Last night during one of Ashley's cluster feedings I sat at the computer and skimmed all my friends' blog posts that I've missed over the last two weeks. I didn't have my glasses with me so I didn't read them all, I just took in the quantity of what had happened since I was last in blog world. It was a blatant reminder that life still goes on outside of your bubble, when life inside of your bubble comes to a screeching halt.
I also realized how much I miss blogging. A friend of mine wrote in her blog profile "I write to find my voice, share my life, and purge my brain." Those are the same reasons I love(d) to write. I could sit and write about anything and feel better - even if it was about something silly Katelynn did that day, just writing felt good and made me feel good. But the last few weeks it's seemed like such a task to do so. Granted, I've been a little busy! But somewhere along the line I started writing for an "audience" and forgot what it was to simply find my voice, share my life or purge my brain. I want to get back to that. I need to get back to that. Not sure how I'll do it with a newborn and a very attention-needy 4 year old, but I've gotta try!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
What the %#*@! just happened!!
I've got just a few minutes to get something posted here to let you all know what's been going on. I'm sorry in advance that this will be brief, a bit blunt, and not my typical storytelling-blog style. However, we feel really bad that no one really knows what's transpired over the last week and we really want to get you all filled in.
So in a (larger) nut-shell here's where we've been in the last week:
Tuesday was Ashely's due date and we were told on Monday there were some signs that she needed to be born sooner than later. We were given 1-2 days to go into labor before we'd have to have a repeat c-section so we opted for some natural "nudging" into labor with the hopes of having a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). Monday night I went into labor and we headed up to Seattle where we were planning on having Ashely. I labored fairly well for a few hours until they had a hard time tracking her heart tones and my contractions. I won't go into detail now (I want to do the story justice!) but from that moment the words and events of Ashley's birth mimicked those of Kristen. The one difference is that at when they went to do internal monitoring of her heart tones and my contractions they couldn't find her. At that same time I went into excruciating pain and was able to point to the place where I hurt so bad and they knew something was wrong. When they couldn't find her heartrate they had to do surgery to ensure she was okay. Which meant the same unlocking of the wheels and leaving Kevin and Sarah (or doula) in the room as I was rushed off to the OR - just like it was with Kristen.
It ended up that my uterus erupted (how appropriate that it "erupted" on Mt. St. Helen's Day!) and Ashely and the placenta were "born" into my abdomen. Again, I'll save the details now, but it was about 30 seconds from the time they made the first cut to when she was born since she was "right there!" There is less than a 1% chance of this ever happening in VBAC births, and apparently I pulled the short straw with that statistic. I was able to be sewn up and had very little bleeding, praise the Lord!
She was quickly put on various monitoring machines with a ventilator - which she quickly pulled out! :) And observed. The worry was that they didn't know how long she had been without her life-line and oxygen of her placenta. When they did a blood gas test on her umbilical cord (which would tell them how toxic her blood was), it wasn't looking good. Her numbers were poor which revealed possible brain damage due to the lack of oxygen. HOWEVER, when they did the same test on her body blood - her numbers were okay!! The Doc said she had no way of explaining this!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!
It was determined that she needed to have more testing to ensure her brain was okay so they opted to send her to Children's Hospital where they had the ability to do more extensive testing. I did get to see her before they took her away, since it wasn't in a rush situation.
