New Update

After having my membranes scraped Friday which was my due date

and...

After starting Evening Primrose & getting my membranes scraped again on Sunday to help thin my cervix even more

and...

After acupuncture on Monday

and...

After getting some pressure points massaged on Tuesday to induce labor

and...

After taking Black & Blue CoHosh in the pill form every 15 minutes for 4 hours yesterday

and...

After getting adjusted by the chiropractor last night

and...

After taking Black CoHosh in the liquid form every hour for 4 hours and then getting adjusted again today...

There is still no sign of labor insight so that can only mean one thing...

This little boy is just not ready to come out!

After exhausting what we, or I, feel was all efforts to induce labor naturally by tomorrow so we could still deliver at the birthing center we have now decided that if active labor doesn't start on its own by tomorrow then we are going to let things ride out for awhile.

The mid-wife we saw this past Tuesday told us we did not have to get induced by tomorrow and that we could chose to wait longer so that is plan. 

We just watched this great documentary about giving birth in America and statics show that if you are induced you have a 50% greater chance of having a c-section.  Naturally, we are very much against having a perfectly healthy baby cut from my perfectly healthy body so any form of induction, ie., breaking my water or starting Pitocin isn't for our family.  This boy just isn't ready and we are fine waiting until he is and to be honest....I am VERY tired of trying to make him come out.  I want a break.  I want to resume my normal life of cleaning house, raking leaves, picking up dog poop--not taking this pill, or drinking that, or rocking my hips this way or that way, or doing the naughty bedroom dance with my hubby. 

Call us crazy but this is what is right for our family.  

I have to check in with the mid-wives tomorrow and I expect they'll want to see me as soon as possible to check things out and make sure all is okay to continue on with the pregnancy.
 If anything changes tomorrow we will let you all know.

If you want some great reading then check out this article written by a birth doula:

World of safety nets 

Lots of Love~

One crazy mama on a mission.



Plan "F"

Well....Bug will still be my only baby boy for another night.

I saw my third mid-wife in the last five days and it seems each one has their own ideas and opinions on what the "next step" should be. 

 So starting tomorrow I'll start taking in 15 minute rotations...

Cimicifuga

 (aka Black CoHosh in the pill form)

AND

Caulophyllum

(aka Blue Cohosh in the pill form)

For 3 to 4 hours.

THEN

on Thursday I'll start taking the liquid form of Black CoHosh every 45 minutes-1 hour for 3-4 hours.

Hopefully, by doing this rotation and mixture I should go into active labor.  If nothing happens come Friday morning then we move onto Plan "G" and that plan will be decided that day. 

FOLKS....HANG ON FOR THE RIDE!

I wonder....

Tonight as I laid my baby boy down to sleep I wondered...

Is this the last night he'll be my baby boy?

still waiting

Sorry, I don't have any cute pictures to share with this posting.  The camera is packed away ready to snap pictures of this little one's birth should he EVER decide to come out!

Here's a little update...

My due date with this past Friday the 25th.  I had an appointment with the midwives that afternoon and I was told I was 4cm dilated, 60% effaced and with a contraction the mid-wife was able to feel the baby's head and my membrane sack "bulge down".  Sorry if that was a little T.M.I.  I was also informed that despite my great efforts all week this little man was still in a posterior position. 

Following that appointment I had some great contractions but as it seems with every night for the past two weeks the contractions will fade out by time I go to bed. 

Last night, the 26th, as I crawled into bed around 11:30ish the contractions didn't go away and in fact I was having them every 6-7 minutes for a good 30 minutes however they must have stopped because I woke up at 12:30 to my son yelling out for his blankie because he lost it in his bed. 

By 5:30 this morning I just felt as if something wasn't right.  Both of my hips started to hurt and I could no longer get comfortable in bed.  I decided a good hot bath should help and it did--for as long as I stayed in there. 

Long story short--after a much needed melt down (or two, or three) I decided all the discomforts I was having was my form of active labor.  You see when I was pregnant with LB (also a posterior baby) my contractions started at midnight on his due date and by 1:30am my water had broke so I knew when I was in active labor.  During my 20 hour labor at the birthing center my contractions never became close enough to allow me to dilate to the final 10th cm and by time I made the call to go to TMC for the epidural my back labor was so great I couldn't take it anymore.  It would still take 4 fours of pitocin and 2 hours of pushing before I finally gave birth to LB. 

So now maybe you can see why I feel needing my contractions to be somewhere around 5 minutes apart for an hour for me to be considered "active" in labor with my membranes intact may not apply to me.  I had considered that if we waited for my membranes to rupture for me to become "active" in my labor while I was having all this discomfort then poor daddy might be delivering this little bundle on the side of the road. 

