lesson plans and a curriculum that she routinely does each day. Normally she has a teacher that comes to the house to work with her three times a week. While we were in Dallas, I was given an itinerary/schedule for her day. This included waking, eating, bathing, bottle, Baby Einstein DVD and a lesson plan to go along with the DVD, nap, snack, bottle, cat nap, dinner, play time, sleep. Um, well, most of that did not pan out each day since she was not in her element or familiar surrounding and she was hanging out with a stranger....ME. I didn't even try and stick to the itinerary. I tried to keep baby happy, fed, played with, and changed. Instead, I took her on nature walks, read books, played puzzles and blocks....She is still alive and happy.

Back at the house...

Everything from the kitchen cabinets to ALL of the light switches in the entire house are labeled with what is in them or what they go to.
They have the latest new thing for each baby. From hydraulic high chair to 42 different kids of bottles and pacis to ensure happiness. (Funny how I just wrote "happiness" and rethought that one for a second...)
At nights I have been steaming and sterilizing bottles, pacis, and other baby items. Last night I steam ironed baby clothes for two hours until Baby R told me to go to bed at 2:30am. The steam iron is definitely a cool invention, but not so sure that bibs, pj's, and socks need ironed. Do you iron your baby's every day clothes?
Baby and I are occupying the downstairs main floor for now. I am sleeping on a three inch foam mat on the hard wood floor. Baby R is unsure of that one as well. Can you say chiropractor at the end of all this?!

I have to say, though, that I really enjoy doing it all. The baby is such a good baby and she is so precious. She likes to sleep on my chest to fall asleep. I know she can hear my heart beat. Although, I believe "breast is best" and that it is too early to introduce pacis, I put my opinions aside and I feed her a bottle each time she wakes, swaddle her tightly and she goes right back to sleep at night with her white noise machine. Sometimes when she has a hard time going back to sleep, I talk to her and tell her all kinds of things. I know she would rather that it be here mommy there with her than me though. I tell her that I am only temporary, but I am there to take good care of her while her mommy recovers.

Once the mother recovers from her surgery enough to care for the baby at night, my work will be done.

I'll keep you updated on my bazaar and crazy adventures!

Naming Baby R

2010-01-28T13:55:00.001-08:00

Pregnancy is such a joyous and happy time for many families, especially those of us who have had a loss or have tried for some time to get pregnant. I realize people are excited for you when you get pregnant and want all the details. And, I also know that we are being a bit unconventional with our pregnancy and Baby R by not finding out the gender, not sharing the name, and having our baby at home.

But...

Here's my etiquette question...

Do most people these days assume that you are sharing the name of your baby with everyone?

I know most people find out what they are having and choose a name and tell the world. But, we have chosen to keep the name to ourselves. The more often I get asked what names we have picked, the more I wonder if we should just share. But, I like the surprise aspect. I want to see my baby for the first time and call her/him by the name we chose. When I get asked what names we have picked, I often respond with "we aren't for sure yet" or "we are still tossing around a few names".

When I think of naming Baby R, I am reminded of how fun it is for a family to chose a special name for each child. When my mom was pregnant with my brother 12 years ago, we would go around and name the baby at the dinner table. Nathan was 6 years old at the time and when it came to his turn, he would say "pass" each time. We joke that Daniel was almost named Pass because Nathan couldn't think of a name for him. We still didn't know Daniel's name until he after he was born. If I remember correctly, I don't recall that my parents told us the name of any my siblings before they were born. I didn't think that was weird though. It was, after all, their kid, right? Plus, when Henry was born, they got a lot of flack about his name. I am sure that is why they kept it to themselves until he was born. I can't imagine if he wasn't a Henry though. It just suits him. I suppose it is easier for people to give you their opinion before the baby is born then after when the name is legally confirmed on paper.

We are pretty confident in the names we have chosen for Baby R. I wanted names that had good meanings and sentimental value to us. I guess I am kind of old fashioned that way. I am quite sure we won't get any odd looks or comments for the names we picked. Yet, we would like to wait and share with everyone in June when Baby R has made the grand arrival.

What are your thoughts?
What made you share your baby's name or keep it to yourself?
How do you respond to the questions "What names have you chosen?" when you aren't sharing the name?

OH, and don't forget to vote on whether you think Baby R will wear Pink for Girl or Blue for Boy! :)

and the demo begins

2010-01-26T17:26:00.000-08:00

This week I am watching Baby Emma at nights while her mom recovers from the c-section she had last Thursday. Last night I got there at midnight and Emma wanted to hang out until 2:45am. I finally got her to sleep and then she woke up at 3:30 to eat and then every two hours after that. She really is a good baby. And, it is good practice for me. But, today when I got home I wasn't able to get much sleep with all the demo going. They jack hammered into the floor for several hours. I have been taking cat naps all day in between the hammering to prepare for another long night.

I freaked out just a little bit when I woke up and saw this in the middle of the kitchen floor!!!

As they were working, they discovered more damage then originally expected so they will be digging under the dishwasher and under the cabinets under the sink. Won't be cooking dinner tonight. We have no water and no dishwasher and a disaster on the counters.

This was my massage room and soon to be Baby R's room. This wall backs up to the master shower that has a leak. Interesting methods they have of fixing the leaks. Next, they will dig up the other spare room to get to the hall bathroom. I think after the demo is complete we will go ahead and switch my massage room to next door and start decorating for Baby!!! :)

stick a fork in me

2010-01-24T16:22:00.000-08:00

...I'm done.

What a crazy few days!

I have been back and forth to Dallas all weekend. Can I just say that I am not a fan of Dallas or the traffic? A GPS would be very helpful these days. But, back to the reason I have been in Dallas in the first place. I have put my birth doula work on hold to do postpartum doula work while I am pregnant. I am not sure what is more exhausting though. As a birth doula you get called at crazy, unexpected hours at any moment day or night. Births can last hours or even days. As a postpartum doula the work is scheduled (more like nanny work), but still exhausting.

I was hired by a client who was having a scheduled c-section with her second baby on Thursday. She needed me to help her care for her other child while she had surgery. Her first daughter turned 14 months the day the second was born. At 14 months, she is over 30 lbs. and wears 2T and some 3T clothes. And, the kicker.....she doesn't walk yet. Ugh. I am one exhausted mommy-to-be. I don't know how women do it when they have kids so close together. This new mom with two kids has her work cut out for her. They are headed back home from the hospital today. Now my job is to help care for the two little ones while she recovers from her surgery until she is able to manage on her own. I think this will be about 10-14 days.

Tomorrow marks the halfway mark of my pregnancy....20 weeks! I am feeling good, for the most part. My new favorite thing, though, is my hot and cold water bottle. My whole back has been generally tight. I have been using it in place of my electric heating pad since I am not sure that is good for the baby. Because I have a sacralization (a fusion that I was born with of my 5th lumbar vertebra to the sacrum that causes limited flexibility and movement in my pelvis), I have been getting chiropractic care from my friend Rachel to keep the discomfort under control. My low back started bothering me at 10 weeks :(. I just keep praying it won't get more uncomfortable as my belly grows outward.

I started feeling Baby R move about 2 weeks ago. It is a strange feeling, yet makes me so happy at the same time. I love those little movements and I look forward to feeling them every day. I feel like Baby R is telling me things when he/she moves.