At Children's they did a 12hr brain scan which only showed the slighted little blip. They decided to make sure that she is 110% okay so they started a 72 hour hypothermia test. This is where they lower her body temperature to about 95 degrees for 72 hours, allowing her brain and body to "reset" themselves. Think of when people have hypothermia and their bodies start to shut down - same thing - although highly controlled and it allows her to kind of recover from her traumatic birth. After the 72 hours, they will warm her up again and watch what she does - checking for seizures and seeing how she "restarts." (much like restarting your computer when it stalls and watching all the start-up programs pop up.) She was given morphine to stay comfortable and not shiver, to warm herself up. We were able to touch and talk to her, just not hold her which would transfer body heat. She has done great on this test although she doesn't like being cold! The cooling blanket she's on will fluctuate in temp and when it starts to cool you know it because she gets ticked!! :) She didn't like her electrodes on her head and kept pulling at them from all sides. She fusses when her bed is cold. She pulled her vent tube out at just hours old. They started using the word "fiesty" to describe her and I have a feeling it fits her quite well!! :)
I was able to pump some breastmilk and give it to her (it was a labor of love let me tell you!!!!) - which she devoured in a few seconds!! It was just enough to give her a taste, as she's getting nutrition through IV's. As of this morning they've upped the amount of milk she's allowed to have which is a VERY positive sign.
Everyone in the NICU just loves her and it's fun to hear fun reports of what she's doing, not just the medical stuff. :)
I feel I am totally cutting this story short, but we need to head up to Seattle and be there when she "wakes up" today. The warming started at 8am and should be complete at 2:30pm. We have a feeling we'll be meeting our baby again for the first time once she is no longer in her "hibernation" state. They are doing an MRI this afternoon - which is another MAJOR answer to prayer. Last night we were told we'd have to wait until Monday to have it done and we asked why not Friday and the doc said she'd see what she could do, but it was unlikely. We prayed on the way home that it would happened today and when I called this morning they said it was scheduled for 4pm. I just started crying and saying "thank you!!!"
They will warm her today and watch her for the next while and then it's up to the docs and Ashley as to when she goes home. We're hoping that by Saturday evening or Sunday we get to bring her home......c'mon baby girl!!
We can't say thank you enough to everyone that has been praying - without knowing any details - for us and just surrounding us with your love, words of encouragement, and prayer. I look forward to writing more on the blog and doing the story (and all of God's miracles that are happening along the way) more justice. So until then, THANK YOU!!!!
Love, The Balcom Family of FOUR!!
So in a (larger) nut-shell here's where we've been in the last week:
Tuesday was Ashely's due date and we were told on Monday there were some signs that she needed to be born sooner than later. We were given 1-2 days to go into labor before we'd have to have a repeat c-section so we opted for some natural "nudging" into labor with the hopes of having a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). Monday night I went into labor and we headed up to Seattle where we were planning on having Ashely. I labored fairly well for a few hours until they had a hard time tracking her heart tones and my contractions. I won't go into detail now (I want to do the story justice!) but from that moment the words and events of Ashley's birth mimicked those of Kristen. The one difference is that at when they went to do internal monitoring of her heart tones and my contractions they couldn't find her. At that same time I went into excruciating pain and was able to point to the place where I hurt so bad and they knew something was wrong. When they couldn't find her heartrate they had to do surgery to ensure she was okay. Which meant the same unlocking of the wheels and leaving Kevin and Sarah (or doula) in the room as I was rushed off to the OR - just like it was with Kristen.
It ended up that my uterus erupted (how appropriate that it "erupted" on Mt. St. Helen's Day!) and Ashely and the placenta were "born" into my abdomen. Again, I'll save the details now, but it was about 30 seconds from the time they made the first cut to when she was born since she was "right there!" There is less than a 1% chance of this ever happening in VBAC births, and apparently I pulled the short straw with that statistic. I was able to be sewn up and had very little bleeding, praise the Lord!
She was quickly put on various monitoring machines with a ventilator - which she quickly pulled out! :) And observed. The worry was that they didn't know how long she had been without her life-line and oxygen of her placenta. When they did a blood gas test on her umbilical cord (which would tell them how toxic her blood was), it wasn't looking good. Her numbers were poor which revealed possible brain damage due to the lack of oxygen. HOWEVER, when they did the same test on her body blood - her numbers were okay!! The Doc said she had no way of explaining this!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!
It was determined that she needed to have more testing to ensure her brain was okay so they opted to send her to Children's Hospital where they had the ability to do more extensive testing. I did get to see her before they took her away, since it wasn't in a rush situation.