After a little going back and forth with the birthing center they decided to have me come in just to check things out.  Much to my disappointment I hadn't made any progress since I was checked on Friday.  Good thing I already had all my melt downs that morning!  Now I just wanted a brick wall to smack my head against.

So this afternoon we headed home and I started taking Evening Primrose capsules and drinking chamomile tea to help soften the rest of my cervix and perhaps make my contractions more consistent. 

I must admit that all this going back and forth with what is considered to "false labor" has really taken its toll on me and now with the constant pain in my both of my hips I do feel like I have reached my breaking point. 

I knew to expect that a posterior baby brings a longer labor however it's just extremely frustrating to feel you've made a lot of great head way when you haven't. 

Tomorrow, Monday, we are hoping to see an acupuncturist to see if she can help flip this little boy and ease by back & hip pain and once and for all throw me into active labor. 

Keep your fingers crossed that the next time you hear from me I'll the exciting news to share that we have all been waiting for!

And then he was TWO!

Wow...I can't believe my little boy has turned two!  Where did the wee hours of the morning on Friday, February 6, 2009 go?  As I looked into my newborn son's eyes all I could see was the now.

 

Now I was finally a mother. 

Now I had the most beautiful loving baby boy to care for. 

Two years later I now wonder where the time has gone!

This past weekend we celebrated the blessing of the past two years of our lives.  The blessing of our boy....

Love Bug 

Here's the invitation I sent out.  The theme was "construction."

The Cake as designed and built by daddy.

Some of the guests....

The chef's hard at work....

(do you notice my flags hanging in the background?)

The food table.

The Tonka truck is filled with chocolate cake balls to simulate rocks.  I purchased tool cookie cutters and made a whole bunch of sugar cookies frosted with royal icing.  I tried to cut down on all of the typical party waste by using as many real plates and silverware as I could.  We also saved money by using many real life construction themed items as decorations.

Singing to the birthday boy.

Of course he was totally confused as to why we were all singing to him AND not dancing at the same time.

Aunt Kissy and Bug

This turned out to be the best picture I took of him.

We had asked guests not to bring any gifts for Bug this year.  We were still feeling the toy gluttony from Christmas.  Mommy and Daddy of course still purchased something for him...

We managed to buy this kitchen off of craigslist before Christmas.  It didn't come with any of the accessories, which was fine, because I was able to pick and choose what I wanted for him to play with and along with some help from Aunt Kissy we were able to properly stock the kitchen ourselves.  I sure hope I get my own pastry chef out of this some day.

Here are the pooped hostesses after the party. 

Like my flags?

Once everyone had left and the messes cleaned up Daddy and Bug were able to enjoy some good one on one tool bonding time.  Daddy had purchased several toy tools for Bug for his birthday. 

A man and his boy can never have too many toys tools.

And what did mommy do?

I put my feet up and relaxed. 

To conclude....

When we asked guests not to bring any gifts for Bug we asked them to instead bring an unwrapped toy we could donate to a charity in Bug's name and that is what we did today.  Bug, Grammy and I loaded up the toys (disguised of course to prevent any meltdowns) and headed to Casas De Los Ninos.

Grammy was pretty sly and handed over the toys before Bug even had a chance to notice.  What we didn't see coming was the meltdown Bug would have over leaving the stuffed purple unicorn he found in the lobby. 

Oh well, I guess no matter how hard we try we can't prevent all meltdowns.

Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated this wonderful day with us!

Lots of love~SL

So much to share

WARNING: 

This posting is going to be all over the place.  Rather then share each one of these events with you separately I figured it would be quicker for me (and quicker for you to know) if I shared all of these things with you in  one posting.

 

First Up

 The Challenge Update

  1) I managed to scrounge up a few more items for the give-away bag.  I didn't take any pictures because I was to eager to unload my collection of items from the laundry room so Bug and I dropped them off at the Goodwill yesterday.  I don't know if I met the 50 item quota but I sure as heck tried. 

 

2) I sold my road bike.

 

I purchased it 3 years ago as part of an early mid-life crises.  I took to the streets a few times but drivers are crazy and I love my brain too much.  Plus, when I gave birth to Bug I valued my life even more so I had no plans to ever take the bike back out again.  So in the spirit of "unloading" I sold the bike on Craigslist.  With the money I made I added it to the bedroom remodel.

 

3)  I completed a few more projects: 

I glued two books back together.