I have also been talking to Baby a lot. Sometimes when I can't talk out loud, I just talk in my head. Baby R still hears, right? I tell Baby R the things that I am doing all day long, especially when he/she moves a lot. I think Baby R wonders what I am doing so I just tell the story of my day. My parents gave lots of books to Baby R for Christmas and I am going to start reading to Baby now that he/she can hear.

We are curious about the gender but still like the surprise of it. It is like Baby R has a secret. I put up a poll. What do you think Baby R will wear? Pink? Blue? Be sure and vote! Oh, and I think we have officially decided on names now....but you will have to wait until June to find out.

BELLY NOTES:

Baby R will be the as long as a banana this week. About 10 1/2 ounces and 10 inches long (on average). Or, if Daddy R's genes have anything to do with it, probably longer.
My sniffer is EXTRA sensitive. Pretty much everything stinks.
The hair on my legs is barely growing. I could totally get used to this.
I am craving fresh squeezed lemonade and baked goods. One night I started making scones at 9pm because I HAD to have them.
I am extra emotional.
I have been nesting like crazy. Getting organized seems to be top priority these days.
I am thankful for two new comfy bras that don't have under wires. It was like a breath of fresh air.
Natural Childbirth class starts March 5th.
Been doing a lot of reading for fun. Sometimes the pregnancy and childbirth books can get overwhelming and unnerving.
Started working out again last week. It is minimal though, because the walking makes my back ache.
Daddy R likes to give Baby kisses and talk to him/her too.
Even though I have been trying to drink 100 oz. of water a day, I have been waking up with leg cramps at night.

This afternoon I took the Gladney girls to Build A Bear. Thanks to the perk of working there, I got to make a bear for Baby R! I named this little guy Sammy. I guess it could be a Samuel or Samantha depending on what Baby R wants/is.
When I got home from Build A Bear, I found the hubs under the sink installing our new garbage disposal. I cannot tell you how excited I am about this! Thanks Mom and Dad for much needed Christmas gift. Just one more thing that will make our house a home.

Thanks Babe! What a great handy man you are!

pictures....as promised

2010-01-11T16:26:00.000-08:00

This week marks Baby R at 18 weeks. I have to admit, I haven't been keeping up with belly pictures. My husband doesn't seem to have much interest in taking pictures of my belly (although he gives it kisses a lot). I find it a bit awkward to take my own pics. I look like death warmed over today because I have been sick, but here is a belly shot just for you. There hadn't been much of a belly bump until we got to Kansas and I seemed to pop right out. I think all the food we were eating contributed to some of that.

Scott's Grandmother made Baby R this beautiful crocheted blanket. I can't wait to put it in the baby's room. That project is on hold though. A few days before Christmas, we discovered we have three major leaks under our house. It is going to involve serious demolition to take care of them. One is in our room, one in the guest/sewing room, and one in the kitchen. They will have to dig into the foundation to fix the pipes. This is a major project considering we have the same tile floor throughout most of our house and they will have to ruin the flooring to fix the pipes. Looks like we will be looking into getting some new flooring as well. Kind of a lot for this pregnant mommy be thinking about right now. I just want that part to be over. Then we can work on the fun things like decorating the bedrooms, finishing the upstairs, and getting the nursery ready.

Santa made a special visit to my parents house on Christmas Eve just to visit the kids. Andrew was so excited and told him that he was leaving cookies, milk, and carrots for when their stop by later that night. Joely wasn't as eager to be on Santa's lap as Andrew was.

"Oh ya, Santa is coming tonight and I am awesome because I left him a snack!"

Christmas morning. The little elf couldn't wait to open his presents.

Of course, Joely had to snack on a smoothie while opening presents.

Big grins!

Getting ready to head back to Arkansas. Joely spots Papa just as I snap the picture.

Buddies!

Mommy and Baby Joely. Couldn't get a smile out of her though.

Papa and Mama saying good-bye to Andrew.

Baby R - 17 weeks

2010-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

I promise a post with Christmas and belly pics soon. I have yet to hook all my gadgets back up from our trip to Kansas.

Pregnancy has made my blogs almost non-existent. Sorry for the few and far between posts. I will make an effort to do better.

Yesterday I had my first "official" appointment with the midwives at the birthing center. They did a medical review and took blood (as if they hadn't taken enough already!), and reviewed the mother and newborn testing that we could consent or refuse. I thought I knew a lot about that stuff, but apparently we will be doing a bit more research on a couple of the tests. Being a mommy and daddy is a tough job. You just want the best for your baby, you know?

Some highlights from the visit:
* Good strong heartbeat! She put the Doppler on my belly and Baby R was right there ready to perform! Then she called Baby R a "he" and suddenly it was gone....hehehe! Guess Baby R didn't like being called the "wrong gender". We still have a hunch it is a girl, but still aren't going to find out. But, we are compiling a list of names. We are set with a girl name (sorry not sharing). And we have a couple of boy first names, but the middle name is a source of dispute around here.

*I got a little slap on the wrist for only gaining 4-5 lbs. I can't believe it, considering we just came off the holidays and I didn't have to cook and there were food and sweets everywhere all the time. I have to eat 80-100 grams of protein a day and up the water. They sent me home with a food diary to journal for keeping track of breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack, and water intake. Um, that is a lot of times to eat.

*Still on for a mid-June due date. Depending on the source you use for detecting the due date, there is a three day difference. But, I am not going to get hung up on it. I already know that due dates are just "guess dates", although I know the exact day I ovulated thanks to charting and the awareness I have of what is going on with my body. No surprises around here! Plus, the later the date they give, the better off we are to avoid anything invasive (not that the midwives do anything invasive). I think they will let me go 2 and a half weeks past my due date.

That seems to be all for now. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! Again, pics coming soon....I promise.

Merry Christmas! and Baby R - 15 weeks

2009-12-22T08:40:00.000-08:00

Scott can't get home from work soon enough. I am ready to hit I-35! The cooler is packed with enough snacks to last hours. Thank goodness it is only a six and a half hour drive. Although, my bladder may prove to make it a longer trip this time.

Baby R is doing well. I am 15 weeks now. I have been slacking on the blog updates. Last week I finally was relieved of the 24/7 nausea. I get little waves here and there, but all in all, I am feeling GREAT....and just in time for Christmas so I can enjoy family time. Baby R is about the size of an apple this week - 4 inches long. I have a mini bump, but nothing to rant and rave over. It mostly just looks like pudge. A few more weeks, and I am sure I will have some nice belly shots.

I look forward to having some lovely photos and fun stories to share from Christmas! I feel that I need to take one day at a time and enjoy each moment of being there because I know it will go by very quickly.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

HP TouchSmart Giveaway

2009-12-09T18:28:00.000-08:00

Way too cool! Click here to enter the contest to win the HP TouchSmart.

"Super Cousin" and Baby R - 12 Weeks

2009-12-01T07:42:00.000-08:00

Last night Heidi told me the cutest story.

Jacob and Andrew were wrestling....no big surprise. Jacob said "you can call me 'Super Dad'!" Andrew replied, "you can call me 'Super Cousin'!"

Too CUTE!