At Children's they did a 12hr brain scan which only showed the slighted little blip. They decided to make sure that she is 110% okay so they started a 72 hour hypothermia test. This is where they lower her body temperature to about 95 degrees for 72 hours, allowing her brain and body to "reset" themselves. Think of when people have hypothermia and their bodies start to shut down - same thing - although highly controlled and it allows her to kind of recover from her traumatic birth. After the 72 hours, they will warm her up again and watch what she does - checking for seizures and seeing how she "restarts." (much like restarting your computer when it stalls and watching all the start-up programs pop up.) She was given morphine to stay comfortable and not shiver, to warm herself up. We were able to touch and talk to her, just not hold her which would transfer body heat. She has done great on this test although she doesn't like being cold! The cooling blanket she's on will fluctuate in temp and when it starts to cool you know it because she gets ticked!! :) She didn't like her electrodes on her head and kept pulling at them from all sides. She fusses when her bed is cold. She pulled her vent tube out at just hours old. They started using the word "fiesty" to describe her and I have a feeling it fits her quite well!! :)
I was able to pump some breastmilk and give it to her (it was a labor of love let me tell you!!!!) - which she devoured in a few seconds!! It was just enough to give her a taste, as she's getting nutrition through IV's. As of this morning they've upped the amount of milk she's allowed to have which is a VERY positive sign.
Everyone in the NICU just loves her and it's fun to hear fun reports of what she's doing, not just the medical stuff. :)
I feel I am totally cutting this story short, but we need to head up to Seattle and be there when she "wakes up" today. The warming started at 8am and should be complete at 2:30pm. We have a feeling we'll be meeting our baby again for the first time once she is no longer in her "hibernation" state. They are doing an MRI this afternoon - which is another MAJOR answer to prayer. Last night we were told we'd have to wait until Monday to have it done and we asked why not Friday and the doc said she'd see what she could do, but it was unlikely. We prayed on the way home that it would happened today and when I called this morning they said it was scheduled for 4pm. I just started crying and saying "thank you!!!"
They will warm her today and watch her for the next while and then it's up to the docs and Ashley as to when she goes home. We're hoping that by Saturday evening or Sunday we get to bring her home......c'mon baby girl!!
We can't say thank you enough to everyone that has been praying - without knowing any details - for us and just surrounding us with your love, words of encouragement, and prayer. I look forward to writing more on the blog and doing the story (and all of God's miracles that are happening along the way) more justice. So until then, THANK YOU!!!!
Love, The Balcom Family of FOUR!!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Earning My Keep
I love being on a budget. Call me crazy, but it actually gives me the freedom to spend when I have money to spend and it gives me the challenge to make my money go as far as possible. I have a friend that talks at various groups about living on a budget and shopping smart. She guessed that in ten or so years she's saved her family roughly $60K just by being smart with her money and being on a budget. So I began thinking, wouldn't it be cool to actually know how much I'm able to SAVE our family?? My budget tells me how much I have to spend, but how much have I saved!?
So when I started "getting serious about couponing" back in January, I found a tracking chart that would help me keep track of what I spent & saved. I know I am still missing a handful of receipts (they'll show up along the way!), but I've been trying to track my spending/savings since the beginning of the year, or at least mid-January. Although I'm only at about an average 70% savings, and I still see myself as an amateur, I'm pretty proud of what I've been able to do thus far. And my family isn't having to "suffer" being on a budget. I can assure you, I've NEVER had this many different kinds of name-brand cereal, razors, shaving cream, shampoo, cleaners, juices, etc, etc, available to us! And for pennies. If not free!! :)
There was actually a friendly challenge this week on one of the bargain blogs I follow to see how far you could make $20 go in one week. Well, I made a few mistakes along the way, but I was able to get $141.64 worth of items at Walgreens for right about $16. Then I also got 12 cases of water at Albertson's for $13.88 - saving $46 - and being able to donate some of it to our MOPS garage/bake sale.