It took me a year and a half but I finally dropped Daddy's pants off at the dry cleaners yesterday.  Hopefully it won't take me as long to pick them up.

I sewed some buttons back on Daddy's shirt.

I sewed the collar back on Bug's shirt.

I finished the 2nd wet bag.

 

4)  I am working on a re-purposing project however I am afraid it might take me as long as it took me to take Daddy's pants to the dry cleaners.

This is an old "Spring" sign I would hang on our front door year after year.  As you can tell it is a bit faded so I am re-painting it and instead of the word "WELCOME" I am going to paint something else there.  Not sure yet what it's going to say.  Maybe something about the boys or our garden or both.  Who knows.  Once it's complete its new home will be on the grape arbor. 

 

Second Up

I have a (small) confession to make

I am addicted to craigslist. 

Yup, I love selling my crap on there but better yet I LOVE buying other peoples "crap!"

Look at these gems I picked up for $16.00-SIXTEEN DOLLARS!  I bout' fell out of my chair when I saw these at that super low price.

This new set was happily joined into our family by these beauties that I scored at an estate sale several months back.

Of course I couldn't stop there this weekend so I had to buy this dish to add to my growing vintage Pyrex set.

Isn't she gorgeous!

Third Up

My hours were cut at work this week

I am sure you all know that I work in the Real Estate field and I have for the last nine years.  Two years ago my hours were cut from 40 per week down to 20.  We had wanted that to happen when Bug was born so I could spend as much time as possible being a stay at home mom however we wanted the cut in my hours to be on our terms not because there wasn't much money to pay me.  We had always wondered how we could handle the cut in income but we've made it happen for the last two years and I would say that we have a better lifestyle now without that extra income.  We live a simple but very enjoyable life.  

My cut in hours from 20 per week to 10 yesterday didn't come entirely from out of the blue.  I knew things were slowing down.  I see what comes in and what goes out and what's nowhere to be found.  In fact, Daddy and I have talked a lot over the last few weeks about what this year may hold for us.  We had hoped that I could quit my job once Daddy's business started to look more promising this year.  To be honest we are not ready for me to take this pay cut but to be positive some hours are better then no hours so I'll gladly take what is given to me. 

Just like two years ago we weren't sure how we would do it but we've done it just fine and I'm sure we'll be just fine again once the road straightens out.  Once I stopped stressing and worrying yesterday I was able to see the good in the bleak...I will be able to spend more time with both of my boys.  That means we can do more play dates and I can worry less about real estate!

 Or I can come up with more crazy ideas like this one from today...

That leads to beautiful art like this... 

Plus with the extra time I now have I can spend some more time working on my sewing and crafting projects.  With less income this year that means gift giving will have to be a little more creative.

So far I managed to make:

 Bug's friend Payson who will be 2 this weekend his very own apron similar to the one I made Bug.

I've been working on making crayon rolls for Bug's littlest party guest at his up-coming party.

I need to finish making a few more items to complete Bug's kitchen he's getting for his birthday (shhhh1!)

Of course I can finally get Bug's baby book up-to-date before Boy #2 arrives.

Perhaps I can start on this bath rug idea I came across. 

Maybe I should give knitting a try again so I can make sweaters or scarfs for gifts. 

Or even start on Bug's quilt which leads me to.....

Bug has been upgraded to a very big "big boy" bed this week.  We needed to find a home for our full size guest bed so we decided to move it into Bug's room for him to start using.  Of course I had already purchased the material for the back of his quilt back when I wasn't planning on putting him in this bed until he was older so what I have is now too small....bummer!  On a positive note I hit up my favorite thrift store The Family Attic this week and picked up a white flat double sheet for two bucks to use as my base for making my first bed skirt for Bug's bed. 

So it seems with less of my time being committed to the crummy real estate market I'll be keeping plenty busy being a mom and crafter.  

I am off to post something for sale on craigslist. 

Have a good night! 

Lots of Love-SL

My second unborn love...my son.

I feel bad. When I was pregnant with Bug after each and every appointment with the mid-wives I would send out an email to my family and friends giving them the most recent update. I took weekly pictures of my growing belly and I would do a weekly write-up all of which I have combined into a journal.

With my 2nd pregnancy I haven't done any of that. It's not that I don't want to it just all really boils down to what I like to call "mommy brain". I experienced the absent minded mind when I was pregnant with Bug and since he's been born it's only been magnified. Now that I am pregnant again AND I have a toddler I might as well not have a brain at all. It's really quite bad and I am not exaggerating.

I really want to take the weekly photos with the weekly write-ups and email you after each and every appointment with the midwives but I just plain ol' forget....all but a few times now.