I didn't know he was so excited about being a cousin. He keeps asking Heidi if I have had the baby yet. Funny how kids have no perception of time.

Heidi has been putting Joely (almost 16 months) on the phone when we visit. She says "hi Hannah", "hi Scott", "I love you", and all sorts of other very adorable lines. Makes me so ready for Christmas so I can squeeze those kids and give them loots of kisses!

Because of the continued bleeding, I had another sonogram to ensure everything is okay in there. Placenta and cervix look great. Baby and fluid look great. Unable to pinpoint source of bleeding. But, I did get reprimanded by the midwives for house cleaning over the weekend. I guess vacuuming and cleaning tubs is not in the pregnancy protocol if you have ongoing issues. Ok, ok, now I know.

Scott is convinced the baby looks just like him! Ok, I guess I can kind of see that...but considering this little tot is only about the size of a lime, I am not gonna hold my breath that the features won't change slightly. It was so neat to see the tiny arms and legs floating around. One photo looks like Baby R is sucking a thumb.

I am thankful to get this sonogram. It confirms to me that things are great in there and baby is not experiencing the same things that mommy is right now. Baby was moving a lot during the sono. (I had given her/him a heads up to try and dodge the ultra sound waves. Already obeying me, good Baby R!)

thankful for you

2009-11-23T16:02:00.000-08:00

I am glad it is Thanksgiving week. It is just an extra reminder of what I am thankful for. Although I am thankful for many things, Baby R tops the list. This pregnancy hasn't been the breeze I had conjured up in my mind before becoming pregnant, but maybe that is okay...just a constant reminder that I am a mother-to-be.

I went in for my fifth round of blood testing today. Waiting for the results and praying the hormones are in a good range. Baby R let us hear its heart beat too. It started out faint, but then picked up...I think she (or he) was giving us a show. It was a relieving sound.

Baby R is the size of a fig in this week eleven of pregnancy and almost fully formed. The hands can open and close into fists and some of the bone are beginning to harden. What an amazing miracle!

I miss coffee. I passed a Starbucks today. If it weren't for the tight budget these days I may have pulled in for a decaf. I restrained myself.

Scott has started his new coaching job at the private high school. He is head coach to the JV girls team. Isn't that cute? He comes home with some great stories, I must say. He commented today that he has already said more in two weeks with them than he got to say at Texas Wesleyan the entire season. Needless to say, he is loving it. Despite all the estrogen he gets there and the hormonal wife he comes home to, he doesn't complain one bit.

I haven't felt like working through the nausea to start massages again, so I have been working on Christmas projects. Heidi doesn't read my blog, so I can tell you what I have been making for Joely in all my down time. Heidi says she is very girly these days. (I wouldn't know since it has been almost 6 months since we have seen them!) I got a fun idea for a tutu at a craft fair over the weekend. It isn't done though, but soooo cute. I will make a matching bow and watch her twirl around. She is also very much into babies and dolls, so I made her a stuffed rag doll. And, of course, what girl doesn't look great in a pink and black sundress? Spoiled by her auntie Hannah...I know. If you read my blog, don't spill the beans, I want it to be a surprise! (arg...my photos will not upload at the moment!)

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

Baby R - Week 10

2009-11-17T12:28:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that I am already 10 weeks. Baby R is the size of a kumquat or a really large grape.

I had another blood test yesterday to check the progesterone and HCG levels. The injections made my numbers soar, so I am quite confident that we are safe and sound from here on out. They are wanting to check the levels as a precautionary measure now. Hopefully it will not be for too much longer. It takes a toll on the ol' pocket book to pay for these without insurance.

I have discovered that the key to staying steady and not ridiculously nauseous all day long is to keep food in my stomach. They tell you that, but who really wants to eat when you feel like vomiting instead? The key is to eat the moment I wake and the moment before I go to bed....and many points in between.

* Cravings: Subway sandwiches - A couple of weeks ago, I made chicken and sweet potatoes for dinner. By the time it was finished, the smell of it all was just too much and I couldn't eat dinner or even stand the sight of food. But, when we went to bed at 10:30pm I was starving. I needed Subway! It was, of course, closed. I talked Scott into driving me to Wal-Mart to get a deli sandwich. He graciously got out of bed with me and took me with no complaints! Thankfully, I haven't had anything happen like that since then. Baby R also like sweet fruit like grapes, apples, and oranges!

* No belly yet, but a little weight gain - enough to break out the stretchy pants from now on.

being green and falling leaves

2009-11-09T15:15:00.000-08:00

After reading and hearing about several other very sick pregnant women who are due around the same time as me, I have grown to appreciate that my "morning sickness" isn't nearly as traumatic as what others are experiencing. I am so thankful that I haven't even thrown up yet. And, since I have started loading up on massive amounts of progesterone, I have to admit, I really have no more nausea. There is definitely a sensation in my belly, but it isn't my food about to come up.

I don't have the results for my blood test from Thursday yet. I called today and they said it will be tomorrow before the test comes back. No worries here though. I can feel that everything is just fine now.

I have been looking at ideas for Baby R's bedroom. I am trying not to get too radical because we plan to co-sleep or room share for a good portion of the first year at least. But, the baby does need a room to play in. My sister and her husband have started a new company called Greenovation Builders in Arkansas. They are in the business of renovating and building green (or eco-friendly)! She told me not to paint until we can get our hands on some of the paint that they will be distributing that is safe and green. So safe, she said I could paint the room myself while I am pregnant! And, just like any other "big" home improvement store, they can match any color! Even better! So, we will go and pick a sample that we like and send it to her and she will get us the paint. The best part is that the company that started this paint business is not looking to make a fortune. They live off the land somewhere here in Texas with minimal resources. These people are looking to change the way the population thinks one green product at a time. We can get this paint for the same price you can buy low VOC paint at the store for and it is even better and safer than those paints. Let me tell you, I am so excited about this! I told my sister that I would go back to school to finish my interior design degree just so I can move back to AR to work for them in their green company! Well, maybe not, but sounds fun.

And finally, the leaves are falling at our house. We have the most leaves on the whole block. Still not exactly sure what we plan to do with all of this, but they surely cannot stay on the ground piling up.

a literal bummer

2009-11-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

So, I keep texting my sister that I have to get shots in the bum and her text response is "bummer, he he he!" Ok, so that is kind of funny. She is a real jokster.

We were supposed to be in Arkansas visiting them for the weekend. Due to all that has been going on, we decided to stay home and shelter Baby R. Sadly, we will have to wait until Christmas to see them. We haven't seen them since June....way too long. We had a stay-cation instead. Watching movies and football. Scott took me on a ride this morning just to get out. That was after he made me pancakes and eggs, cleaned the kitchen and folded the laundry. Then this afternoon we took another trip for the dreaded shot in the bum.

But, since getting shot in the bum twice this week, I am feeling incredible. Seems as though the hormone levels are getting back on track and no more nausea. Not sure what the progesterone results are from Thursdays blood test, but we should know Monday. Hoping and praying that the feeling good part continues.

