Resting and recovering

I had a remarkably easy birth this time through. I feel fantastic. I am still supposed to be "resting" allowing my body to heal from the last 9 months of pregnancy. This has proven to be quite difficult at times. But I must say the "permission" to forget about the hosework is certianly easing much of my guilt. Actually at times it is quite nice, in fact I hope to retain this low stress low guilt attitude even when I am able to get up and around. Now, if only I can keep off of the couponing web-sites and just forget about the deals I am missing....they will come again, in a few months, but it would be so nice to hit CVS and pick up FREE items. sigh. But, really, in the long run I might be trading in my health to save a few bucks. Definately not a good bargain.

Introducing Abigail!

I am not entirely sure how to do this, but I am attempting to post some pics of my new baby girl. Alright, s they went in reverse order, and all I see in my box are lines of code, therefore they will stay this way, so view from the bottom up. The botom shows parts of the newborn exam, and up to brother holding her, and finally at 4 days old at the top.

A. made her way into this world at 9:11 am, on August 11. She weighed 6lbs 8oz, and measured 19 inches. It was a beautiful and (mostly) peaceful birth. She is doing very well, as am I. Birth story to follow soon!

My pantry...

...is in the midst of an identity crisis. Seriously. Several months ago we had gotten rid of pretty much all the junk food in the house and I had moved to making nearly everything from scratch. It was wonderful fun.
Then I got bitten by the coupon bug. Who can resist a 25 cent (large) box of poptarts? or totally free yoplait yogurt?
The problem with that is it perfectly coincided with the exhaustion of late pregnancy and the need to have a bunch of easy to make "food" in the house for the postpartum period.
So here we stand, with half of the shelves overflowing with good, whole foods or "ingredients" as some people know them. The other half is crammed full of "convenience foods" boxed inferior versions of what I was making from scratch. Sigh. Really it wouldn't be so bad, except I keep dipping into these stockpiles and am getting out of the habit of making things myself. I am using the excuse that the baby can come at any moment now, but really it is just laziness.
so, tonight we are starting from scratch again.

Today's lunch will be turkey wrap ups, using fresh veggies, leftover turkey and whole wheat tortillas.


dinner is Guacamole cheeseburgers, using pure natural ingredients and NO mixes!

If the baby stays put, I will be making a batch of my dad's famous chili and cornbread for Wednessday.

woo hoo!

waiting, and waiting and waiting.

I am learning about paitience.

In my previous two pregnancies, I went into labor about a week before my due date. This time around I have been having contractions for several hours a day for over a week now, and I have officially passed my due date. It has been very very hard to practice peace and try and just be in the moment. I am incredibly anxious at this point to just have labor start "for real" But, as always, God is in controll and I have something to learn from all of this. I am continuing on in my little home projects. Right now I am in the middle of sorting out my sewing box---a giant jumbled mess, and at naptime today I will be quickly mending up a pile of laundry and sewing some cushion covers for some pillows I have laying about.

The de-cluttering process has nearly been completed! I went through every box stashed under my bed, my dresser, and my half of the walk in closet. EVERYTHING fits now! no more jumbled messes! I actually gave away 2 huge trashbags of clothing, most of it I was just not wearing. I have done the same with the children's clothing.

We now all have roughly 8 matched outfits for Summer, 8 for winter and 8 for Spring/Fall. The Spring/fall will always stay in the drawers and the winter/summer will swap places as needed. I am LOVING it! I managed to hang up all of my outfits in the closet, each outfit to a hanger. It is making my mornings soooo easy, as my brain dosn't work upon waking and I have absolutely no decisions to make, just grab a hanger and pull it on. I would like to purchase two or three more nursing tanks in various colors to match up permanently with my outfits so I don't have to hunt for them in the morning.
The boys have matched outfits folded together in their drawers, with the shirts outside and the shorts tucked into them. J. is now able to simply grab the shirt he wants to wear, and, more often then not can actually get dressed all by himself! He is thrilled with the arrangement. we just need to work at keeping the clothing on him now!

I am learning to be grateful for every day I have with just my boys, and I am doing much better at keeping up with our little routine. I am hoping to have everything settled in before she arrives. well, we will see! At this point, labor can begin at any moment.

restless

Just feeling restless today. My house is clean, food is stocked up, and all I have to do right now is maintain order and wait. I think I am going to go nutty with the waiting.