I also try to remind myself that with this pregnancy I have a toddler that I am chasing after that I obviously didn't have with the first pregnancy and I have also taken on (gladly) a new passion and hobby-SEWING. So creating new little treasures takes some additional time. However, I still have some guilt. So I thought by doing a good long blog posting all about this little love growing in my belly will ease some of my guilt and get you all up-to-date on how everything has been going.

All of you know that we had some trouble getting pregnant with Bug. In fact after exhausting most, if not all, natural remedies for infertility we went to see Dr. Hutchison at Reproductive Health Center. It was the best decision we made because not only did we get to work with a great man but our son was conceived out of the process. My husband and I decided after Bug was born not to use any hormonal forms of birth control because we feel, and it's not the opinion or advice from anyone else, that taking such birth control contributed to some of my problems.

After about month three or four after Bug was born the idea of birth control went out the door to make way for the natural family planning. We really anticipated, expected and planned to go back to Dr. Hutchison for help in conceiving number 2. We wanted the kids to be two years apart but honestly when it came time to really try for #2 I sort of backed away from the idea. I was really enjoying my time with Bug and I didn't know (yet) how I could love two babies as much I loved my one.

We were at a pool party at my sister's house the last weekend in June and my husband and sister were having the conversation on when we would try for number two. My husband had expressed a little remorse that we missed the window of opportunity to keep the kids two years apart because I wasn't really ready and my body wasn't showing any signs of being ready either. I let you decide what that means :-)

The following Friday I took two naps that day. It wasn't uncommon for me to take a nap with Bug here and there but TWO naps in one day was unheard of. The next day, Saturday, I was outside painting when I suddenly became nauseous. Once it passed I developed this intense craving for Subway's chicken noodle soup something I craved when I was pregnant with Bug. And just like that the freight train hit me.

Two naps+nauseous+craving Subway's chicken noodle soup=HOLY CRAP I'M PREGNANT.

I wasn't really convinced because I didn't think it was possible yet. I jokingly made a comment to my husband about what I was thinking and he kind of had the same feelings. We joked on and off about it throughout the day and he even asked to buy me a pregnancy test. I told him that I didn't yet want to take one because after seeing a thousand negative pregnancy tests before with Bug it leaves you with a really bad sting. So although I wasn't sure I wanted to be pregnant yet I also didn't want to experience the same disappointment if I wasn't.

However, my thoughts quickly changed and come Sunday morning, July 4th, I asked my husband to pick me up a Starbucks coffee (in case it turned out to be my last for awhile) and a pregnancy test.

Let me tell you this--I have never seen a pregnancy test turn positive so quickly in my life! At first I cried. They were tears of happiness but mostly shock. I was lost for words. As much as I suspected I was pregnant I also felt that being pregnant naturally was too good to be true. And to be honest there was some worry in there. I was worried and sad that I couldn't give this child the same kind of love I do Bug. With Bug I felt like he healed the hole I had in my heart caused by the struggles to have him so if my heart was healed how much could I give this next one. I know I may sound a little cold but this was the honest to god worries I had. I did my best to keep these feelings to myself for fear of what others would think and only my husband really knew how I felt and he was quick to tell me I was crazy and that I would love both babies the same-no matter what.

July

My first prenatal appointment was in August. I expected it to be too early in the pregnancy to hear the baby's heartbeat but as it turns out it wasn't. On the first shot there it was that peaceful sound of the precious swooshing heartbeat. I cried. I cried tears of happiness. Tears of joy. Tears that meant relief. Hearing that heartbeat was what I needed to know that I would love this baby just as much as Bug. I would get the joy of saying "my kids." The joy of telling people I had a big boy at home who had a little sibling. I get the joy of having a 2nd pregnancy and a second child all over again. I loved being pregnant with Bug, laboring with Bug, delivering Bug and now raising Bug and I was now given the blessing to do it all over again with a new precious love.

August

My husband and I are pretty sure I became pregnant on Father's Day but because I didn't have a concrete time in which I conceived the mid-wives had me go in for an ultrasound to better age the baby. According to the measurements and statistics I was given the due date of February 25th. My husband and I are still convinced that this baby will come in March. I live by the theory that when my water breaks this baby will be born sometime in the next 24 hours (I hope).

I laugh thinking back to the conversation my sister and husband were having. How he was sad we missed the mark to have the kids two years apart. If the ultrasound was right then the babies will be two years and three weeks apart. Not bad timing for two people who weren't trying nor expecting to get pregnant on our own.