Tonight we watched the movie Food, Inc. It pretty much summed up the book I read a while back called Stopping Cancer at the Source by M. Sara Rosenthal, Ph.D. It was about the food industries processing and production methods. Let's just say that I am so glad that I am already willing to spend a bit more to buy organic foods. We are looking forward to planting a small, organic garden in the spring....when I am 6-7 months pregnant. Thanks to my book Texas Organic Vegetable Gardening, I am all set to get going. Can't wait for fresh cucumber and tomato salad, garden beans, and fresh herbs!

Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes. Baby R and I seem to be a lot better. We hear and feel your prayers.

hang on baby r

2009-11-04T15:23:00.000-08:00

Although I am feeling very pregnant with all day morning sickness these days, I have had to have some blood tests taken at six weeks and then again last Friday just before the eight week mark because of the continuous bleeding I have had since week six. My HCG levels are doing well, but the progesterone levels which sustain the pregnancy are continuing to drop to very low levels. Today I was prescribed progesterone tablets and shots. Yes folks, I had a shot in the bum today. It didn't feel great, but if Baby R needs it, then mommy can take it!

Thanks for your continued prayers. I have mixed feelings about what is going on. I put a necklace on today that says, KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. I am doing that to the best of my ability. One of my dear friends also brought me over a necklace last night that she made for me. It has stones that are encouraging for a healthy pregnancy. So, that is also around my neck today.

not your average parents-to-be

2009-11-02T16:20:00.000-08:00

Halloween was spooky, but not because we celebrated in any form or fashion. We were out with some friends of Scott's family all evening.

So, what was so spooky?

We finally got our first taste of negative reactions from people opposed to our non-traditional style.

As a side note: I am so grateful that I am married to someone who believes in the same things that I do. In my teens, while struggling with depression, our family got introduced to alternative health and natural healing. Since then, it hasn't always been easy for others to understand why we choose not to go to the doctor or medicate with drugs for illnesses. I am so thankful that I have a husband that supports me in all aspects of my health. He is very much on board with our decision to have our baby at home.

So that being said, he likes to share our ideas and plans with others. Seems like several years ago I quit being so outspoken about our "natural" beliefs. We got a lot of flack growing up with all of our herbs and natural healing techniques, so I found it easier to just play "normal". But, the hubs isn't so afraid. He isn't scared of a little conflict.

On Saturday night, Baby R's coming was announced in a large group. Of course everyone loves an expectant mommy and daddy and have all kinds of questions. While I was off chatting it up in one corner, Scott got asked the question from a lady...."what hospital are you having your baby at?" Without hesitation he explained we will be having our baby at home. She didn't have a response. She immediately turned and walked away.

On our way home, we were talking about it. It comes down to people not understanding and not being informed about what a home birth really entails. (That will be another post.) Scott said that lady probably thought he was going to be catching our baby all by himself.....hahahaha! Now that is funny.

One thing that I have heard over and over from veteran mothers and fathers is not listen to all the all the flack and horror stories from other people. I know that other people who have been through it have their ideas and opinions. For instance, we also got one persons very strong opinion on how pregnant women should have the H1N1 and flu shots.

We are very confident in our decisions about our birth for Baby R and trust that what we are doing is the best for us. Being experienced in pregnancy and birth already, and having read many books and articles on health and pregnancy, I am sure that we are making the best decisions we know we can make.

I do have to say, though, that for my contest going on over at Bellies In Bloom, I have asked for advice and have gotten some really great comments and great suggestions!

Baby R - Week 7

2009-10-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

Looks like Baby R is happy as a clam in there. I am feeling very much pregnant these days. I must admit that keeping up with everyday life is not so easy. I am just not the type of person who likes to be down and out. I am an on the go type of gal. Guess that pregnancy starts preparing you for motherhood from the get go.

Some highlights from week 7:

Nausea set in big time this week. It comes waves throughout the day. I have seemed to avoid puking...thank goodness. The last thing I feel like doing is eating when my stomach is turning, but I helps every time. This week I like oatmeal and Ezekiel cinnamon raisin toast. I have been craving beef and I don't even eat beef. Guess this momma needs iron!
Daddy makes sure that I talk to the baby every day. Each night in bed he asks "have you talked to the baby today?" Sometimes yes, and sometimes I haven't yet. Most of this week I have been apologizing to Baby R for my crazy schedule and telling "it" to hang on tight. Since I have been pregnant, I have been at 4 births. I know it isn't easy on Baby R because it sure isn't easy on me sometimes. Scott likes to tell Baby R to make mommy feel better.
Hormones are going nuts. Yesterday I was nagging at Scott all day for the dumbest things. Today I cried during the football game (well, someone got hurt!). Last night I cried for about 15 seconds feeling sorry for myself for not feeling well. I realized how ridiculous I sounded and dried it up real fast!
This week I discovered that wearing a sports bra to bed is AMAZING! Apparently I should be anticipating my breasts to grow 2 sizes while pregnant. I don't even know what size comes after DD! I may be one of the only women in the world that is looking forward to getting smaller after breastfeeding. My back will be thankful that is for sure.
I am not sure if it is the pregnancy or what, but I have been having very vivid dreams these days. These dreams keep me on the edge of sleep and many times I have woken up Scott while talking in my sleep. I have never done that before. I can usually fall asleep in about 1.2 seconds from my head hitting the pillow at night though. Sleep is a luxurious!
Yesterday I got some more blood work done. I have been bleeding since week 6. They want to ensure that the HCG and Progesterone levels are staying in a good place and increasing. I have a miscarriage tea that I am supposed to be drinking. Tastes like bark, but I choke it down when I can. While we were at the birth center getting blood work, we talked to the midwives about setting up our first prenatal appointment. We are thinking about waiting until after the holidays. I just have to make sure I check in with them if there are things that aren't going like they should.
I have realized that being a pregnant doula has its downfalls. I know way too much about birth. I was asking all kinds of "worst case scenario" questions to the midwives yesterday. I was kind of freaking Scott out. In the past I haven't been thinking "worst case scenario" and I lost a baby and a tube. I would like to be fully prepared and in the know from now on. I have full confidence in my midwives though. I have seen them in action at two home births and even resuscitate a baby at one of them. I do feel better and more at ease knowing what they would do in all cases.

Check out this website. We are thinking about having this amazing photographer at our birth. What do you think?

Week 8 starts Monday!

Hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!

celebrate with me

2009-10-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Check out the contest I put up on Bellies in Bloom as a celebration of my pregnancy. Today I woke up and was determined to feel GREAT!!! And, guess what....I pretty much do! I had to be at work today...things to do, people to see. I will not let this get me down. I keep thinking about the little angel I will get to hold in my arms in just a few months! That makes me feel better! :)

welcome to parenthood

2009-10-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

My poor husband has been a trooper with the new pregnancy symptoms I have been feeling. This morning he said "I am just not used to my plans changing", as I couldn't decide whether or not I was going to leave the house and go to his mom's for lunch. We had already skipped church. My response was, "welcome to parenthood". Leading up to becoming pregnant, I was reminding him that there may be a time where I could possibly not be feeling well in the beginning. I guess you can't really prepare a man enough for having to cook, clean, and get groceries while his wife lays nauseous on the couch or sleeps for four hours at a time during the day.