The birth-tub is here...

and I am so ready for this baby to arrive!

we have caused quite a stir here in the condo complex. In fact, not 10 minutes after the midwives made it upstairs with the tub, I had people knocking on the door wondering if I was in labor yet. I'm planning on putting a do not disturb sign on the door when the time comes.

of course, now that my house is the cleanest it has been in nearly 9 months, and the majority of my little projects are done the baby is going to wait. She'll wait until we have eaten all the groceries I have stocked up and there is a big pile of dirty dishes and laundry everywhere. and on a Monday.

I had two dreams about the baby last night. The first one I had twin girls, but we forgot to call Garrett. He arrived later in a police car.

The second dream was much more pleasant. We were watching tv and the baby decided to arrive right then so we delivered it and then called the midwives.

I would find it more alarming (in real life) to not have Garrett present rather than the midwives. If things did move that fast, then most likely everything is just fine (just think of all those stories of women having babies in cars on the way to the hospital) we have read up on Emergency childbirth, and have midwives on call to give us assistance as they rush over!

There is just so much fear surrounding childbirth in our society. I find that sad. Yes, things can go wrong. Yes, there are some pretty scary complications that can happen, but, the majority of the time things go just fine.

In fact, in reflecting on all of the "I nearly died in childbirth" stories that people are so delighted in telling to an obviously pregnant woman, I have heard only ONE that was a true complication in childbirth...one in which the placenta was separating before the baby. TRUE complication, very scary. The rest have been stories of medically caused complications, for example:
Nearly bleeding to death afterwards because she was left alone in the room for hours still actively bleeding and the nurses didn't answer her calls. (caused by the staff's inattention, in not making sure the bleeding had stopped or re-started as the case may be)
Having previously high blood pressure drop so low they had trouble stabilizing her after the epidural was administered (a rare but noted complication of an epidural)
Dying after anesthesia was administered. (due to a mistake on the part of the anesthesiologist...the person who told this story insisted this is why childbirth is still dangerous)
I have my own complications related to the drugs I chose to take the first time around and some extreme difficulty healing after a vacuum assisted birth. (which was most likely caused by my inability to push effectively in the supine position and my paranoid reaction to the drugs which kept me from squatting, and an allergic reaction to the stitching materials used to mend the tear caused by said assistance)
The thing is, actual un-interfered with natural childbirth is MUCH safer than one where there are lots of interventions and drugs. Most of modern childbirth horror stories I have heard involve at least one intervention.
Natural endorphins and oxytocin produced by your own body during labor have absolutely no negative side effects. Artificial pain medications and Oxytocin introduced into your body's system have documented possible side effects.
I am grateful for modern medicine, and will not hesitate to use it if necessary, but I honestly believe that there is not much to fear in childbirth...IF you are educated on complications and their warning signs and IF you are willing to get the help you need when you need it! so ladies, Educate yourselves, Empower yourselves, speak up for the changes you want! Medical opinion changes, for example a VBAC is now recommended by ACOG rather than a repeat c-section in most cases. make sure you are up on the latest trends, be your own advocate!

I do feel quite strongly about these things. I do not mean to offend, or belittle those who have had bad experiences, or those who are in need of close medical supervision during complex pregnancies. I am simply saying, if you are low-risk and blessed with health, don't be afraid to seek the birth you want.

housekeeping paradox

The last few weeks have been a time of frantic activity for me. I have been nesting and trying to complete all of my projects before the baby comes. Most of it is done now, and what isn't can wait a bit. I still have to re-paint part of the kitchen and touch up the boys room, but, to be honest, I am so not motivated right now.

Lat week I slowed down...waaaay down. I had a day where I pushed myself way beyond my limits, and actually thought I was in labor, a whole month early! I had to finish my chores that day while sitting down. It was a challenge, but I wanted the house cleaned up in case I did have the baby early. I gained a whole new amount of respect for my husband's grandmother, who has to do everything from her wheelchair.

I have noticed a paradox. The more I slow down and savor the moment, the more I seem to get done. I have truly enjoyed the last week, and I have also managed to keep the house at a reasonable level of cleanliness. Part of it is that I am no longer focused on all the extra projects, but I think that the satisfaction level goes up when I try to make it all a meaningful part of my day, instead of just another list to go through.
I still have a list.
At this point tho, it is just to remind me of what I wanted to do, If I get it done, great! If not, there is always tomorrow.