September

I had a second ultrasound not along after the first just to check on the progress of this growing blessing. I told myself because we were given a boy the first time and the pressure of having that boy was removed I wanted to wait to find out who this was in me. However, upon seeing all of the adorable girl clothes I could be making I caved the day of the ultrasound and asked to see.

At the ultrasound appointment

Taken courtesy of Bug

Can you see the excitement of my face?

The ultrasound confirmed that we would be having another BOY! As much as I was wanting a little girl to make all sorts of cute tutus for I was also equally thrilled to be having another boy. I have a boy already. I know them. I know what to do with them. I feel like I am a Mom to boys and it seems someone has agreed. Although baby #2 is not even here yet I and can't stop thinking about #3. I want Daddy to get his girl. I think I need a girl. Our home will need a girl to soften my two rugged, dirty, nose picking boys. I need a girl to help me keep these boys in line, Daddy included. We could all use a little softening from a sweet little girl we will call Savannah.

With my pregnancy with Bug I really don't have any complaints. It was a pretty easy pregnancy. With this one I was more nauseous in my first trimester then what I remember having with Bug. Fortunately, I never became sick with either pregnancy. With Bug I developed one varicose vein due to the extra weight pushing on my lower extremities. With this pregnancy the varicose vein I had with Bug returned almost immediately and then a large portion of my veins on my legs and right ankle started popping but none are called "varicose", thankfully. At this point there hasn't been a whole lot to worry about just as long as I don't sit for extended period of times because that could lead to blood cots. I caved and bought a compression sock last Friday. My right ankle started to give me a little more discomfort, which was manageable, but I didn't want the problem to become worse. Buying that compression sock was the BEST thing I did. I love the relief my leg gets.

My old lady ankle before the compression sock

                                                                 My sexy sock

                                                                      October

With Bug I took a medication to control my insulin. I started taking it before I became pregnant because we had reason to believe that an elevated insulin level was to blame for my infertility. I decided to quit taking that medication after Bug was born to see what my body was able to do naturally. I also exercised and had a pretty strict diet all in order to get pregnant and keep the pregnancy. With this pregnancy I've done pretty much none of that. I tried to exercise in the beginning but it was getting to hard to get up every morning and leave the house without waking Bug.

November (I'm teasing my sister)

With this pregnancy, and with Bug, I haven't really craved much of anything. I really became a big fan of green olives this time around. Growing up I always hated them but a few years ago I decided they weren't that bad but I still never ate them the way I've been eating them now. Sugar. That is something I've been enjoying a little too much of. With being a work-at-home mom my diet consists of eating what I want when I want it and if we have it. If we don't have it then chocolate will substitute. Orange juice is also a must. I pretty much need a glass every morning to get me going and sometimes it feels like I can't get enough of it.

December (sorting beans)

At the start of this pregnancy I weighed 123lbs. As of last Friday at 34 weeks I weighed 144.2lbs. I gained a total of 20lbs with Bug and I expected to gain more weight with this one due to the lack of a proper diet and the exercise. Frankly, though since I became a mom I now feel like I a mom and that is what I need to worry about. Not wearing the latest trends in clothing, having freshly polished nails and seeing the hairdresser for a touch-up monthly. It actually took me to become a mom to feel more secure about who I am and how I look. Of course I still want to look pretty for my husband and I do but I no longer feel like I need all of the aesthetic material things to be pretty. I am pretty simple because I am mom and I made my husband a father.

With only 5.5 weeks to go and a whole lot of stuff I want to get done before this little boy arrives I certainly feel like the count down is on and he'll be here before we all know it. I am so looking forward to seeing my husband's face light up when he witnesses the birth of his son. Another boy to help carry on the last name. I am so looking forward to seeing my father's face and my father-in-law's face light up as they witness the birth of another generation. Another generation to carry on the things they'll teach him about being a boy. All of the wonderful things Bug has been able to enjoy. I am so looking forward to watching my son transform from an only child to a super proud big brother. A job I know he'll do great at because he's already been practicing with his dolls. I am so looking forward to being able to love and raise another sweet boy the way I've been raising Bug.

 Currently at 34 weeks

I'm proud and honored that I have been blessed with two sons to help make this a better place to live in.

I am blessed to be given another sweet child to make me a better person.

Another sweet child to show me how to love deeper and more passionate then what I thought was possible.

Another sweet child to fill up another hole in my heart that I didn't know I had until I heard his heartbeat.

Another sweet child to fill this house with mischievous filled giggles.

Another sweet child to sit back and watch in pure amazement knowing that he is half of me.

My torpedo belly

I can't wait to share him with all of you!

Lots of Love~SL