I just made a list for him to go to the grocery store and sent him on his way. We shall see what he comes up with at Kroger. He was lucky I didn't send him to our usual Central Market way across town. That place can be a mad house on Sundays. I told him to just make sure the produce is organic as he slipped out the door. Praying he doesn't forget on his three block journey.

Thankfully I have not been full blown vomiting, just nauseous about 75% of the waking hours and 25% of the hours I should be fast asleep. I am so torn about keeping up with my massage schedule or just allowing myself to take a break for a few weeks. Last week I worked on the husband of one of my clients. He smelled like he had just dumped the entire bottle of cologne on before he came. I had to hold back gags for an hour.

When you have wanted a baby for quite some time like we have, you want to take whatever comes with it....sickness and all. That is definitely easier said than done.

announcement

2009-10-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

Sitting on the BEST news ever has not been easy for us. We are so ecstatic to announce that Baby R. in on the way! Yes, that is right...I'm Pregnant!!!

Wanna know how it all went down? Well, the finding out part anyway. I am sure I don't need to explain more than that. We found out on October 4th. We had friends in for the weekend with their new baby and Scott and I got some serious snuggle time with one cute little guy. I had a hunch that I might be pregnant, but I had thought that before so I wasn't getting my hopes too high. I was expecting my period that day or the next. When our company left, I peed on the stick, sat in on the shelf, and jumped in the shower. It was probably the 10th or 15th stick I have peed on in the past year, so I wasn't getting my hopes up. In the shower I was trying to remain calm and told myself not to get upset if the stick said no....again. I wrapped a towel around me and still dripping wet, I peered over to see the stick. It actually had two lines. I lost my breath. I started to cry. I ran out of the bathroom and upstairs where Scott was working on the ceiling. I was yelling his name and he dropped everything and ran over to me. He thought I was hurt. I was trembling, but told him I was okay. I pulled the stick out and showed him the positive result. We both cried and then set on the sofa trying to let it all soak in. I took two more test in the next few days so that I could settle any doubts I had in my mind. Of course, all were positive.

The first two weeks I felt amazing. I was working out, cleaning house, keeping up with clients, and doing all my normal everyday life things. But this past week it hit me. The slightest smell of anything can make me feel nauseous. But, there are not complaints here. I will take feeling sick any day if it means I can have my precious baby. So far I haven't actually gotten sick, just feeling all the usual pregnancy symptoms like breast tenderness and nausea.

With feeling so good in the previous weeks, I think I overdid it a bit and started bleeding last week more than I was comfortable with. We had already decided long before pregnancy that we were going to plan to use midwives that I have worked with at a couple of births with clients. When I began bleeding for the second time in two weeks, I called them and they got me in for some blood work for HCG and Progesterone and a sonogram. My blood work came back great. Two of the midwives accompanied me to the lab for a sonogram. I had not intended to have a sonogram, but with my history, bleeding is not a sight we like to see. The last pregnancy ended in losing the baby and parts crucial to reproduction. I could not risk losing another tube and becoming infertile.

The day I got the sonogram, I was six weeks pregnant. If the technician and I held just still enough we were able to hear a tiny heartbeat. It is truly incredible that something the size of a grain of rice can have a heartbeat. And, a heartbeat is just what I needed to hear to confirm that everything will be just fine. Little Baby R. is ready to come into this world and be in our arms.

As of today:
Baby R: about the size of a blueberry
Due Date: June 14, 2010
Caregivers: Cleburne Birthing Center - planning a home birth
Boy or Girl: We think girl (just a feeling), but I guess we will know for sure in June
Names: We want to see our baby's precious little face before we settle on a name
Cravings: sweet potatoes, banana nut muffins, and salad
My Current Mood: vicious, moody, giddy, happy, peaceful
Scott's Current Mood: happy, giddy, patient

baby waiting

2009-10-23T09:29:00.000-07:00

A bomb went off in my kitchen, I have about 4 loads of laundry to do, and we really need groceries...BAD.

But, I am waiting to see if this mom (of almost four any day now) is going to call me back to tell me she is in labor for real. I think I will go back to bed and sleep so I can be all rested to be her doula if she indeed needs me today.

Thanks to my dear husband who said he will do all the housework as soon as he gets home from his lunch meeting! :)

bugs and supplements

2009-10-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

What is really funny is that I was watching one of the morning shows before heading off to work this morning and they were showing how to avoid the flu. The masks we are wearing in the picture below were used as examples. The man even put mine on as a demo! Then I left work early because I wasn't feeling well. How ironic.

It isn't the flu, just a little bug. I am sure that I will feel better in no time. In the meantime, Scott is taking great care of me and I have been loading up on vitamins and special immunity teas. I was one of the only people at work to forfeit the free flu shots for me and my family. No thank you.

In other exciting news, Scott (my supplement MAN) has found a new supplement that he has become a huge fan of and has even gone to training to become a rep for the product. Even after working for a vitamin store and trying tons of products in his life, he thinks this is the best one he has ever tried. And believe me, he has tried many! It is a glutathione accelerator. Glutathione is the most prevalent anti-oxidant in body. After the age of 20 years old, your body stops producing as much of it because of increased stress, environmental pollution, poor diet, etc. The result from taking the supplement can vary from person to person, but I can already tell a huge difference in the hubby! He isn't taking naps in the afternoon between shifts at the gym and he isn't drinking as much coffee to get going like he had been. And, this has just been in the past three weeks. Plus, I have noticed a big change in him motivation to work and help me out at home more too! Yay! I am a believer now, that is for sure!

no, we do not have swine flu

2009-10-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

Home repair projects are getting dusty.... must wear masks.

We got the ceiling down and the radiant barrier put in place on one side. Yesterday afternoon I helped Scott put back the insulation. That is as far as I go though. He will have to recruit some help to put the sheet rock pieces back up.

I also got him to clean out the oven this weekend. But, we aren't sure what the deal is with the racks. They don't fit in the space. We may have to order special parts. Seven months later, I am still cooking in a toaster oven.

Friday night we went to a beautiful wedding of a co-worker of mine at Gladney. It was so nice and Gari-Anne looked gorgeous!

yummy hummus recipe

2009-09-30T16:44:00.000-07:00

I have been munching on hummus and pita chips all day. Thought I would share this great recipe I found.

Spicy Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 (15 oz) can drained garbanzo beans
1 (4 oz) jar roasted red peppers
3 T. lemon juice
1 1/2 T. tahini butter
1 clove garlic
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. cayenne pepper (I used about 1/4 t.)
1/4 t. salt
2-3 T. olive oil (I added this extra)

Mix it all in the food processor or blender. Top with chopped parsley before serving if you wanted to make it fancy!

mmmm...mmmm...good!

weekend renovation project(s)

2009-09-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

Do you all remember from the previous post about our upstairs before and after pictures? Well our renovations just got a little more extreme.

Unfortunately, the upstairs addition to our house was done without a city permit back in 2007. We think 2007 because the pieces of sheet rock that we took down yesterday had March 2007 dates on them. The stairs and the two upstairs rooms were not done to code. When we bought our house, we got a great deal on it because we did not have an inspection done. We don't regret not having that inspection, but we have found so many things that need fixed because of a shoddy job that was done on it. It looks pretty, but when you start getting in behind the walls and realize that the bad wiring and insulation jobs could set your house on fire at any moment, it gets scary. Thank goodness Scott is handy, because these are not cheap projects!