So although I'm "just a stay-at-home mom" I like to think (and know!!) that I'm earning my keep with what I've done so far this year. And if the proof is in the pudding, then here's the pudding - with whipped cream!! (which would have been on sale of course!) :)
Total since Mid-January 2010 to Mid-May 2010:
$613.83 Total Spent since mid-January (groceries, toiletries, diapers, household items, etc.)
Granted I probably should add the disclaimer that I don't include my Costco runs or Summit Trading Co. to my tracking sheet simply because I don't necessarily get good deals there, I just get what I need. So I supposed I'd have to add Pull-Ups, some TP & Paper towels, and random bags of produce here and there. But all in all, I still think my numbers are pretty good!!
So when I started "getting serious about couponing" back in January, I found a tracking chart that would help me keep track of what I spent & saved. I know I am still missing a handful of receipts (they'll show up along the way!), but I've been trying to track my spending/savings since the beginning of the year, or at least mid-January. Although I'm only at about an average 70% savings, and I still see myself as an amateur, I'm pretty proud of what I've been able to do thus far. And my family isn't having to "suffer" being on a budget. I can assure you, I've NEVER had this many different kinds of name-brand cereal, razors, shaving cream, shampoo, cleaners, juices, etc, etc, available to us! And for pennies. If not free!! :)
There was actually a friendly challenge this week on one of the bargain blogs I follow to see how far you could make $20 go in one week. Well, I made a few mistakes along the way, but I was able to get $141.64 worth of items at Walgreens for right about $16. Then I also got 12 cases of water at Albertson's for $13.88 - saving $46 - and being able to donate some of it to our MOPS garage/bake sale.
So although I'm "just a stay-at-home mom" I like to think (and know!!) that I'm earning my keep with what I've done so far this year. And if the proof is in the pudding, then here's the pudding - with whipped cream!! (which would have been on sale of course!) :)
Total since Mid-January 2010 to Mid-May 2010:
$613.83 Total Spent since mid-January (groceries, toiletries, diapers, household items, etc.)
$1,062.59 Coupon Savings (yes, those glossy inserts from your Sunday paper do pay off!)
$853.60 Store Savings (pays to watch the sales, or at least the blogs that do it for you!)
$1,916.19 Total SAVINGS (how much I’ve SAVED my family in 5 months!!)
$2,530.02 SPENDING + SAVINGS (what it would have cost me right off the shelf, no sale or coupon)
71% TOTAL % SAVED
Granted I probably should add the disclaimer that I don't include my Costco runs or Summit Trading Co. to my tracking sheet simply because I don't necessarily get good deals there, I just get what I need. So I supposed I'd have to add Pull-Ups, some TP & Paper towels, and random bags of produce here and there. But all in all, I still think my numbers are pretty good!!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Week 39 and a new prayer request
Well, we've made it to 39 weeks. Technically her due date isn't until next week so she's still got time. However, the midwives are already starting to talk about possible interventions IF they're needed, IF she doesn't come on her own within the next week and a half or so. For those that don't know, my last delivery was via a cesarean section so this time around I am opting for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) because there's no medical reason to have another surgery if my body can do things naturally. The only glitch is that I can't be induced with a VBAC, it has to happen on it's own, or else we schedule the surgery. That's still a ways off, but definitely on the horizon. Normally moms are allowed to go up to two weeks passed their due dates for a normal delivery. I'm gonna be hard pressed to make it that far simply because of my history!