The upstairs is not temperature regulated with a thermostat although it does have ventilation. Because the roof is directly on the other side of the ceiling, it gets pretty hot in the Texas summer heat. It is insulated, but not with a radiant barrier. Our project this weekend was to take the ceiling down. There was no need to preserve the pieces of sheet rock because they put up 1/2" instead of the fire protective 5/8" ceiling sheet rock that would make it to code.

You would think that this picture is a finished project compared to what you are about to see below, but it is not. These are before pictures.

Once we realized it was 1/2" and not 5/8" we got after the demolition. And it was so hot up there. We were sweating so much. There is at least a 20 degree difference between up and down.
Screws were my job. Although, I did rip an entire piece of sheet rock down all by myself with my incredibly ridiculous strength!!
An hour and a half later, we had the entire ceiling down and what seemed like 5,000 screws.
We are kind of debating on whether to take this door and wall down. It would make the room bigger and roomier. If it isn't structural we are going to do it. What do you think? We want to make this big room an entertainment area and a guest room divided with Soji screens. It is plenty of room and privacy upstairs even without the wall. It just seems kind of awkward to come up the stairs into the claustrophobic, dimly lit hallway where you have to duck to go either right or left into a room. For now, until we can get the sheet of foil radiant barrier and the new sheet rock, this is how the room will stay.
As if that project wasn't enough, he just had to start tearing down the popcorn ceiling in the kitchen today. Thankfully, it came off in easy sheets. The ceilings in our house are all connected. So instead of popcorning the ceiling where he fell through into the hallway a few months ago and replaced that portion, we opted to take off the very dated popcorn all the ceilings. This also is a messy project. A lot of sneezing involved.
But, when it is all said and down (who knows when...probably years) we agree that our house will look pretty awesome and definitely not be a hazard. We will have a lot of equity in it that is for sure.

my soul smiles

2009-09-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!!!

Today is the fall equinox and I am lovin' every bit of this cool weather! This big pot of soup is to celebrate.

I made the soup when it was storming so badly last night. Every time it rains, pieces of our back yard fall to the ground. Luckily, no one was hurt.

I was so proud of myself for cleaning and organizing the pantry on Sunday afternoon. Even though we have only been in this house for about 7 months, it was getting a bit cluttered in there. I am all stocked up on beans though!

Some of you may know that I have blog contests on my Bellies In Bloom blog everyone once in a while. I have been poking around some other blogs and decided to enter the Dallas Etsy Two Year Anniversary contest. Out of 195 entries, I WON!!! And, this FedEx box arrived on my doorstep today. It was like Christmas. I waited until Scott got home late this evening to open all 14 of the individually wrapped presents. I never win these things.....I got lucky!!! What goes around comes around I guess.

Then, after I carefully unwrapped each gift made by all different creative artists in Dallas, I laid everything out to admire it all. Everything here is handmade. I love it! Sometimes it amazes me how creative people can be. Check out their blog here!

At lunch, Scott brought home some gifts his client brought him from Japan and Mexico. Definitely interesting. Candy that looks like sushi, tequila, wine, ice cream that you shake up and put in the freezer then eat...not too sure on that one???, and some other random things. Guess we shall see about all that. I may have to pass.

Then he brought home his Texas Wesleyan 08-09 conference champion ring tonight. He helped coach them last year and got a ring from it. This year he will be coaching at a private high school in Fort Worth. College ball schedules get a little bit out of control.

What a great day! Full of great weather and fun surprises.

i heart the rain

2009-09-15T14:12:00.000-07:00

Now it is a humid because it rained all weekend. I think from Friday morning until literally Sunday night it rained non-stop here in Fort Worth. Apparently, that isn't normal for Texas. Scott says this is a first for him. I love it! I love rain. I believe that fall is my favorite season. I love brisk, cool, football weather. I am not a fan of hot seasons and in Texas we have about 9 months of what I would call hot. With all the rain, we got to thinking about how it reminds us of Arkansas. It rains in Arkansas a lot....or so we remember anyway. There are many things that I miss about Arkansas...family, the smell of the air, the Razorbacks, friends, the natural things, Pilates, the beautiful scenery and changing of seasons, and the list just goes on.....I get so many things done with the weather is nice out. I did all the laundry yesterday and got my house all in order for no particular reason other than I felt like it.

Yesterday I read a blog about a girl and her husband who are trying fertility treatments to get pregnant. I am hoping never to have to think about that. Plus, the cost is too great for us and without health insurance you can pretty much forget about it. But, I have decided to get serious about my own fertility treatments. So, yesterday I took my first Yoga class in a very long time. My eating habits are about to drastically change as well, and I am going to do something every day that will help me to relax and focus on all the good. Scott has a very care free attitude about getting pregnant. I can only hope to get to be more like that very soon. It can become very consuming to want to get pregnant. I never knew the thoughts and emotions that are behind the scenes of the road to becoming pregnant until I was actually on that road myself. But, seriously, I am taking new steps to become less preoccupied with fertitily and more preoccupied with the here and the now.

Oh, the ramblings of my day....thanks for living in it with me.

moms and babies...that's what I do

2009-09-13T18:23:00.001-07:00

I normally only write about my work related events on Bellies In Bloom, but I had such a fantastic birth today that it warranted telling you all the story.

About a week and a half ago I got a call from a mom to be who was due in three days. She had a previous cesarean birth with her son and after much reading and discussing with her husband they thought that a doula would be very helpful for them for the VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) birth they desired to have with their daughter. Usually I get weeks to prepare with clients, but these were special circumstances because we were so close to the due date.

In her eighth month of her pregnancy she changed care providers from her doctor to a group of midwives who practice at a local hospital. (Side note: changing care providers late in pregnancy is always an option if you are not satisfied. As long as the baby is still inside of you, you have choices. Get the kind of care and birth that you desire!) So, after she changed groups, she decided to look into a doula. Thanks to a referral from a previous client, she was led to me.

As her "due date" came and went, she was visiting the midwives to assure that her pregnancy was still going well and that she and baby were fine. Of course, everything checked out and she was given 14 days past her "due date" before they would do any sort of medical intervention.

On Friday, six days past her "due date", she had an appointment with the midwives for stress testing. Her cervix was dilated to a four, but she and baby were fine and she was not in active labor so she went home. I went over to her house to work with her. She had taken Castor oil, been walking, and was ready for anything more at that point. I arrived early in the afternoon and worked with her for several hours doing acupressure and labor enhancing massage techniques. She was having contractions and things were seeming to move forward, but when the evening approached, I felt it best to let her rest and try and get a good nights sleep in case labor did come on. I did not want her to be too tired for what was ahead of her.

On Saturday morning, I woke up to find I had not received a call in the night. When I called her that morning, she told me she had gotten a good nights rest and that she felt that things had progressed in the night. I told her I would come later that afternoon to work with her more unless her labor started before then. At about 4:00 that afternoon, I went back over to work with her some more. This time not much was happening. The contractions were few and far between and she did not feel as though they were as productive as they had been the day before. Her mother and sister arrived at about 8:00pm. Again, I decided that it would be best for her to rest and at 9:00pm I left them for the evening with instructions for she and her husband to take a walk and relax.

On Sunday morning at 2:24am, I received a call from her husband telling me that contractions had picked up. I didn't get much information other than they were coming on stronger than ever, but told them I would head over to help them labor at home, and it was their call on whether to head to the hospital at that point. It took me about 10 minutes get dressed and head out the door. I said many prayers on the way. I was unusually calm as I drove down the road in the middle of the night. The streets were bare and the rain was falling. I had a good feeling that this was going to be okay. Just as I approached the highway to turn left toward their home, he called and told me they were headed to the hospital. I could tell there was no time for talking and I told them I would see them there. I took a right onto the highway instead of a left and headed to the hospital downtown. I parked in the parking garage, which can be kind of scary at that time of night. My birth bag was in the trunk and I wasn't sure what to take out of it or take the whole thing in. I popped the trunk, hurried out of my car, grabbed the bag and got back in my car and locked the doors. I searched for a couple of minutes through my bag before deciding just to take the whole thing in. After all, there is no telling how long these births can last. With my cell phone in hand and my purse and birth bag tucked tightly against me, I headed for the parking garage elevators down to the ground level and into the hospital. I was greeted by a security guard. He asked me who I was coming to see. I said "I am a doula, and I need to get to maternal observation." "A doula?" he replied. Well, once we got that all straightened out, I was off to meet them on the maternity floor. I waited in maternal observation. When I saw the dad behind the double doors I got my things and went on back. He rushed past and told me he was headed to the restroom and she was in room 4. I thought I heard room 4, but then I second guessed what I had heard when I got down the hall. Then I heard the moans of a woman in labor and he nurses in the room calling her name. I knocked on the door and two nurses suddenly yelled at me to move the wheel chair in the hall out of the way and that the baby was crowning. They were telling my client not to push as they rushed her in the bed down the hall to labor and delivery. I ran with her, leaving her husband behind. I wasn't really sure what to do, but felt she needed someone with her, so it was with her that I stayed. As she approached L&D the nurses rolling her bed were shouting, "she is crowning!" About six nurses rushed into her room and I moved off to the side while they got her squared away. They pulled up her gown and I could see the baby's head. Her mom and her husband got to the room and we all squeezed past nurses to get up next to her as she began to push.

At 3:24am, just one hour after I received the phone call, they were holding their baby girl in their arms. She did it! She had a VBAC! It was a success for them and for me, as now I can say that I had my first VBAC and it was successful doulaing experience and they can go on to have many more children vaginally as they plan to.

When we all settled down after the birth to admire the baby, I sat on the sofa next to my unopened birth bag. You just never know.

too busy to blog

2009-09-06T20:01:00.000-07:00

Too busy working on the house, having gatherings, and working that is...

But, the good thing is that I have taken some pictures of all the happenings. Henry is still in town, so he hooked us up with some sweet tunes for our bbq this evening.

I wish I could claim that I took these precious pictures of the kids, but I haven't seen them since June. They are just getting so big. Grandma and Grandpa T. took these and I borrowed them and made some prints for the fridge.

I think there is a picture of Heidi that looks just like this one hanging in my parents house on the stairs! Too cute! Miss those kiddos!

G and G T. just had a new litter of pups. Who can resist those cuddly little things? But, Scott says a medium sized dog costs $16,000 throughout the course of their lifetime and therefore has vetoed me on getting a dog.

Is this not the cutest picture of bro and sis?

The hall bathroom has been one of our first house projects. I seemed pretty "safe". (I say safe because the only danger was paint fumes, no ceiling incidents here!) So, with Henry in town, we decided to tackle it. This picture was taken before we moved in. Kind of sad and in definite need of some TLC.

It then evolved into this hodge-podge of odds and ends decor. Leftover mirrors, hand me downs, and eclectic accessories. It wasn't so bad until my shorter clients were having a hard time seeing themselves in the mirror when coming for massages. Scott had it positioned just right for our 13" height difference. But, we use this bathroom the most since our master, well, let's just say it's out of commission for the time being. We decided that the bathroom needed a fixin'. We had some leftover paint from the house we were supposed to buy last year that fell through. It was just sitting in the garage and needed to be put to good use.

So, River Stone Blue it was! The fronts of the drawers screwed off and I was put to work sanding and painting. They look pretty shnazzy now, if you ask me.

Although, painting under the pecan trees in the backyard is not recommended for future projects.

This is what we came up with for our finished product. We have searched high and low for that perfect bath mats, but so far we've come up empty handed. The new cabinet paint is just the shade of off white that makes white mats look crumby. It is one of those "we'll know it when we see it" kind of deals. So far, we haven't seen it.

Tonight we had a little bbq party in our backyard. Everyone spread out on blankets and lawn chairs. We had grub from the grill and were entertained by some fine blue grass tunes from Henry's guitar. It was a great night with good food and good friends. A bit hot, but we sweat it out. Unfortunately, I was too busy being hostess to take any other pictures. Hopefully my friends snapped some keepers.

After everyone left, Francesca insisted that remaining of us "sit" and listen to Henry. It was funny to hear her say "Scott, sit down". We had a knee-slappin' time!

blogs and brothers

2009-08-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

This week I realized that my Bellies In Bloom blog gets readers from all over. Scott gets embarrassed that I write so candidly about women's issues. Someone has to do it and, well, I have a passion for sharing and am not shy about it. I got an email from a lady in WI (I think??) who found my blog and realized we were like minded. This lady created a company that makes a line of organic mama, baby, and body products called Lusa Organics. She offered to share some of her products with me if I ever had a giveaway on my blog. Well, as "luck" would have it, earlier that day I had been thinking about doing a giveaway for my 100th post. Click here to check out my giveaway. The gift set of booty balm, lip balm and sugar scrub is so fantastic, so enter to win!

Henry is in town indefinitely now. Playing at open mic night and then the next night as the solo gig, he was offered a weekly gig and has more prospects in the midst. I am happy for him and think this may be a good change for him right now. He is coming over today to hang out with us. He has been staying with friends in Dallas. As a good big sis, I will feed him a good home cooked meal from the grill and do his laundry.

Thanks for reading guys! Have a good weekend.

birthday week

2009-08-27T10:10:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday to me!

This week has been fantastic! I have hung out with friends, gone to concerts, and this afternoon I am getting a massage and facial.

But, last night was especially fun. We went to Dallas to watch Henry play a solo gig and then all the open mic artists got together and played improv! It is so cool to see four guys play that have never met each other before and how they can make the most awesome music! Not used to staying up and staying out late, so we have spent today trying to recover.

hippie wannabe

2009-08-24T10:40:00.000-07:00

I think I was born in the wrong era. Well, not really, but I would probably have been a hippie back then. My inner self is crying out for braids, long skirts (oh, the long, flowing skirts), tie die shirts, bell bottom pants, and several more pair of Birkenstock sandals. But, my closet is full of high heels, flip flops, tennis shoes, and straight cut jeans. I don't have a garden (yet), but I eat organic and prepare strange foods. I am kind of crazy about natural birth and I make my own concoctions to cure my illnesses and injuries. But, I wear make-up and fix my hair every day. I do burn incense in my house...can't do scented candles. What to do?

So as for my inner hippie or at least the inner 70's in me....