So although every mom wishes to not have to go passed her due date for the obvious comfort and excitement reasons, I'm asking for prayers that we don't have to worry about that for intervention reasons! If Ashley doesn't make her debut by next week sometime, we'll be offered various tests just to make sure she's okay in there and then start talking about possible interventions to help her along. I know I want her to come when she's ready, but I really hope she's ready before the doctors/midwives are!! :)
Here's the update for this week:
Your baby's waiting to greet the world! She continues to build a layer of fat to help control her body temperature after birth, but it's likely she already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of her skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
So although every mom wishes to not have to go passed her due date for the obvious comfort and excitement reasons, I'm asking for prayers that we don't have to worry about that for intervention reasons! If Ashley doesn't make her debut by next week sometime, we'll be offered various tests just to make sure she's okay in there and then start talking about possible interventions to help her along. I know I want her to come when she's ready, but I really hope she's ready before the doctors/midwives are!! :)
Here's the update for this week:
Your baby's waiting to greet the world! She continues to build a layer of fat to help control her body temperature after birth, but it's likely she already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of her skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
More Crazy Shopping
Okay so this is actually two trips to the store. One for the non-fridge stuff while out with Katelynn, and then one after dinner by myself to get the rest. And I even made a trip to Fred Meyer in between too, but that's a different post as it was just for freezer jam ingredients! (awesome sale going on!)
So here's the rundown:
My total out of pocket was a little higher than normal: $52.64. However, that includes the crazy 17lb watermelon @ $.59/lb- it better be good!! ( for $10) and 5lbs of the half-price bacon (for $10). I also walked away with $17 in credit for my next purchase that I was going to use on these items but they wouldn't scan. They told me they weren't usable until the next day although one did work...oh well! I'll use them on the super cheap water I got rain checks for!
So out of pocket $52.64 - $17 in credit = $35.64
Total savings (including the credit) $121.82...not bad!!
So aside from the watermelon and the bacon, I got the REST OF IT for only $15!!!
So what did I get?: (other than the crazy watermelon and the bacon) :)
4 Cheez-Its @ $.50 each
Danonino Yogurt $.19
2 Dole Sensations FREE
Ortega Chiles $.38 each
Nestle Drumsticks $0.50
Nestle Mini Drumsticks $2.00 (pregnancy splurge!)
2 Tyson 100% Natural Breaded Chicken $2.99 each
Pepperidge Farm Cookies FREE (forgot to put in photo, they were the snack/reward for the day!)
Mission Tortillas $.04 (yes, 4 pennies!)
4 Del Monte Fruit Chillers $.99 each
Whole Wheat Tortillas $? These didn’t come out right and I’m just now noticing it!
12 Kellogg’s Cereals $1.50 each but this is how I got the $21 in credit so technically I was paid $.25 for each box!!
And to top it all off, as I walked out of the store there was a Proctor & Gamble Sunday coupon book/insert lying on the ground! More free money!!
Thanks to the ladies at the following blogs/websites - without your help, there'd be no way I could do this on my own! You put all the work into it and I just have to follow your lead! You tell me what coupons to get from where and how to match them up at the store with their sales. Thanks!
http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/
http://www.couponconnectionsnw.com/
http://www.thriftynorthwestmom.com/
So here's the rundown:
My total out of pocket was a little higher than normal: $52.64. However, that includes the crazy 17lb watermelon @ $.59/lb- it better be good!! ( for $10) and 5lbs of the half-price bacon (for $10). I also walked away with $17 in credit for my next purchase that I was going to use on these items but they wouldn't scan. They told me they weren't usable until the next day although one did work...oh well! I'll use them on the super cheap water I got rain checks for!
So out of pocket $52.64 - $17 in credit = $35.64
Total savings (including the credit) $121.82...not bad!!
So aside from the watermelon and the bacon, I got the REST OF IT for only $15!!!
So what did I get?: (other than the crazy watermelon and the bacon) :)
4 Cheez-Its @ $.50 each
Danonino Yogurt $.19
2 Dole Sensations FREE
Ortega Chiles $.38 each
Nestle Drumsticks $0.50
Nestle Mini Drumsticks $2.00 (pregnancy splurge!)
2 Tyson 100% Natural Breaded Chicken $2.99 each
Pepperidge Farm Cookies FREE (forgot to put in photo, they were the snack/reward for the day!)
Mission Tortillas $.04 (yes, 4 pennies!)
4 Del Monte Fruit Chillers $.99 each
Whole Wheat Tortillas $? These didn’t come out right and I’m just now noticing it!
12 Kellogg’s Cereals $1.50 each but this is how I got the $21 in credit so technically I was paid $.25 for each box!!
And to top it all off, as I walked out of the store there was a Proctor & Gamble Sunday coupon book/insert lying on the ground! More free money!!
Thanks to the ladies at the following blogs/websites - without your help, there'd be no way I could do this on my own! You put all the work into it and I just have to follow your lead! You tell me what coupons to get from where and how to match them up at the store with their sales. Thanks!
http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/
http://www.couponconnectionsnw.com/
http://www.thriftynorthwestmom.com/
The gift that keeps on giving
Thanks Mom & Dad for the gift that keeps on giving!! (and thanks Kevin for not making me give/throw it away over all these years of no-use!) :)
Spider Sandwiches
Not sure what Katelynn's fascination with spiders is, but she talks about them all the time. She has even asked for a spider themed 5th birthday (next February!) and so far I think I've got her more interested in a lady bug birthday. We'll see!!
So today when I asked her what kind of sandwich she wanted for lunch she jokingly said she wanted spider sandwiches. I had enough energy and wit today to oblige. :) When I told her that her spider sandwich was ready she looked at me a little confused and asked if they were real spiders. I said "come see for yourself!" I had used peanut butter chips (couldn't find the normal size chocolate ones, only minis) and chocolate sprinkles for the legs. Once she saw them on the peanut butter side of her sandwich she of course asked is she could put them on the jelly side too!
So today when I asked her what kind of sandwich she wanted for lunch she jokingly said she wanted spider sandwiches. I had enough energy and wit today to oblige. :) When I told her that her spider sandwich was ready she looked at me a little confused and asked if they were real spiders. I said "come see for yourself!" I had used peanut butter chips (couldn't find the normal size chocolate ones, only minis) and chocolate sprinkles for the legs. Once she saw them on the peanut butter side of her sandwich she of course asked is she could put them on the jelly side too!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Baby Ashley's Registry (per request!)
I've gotten a few e-mails/questions about this recently and so I figured I'd go ahead and post it.
If you had asked me 8 or even 5 months ago if we were going to have a shower for Ashely the answer was no. I was okay with the idea of having an open house type "shower" after she was born, but there was still fear lurking in the shadows of the "what if's" and I wasn't ready to face it. I had a friend that kept offering to host one, and was really excited to, but also understood that I may not be up for it. In the post I wrote about "Rubble" (part 1 and part 2) I explained why I was hesitant and what God did (and is still doing) in my heart and why I was going to move forward anyway.
It still took me almost a month or two to accept my friend's offer to throw us a shower. She was thrilled that I finally accepted because she had been praying that I would, but didn't want to bug me about it too much! She and her daughter have been working on it and it's been such a blessing to me to know they're so excited to do this for us. It would have been easy to be held back with fear but not them and they're bringing me with them!! God bless them! It's going to be with a small group of ladies that have been walking with me through this crazy journey and of course Big Sister Katelynn will be there. Which it ultimately came down to allowing her to be part of the celebration and preparation for this new family member and not trying to shield her from the "what if's". (mentioned in the blogs) But with a shower comes requests for a registry....
So to answer the questions, yes, we are "registered" for Baby Ashely, but not in your typical fashion. We found a site that offers an Alternative Gift Registry. We were able to create our own list of likes and desires aside from the typical stuff you'd find in a store. Things like meals, babysitting, house cleaning, among a few other things. So for all those that were/are curious, there you go!! :)
Taken from the registry:
If you had asked me 8 or even 5 months ago if we were going to have a shower for Ashely the answer was no. I was okay with the idea of having an open house type "shower" after she was born, but there was still fear lurking in the shadows of the "what if's" and I wasn't ready to face it. I had a friend that kept offering to host one, and was really excited to, but also understood that I may not be up for it. In the post I wrote about "Rubble" (part 1 and part 2) I explained why I was hesitant and what God did (and is still doing) in my heart and why I was going to move forward anyway.