I would not be much for anti-war protests or bra burning (well, possibly bra burning, but only for my own sake - dang under wires!). I doubt I would have worn my hair parted down the middle with peace sign jewelry all over me and a leather tie around my forehead. But, if lived back then, I would quite possibly have decorated my home with macrame plant hangers and wall hangings - probably of an owl, and big shaggy rugs. I would have had a big orange, brown, green couch that was most likely extremely uncomfortable to get comfy on. I am sure I maybe would like to watch Mary Tyler Moore or go disco dancing. Did hippies watch t.v. and dance? I would be the exception.

I would have the most amazing brown kitchen appliances and herbs growing in the windowsill above the kitchen sink (the legal kind of course). There would be orange and gold checkered carpet on the kitchen floor. Ok, that just sounds gross. I would grow all my food out in the garden.

I would ride my banana seat bike everywhere. It would have a basket on the front of it. I may have a car, not sure. I would read at the park in the afternoons on my quilted blanket. I may roll my eyes as I pass a phone booth where 20 people are trying to stuff themselves inside.

Of course, I wouldn't have a cell phone back then. But, then again nothing is "urgent" (unless you are having your baby of course) and if I am home and you call, I would visit with you. Otherwise, call me later.

I wouldn't wear make-up and my hair is long and flowing. Sometimes I would put it in braids.

My record player would play Bee Gees and Fleetwood Mac.

I might actually have a pet rock too!

Not sure my occupation. I would probably be a some sort of birth support person, but that was before the word "doula" was around. Maybe I would be a midwife when midwifery was coming into play and birth was coming back out of the hospitals again.

If I were a mom, I would play wooden blocks with my cloth diapered babies and take them to the park in a sling. The thing about all of this is that these people did this and didn't even try. There was something instinctual about it. Now you hear about all these parenting ideas and gimmicks. "Do this and your kid will learn this"...."do that and your kid will be do or say that".....I don't think they they consciously thought about it back then. Wearing your kid in a sling was quite possibly "just what you did". Kids didn't sit in front of the t.v. for hours. They played outside. Parents didn't worry about them running around the block with the neighbors. Oh, and I would be that mom who attends a breastfeeding group since breastfeeding would just be coming back. I can see it now, all the moms sitting in the park in a circle on blankets breastfeeding their babies while their older kids run wild in the park. Makes me kind of giddy to think of it because these women would have come from the generation whose parents formula fed and they were breaking the cycle!

Well, I am a child of the 80's with side ponies, Barbie doll houses, My Little Ponies, and over-sized shirts tied in a knot on the side with leggings and jelly shoes. Now I am an adult in the the 21st century with all kinds of technology and fashion that I can't get away from if I wanted to. Oh, how I wish I was a hippie living on a mountain off the land somewhere.....

I wonder if I would have been friends with my parents back then?

Stayin' alive, stayin' alive, ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive!

it's official...

2009-08-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

I am the worst house keeper on the planet. This afternoon as I swept cobwebs out of windowsills, cleaned dirt out the shower, loaded 5 loads of laundry, and dusted until I sneezed, I realized, I am not good at this. Some women pride themselves in having a spotless, clean house every day of the week, while I, utterly embarrassed, allow parts of my house to go to ruins. Well, the hiring someone part is out of the question. I had to chuckle when Scott asked me if I was done yet. He had quit helping a while earlier. I proceeded to tell him that "house work is never done, don't you know that!?" Ugh....the mere realization that housework is ongoing just makes me exhausted thinking of it. I love a clean house, don't get me wrong, but I wish I had a magic wand or my nose wriggled just right. Growing up we had lists on Saturday for cleaning. We weren't allowed to do anything until the list was done. That must have been around the time that I took a true disliking of cleaning. Even to this day, I feel guilty if I take a break in between the things to do on my "to do list". Like Mom is going to track me down with a dust rag and tell me to "get busy or no friends over." I remember saying things in my cleaning rage like "you only had kids so they could help you clean your house!" Hmm...that idea doesn't sound half bad right now.

Scott and I got an early start to the weekend with a half day Friday. We decided to piddle around Lowe's for ideas for a bathroom remodel on a $200 budget. Looks like we may start painting over Labor Day weekend. It has turned out to be a fabulous, long weekend for me. By long, I mean two days off. We closed the spa on Saturday and I actually did whatever I felt like yesterday. I slept in, then we lounged around the house before seeing a matinee. I drug him to Julie & Julia. It was a cute movie, but the audience was filled with a bunch of elderly ladies. We were two of the first people there and he crouched lower and lower in his seat each time another lady would come down the aisle looking for a seat. He may kill me for telling you, but he actually like the movie! Then we went and got some things to cook for dinner and came home. The real excitement of it all was that Scott got to cook out on the new "mini" grill we purchased this weekend. My husband finally feels like a manly man out by the grill now. It is amazing how giddy a man can get when grilling a meal to perfection! Well, actually it wasn't perfect, the squash and zucchini turned to mush, but the corn on the cob and chicken was good. I gave him a break for the first time grillin' at home experience. We have been married three years and this is our first grill. I must say that I regret not having one before. Meals are quick and simple and the clean up is a cinch! The two days off in a row is what started the house cleaning extravaganza in the first place. I guess I was not sure what to do with myself for two whole days and that is when I got the urge to clean my house. Thank goodness that is over....for now.

thank goodness I am bored

2009-08-15T14:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I am not really bored, but I was pondering today about the past several summers and how involved they have been...especially in August.

August 2008 - Recovering from surgery
August 2007 - Moved to Arkansas (on our 1st anniversary)
August 2006 - Got married
August 2005 - Moved from Kansas to Texas
August 2004 - Getting ready to quit Wal-Mart and start massage school
August 2003 - Actually, I think this particular year was pretty uneventful
August 2002 - Recovering from my burns
August 2001 - Moving to Arkansas to go to U of A
August 2000 - Again, kind of uneventful
August 1999 - Moved to OKC for my first year in college and Oklahoma Christian University

Then, there are always several family birthdays (including mine), vacation, and school starts back. I miss celebrating August birthdays. When we all lived in Mac, which none of us do anymore, Heidi, Emily, Henry and I used to celebrate all together....usually with a DQ ice cream cake. Wish I had a picture of that. By the way, Happy Birthday you guys! Oh, and I can't forget sweet Joely who just turned the big #1!

Happy 1st Joely!

Happy 23rd Hen!

Happy 29th to me, Happy 26th Em,
and Happy 27th Heids!

But, this August, other than our trip and my conference (which was actually a lot), it has been pretty calm around here. Our first two anniversaries had major events surrounding them. I am glad that this year we didn't. It was a nice, quiet dinner out. Nothing too fancy. We ate at Mac's on 7th and then to Curly's for frozen custard. It was nice to have time to sit and visit about our goals for marriage in the upcoming year. I want to write them out and put them in our memory box and take them out in six years and see where we are at. We sure aren't where we thought we would be three years ago, but that is okay. We have come a long way. People say that the first year is hard. I have to say the first two years have been especially difficult for us. But, we are in this together and can see great things ahead!

So, since I am so bored....I will go read the library books on pregnancy and childbirth I checked out today! That ought to keep me busy.