It still took me almost a month or two to accept my friend's offer to throw us a shower. She was thrilled that I finally accepted because she had been praying that I would, but didn't want to bug me about it too much! She and her daughter have been working on it and it's been such a blessing to me to know they're so excited to do this for us. It would have been easy to be held back with fear but not them and they're bringing me with them!! God bless them! It's going to be with a small group of ladies that have been walking with me through this crazy journey and of course Big Sister Katelynn will be there. Which it ultimately came down to allowing her to be part of the celebration and preparation for this new family member and not trying to shield her from the "what if's". (mentioned in the blogs) But with a shower comes requests for a registry....
So to answer the questions, yes, we are "registered" for Baby Ashely, but not in your typical fashion. We found a site that offers an Alternative Gift Registry. We were able to create our own list of likes and desires aside from the typical stuff you'd find in a store. Things like meals, babysitting, house cleaning, among a few other things. So for all those that were/are curious, there you go!! :)
Taken from the registry:
Considering this is our third baby, we aren't in need of all those fun "first-time parents gotta have it" kinds of things.:) Although we know many of you want to still celebrate and shower Baby Ashley. (Thank you!)
We found this site as a way to mention some of the things we'd like that aren't available at your typical store. The items listed are just ideas. We know you all love our family and you are all so wonderful for showing us in your own ways! Thank you!
The Baby Door
I was sharing with our doula about Katelynn's various questions regarding pregnancy, labor and delivery. We've shown her a few YouTube videos (tasteful and educational ones, don't worry!) so she's aware that Ashley won't be coming out of the same place that Kristen did. She thought it was pretty crazy that the babies came out of the mommy's bottoms and that there was blood. It didn't bother her, it was more of an interesting fact to her!
Then our doula shared with us how she shared with her 2 kids when she was pregnant with her 3rd. The youngest, her daughter, was the same age Katelynn is now and she explained to them that God gave everyone potty doors in their bottoms but that He gives mommies special baby doors that the baby comes out of. I LOVED THIS IDEA! So I shared it with Katelynn and she totally caught on. For each thing I'd explain she'd look right at daddy and tell him the exact same thing. I wanted to have an explanation that was accurate but appropriate for her age. Found it! :)
Then she asked about that morning's midwife appointment and why the "doctor" was looking at my bottom and out of no where came this answer "She was checking to see if the door was unlocked." Which, as hilarious as it sounds, it's kinda true! I was 1cm, 70-80% effaced and the baby was at -1 station. The door was technically unlocked and she could come any time!! :) Roll out the welcome mat!
Then she asked about that morning's midwife appointment and why the "doctor" was looking at my bottom and out of no where came this answer "She was checking to see if the door was unlocked." Which, as hilarious as it sounds, it's kinda true! I was 1cm, 70-80% effaced and the baby was at -1 station. The door was technically unlocked and she could come any time!! :) Roll out the welcome mat!
Week 38 - We Got the Green Light!
Here's the update I get each week with my comments below:
Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.
Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)
At my midwife appointment yesterday she gave us the green light for Ashley's arrival. She's at a healthy enough place right now considered full-term, that she's free to come any time between now and 41 weeks. After 41 weeks we'll start looking at our options for as natural as an induction as could be possible before we talk about a scheduled cesarean. Because I'm attempting a VBAC they won't induce, so it's pretty much up to Ashley! (and God, of course!) I did learn from Katelynn that an induced labor is not ideal - babies will come when they're ready and labor will progress (usually) more smoothly when the baby initiates it. Did you know that it's not a woman's body that starts labor, it's the baby!? Granted they have to work in tandem, but the baby will start to give off certain hormones to let the mom's body know it's ready and then they both start doing their individual jobs. Which I think is why Katelynn's labor/delivery went how it did. It was rushed (induced) and my body didn't have time to do what it needed to do. The midwife said I'm physically all set for labor to begin now, we're just waiting on Ashley! After learning my lesson with Katelynn, I'm fine waiting a few days/weeks. In the big picture, it's so worth it!
Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)
At my midwife appointment yesterday she gave us the green light for Ashley's arrival. She's at a healthy enough place right now considered full-term, that she's free to come any time between now and 41 weeks. After 41 weeks we'll start looking at our options for as natural as an induction as could be possible before we talk about a scheduled cesarean. Because I'm attempting a VBAC they won't induce, so it's pretty much up to Ashley! (and God, of course!) I did learn from Katelynn that an induced labor is not ideal - babies will come when they're ready and labor will progress (usually) more smoothly when the baby initiates it. Did you know that it's not a woman's body that starts labor, it's the baby!? Granted they have to work in tandem, but the baby will start to give off certain hormones to let the mom's body know it's ready and then they both start doing their individual jobs. Which I think is why Katelynn's labor/delivery went how it did. It was rushed (induced) and my body didn't have time to do what it needed to do. The midwife said I'm physically all set for labor to begin now, we're just waiting on Ashley! After learning my lesson with Katelynn, I'm fine waiting a few days/weeks. In the big picture, it's so worth it!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
The devil's in the details
Who would have thought simply cutting a tag off a piece of baby clothing or opening up a bag of diapers would be such a hard thing to do!? (Almost as hard as finally deciding to have a baby shower!) I highly doubt (and hope!) any first-time mom has ever had to experience this. Oh, the bliss of ignorance. And I mean that in a good way!
While Kevin worked on the patio cover today I worked on the baby center. I'd say the baby's room, but it's kind of a multi-purpose room really. It will have a twin bed, some of Katelynn's larger toys, some of our things simply for storage, and the changing table with all her immediate needs, but she'll be sleeping in either our room or Katelynn's. (I think I posted before about Katelynn not liking the idea of Ashley not sleeping in her room with her, so that helped us decide if they'd have separate rooms or not!) So the "spare room" has turned into the baby/guest/toy room. :)
We've turned an old desk that I refinished in college into a changing table and placed it in the closet - a perfect fit! (there's no doors) Then last night Kevin installed a shelving system to create the perfect baby center. So today, it was up to me to "get it ready", stocking it with diapers/wipes (which I've been stockpiling with all my crazy coupon sales!), burp rags, clothes, blankets, etc, etc.
As I "nested", I found myself faced with the decision similar to when I had to decline or accept my friend's offer to give Ashley a baby shower. You see, there are a number of things that I didn't end up doing before Kristen was born, that are normally "before baby comes home" kind of things, that I think God spared me from doing, because of what it would have meant to come home to. I didn't pre-wash all her clothes. I didn't open up all her diapers and get them all lined up on her changing table. I didn't even go out and buy nursing bras! Yes, we did set up the crib and get a few things ready, but for some reason, maybe 'cuz she was our 2nd, I didn't get all wrapped up in preparing for her homecoming. Maybe I sensed something, I'll never know, but I'll count it as a blessing. A blessing in that circumstance, but a new dilemma in this one.
So as I unpacked the "baby boxes" I came across a number of things that we kept from Kristen but that didn't necessarily have major Kristen memories attached to them. There are a few items that will forever be Kristen's and those are packed away or set aside. But there were a number of really cute outfits from her baby shower and bags of diapers that we hadn't given away because we knew we'd be able to use them in the future. So as I unpacked things, I had to decide if I was going to take the tags off of things and pre-wash them; was I going to open up the packages of diapers and get them ready for Ashley's big homecoming? Then all the "what-if's" started. What if she doesn't come home? I didn't get this prepared for Kristen and it was horrible coming home to the few things I did get ready. I can always pre-wash things when she comes home I thought....with the when quickly turning to an IF.....
That's when I'd had enough and I ripped open the bag of diapers and snipped the tags!! I'm going to go out and get her her own hamper, I'm going to unpack all the clothes and hang them up, I'm going to enjoy celebrating her at her baby shower. I won't let the devil steal my joy by hiding in the details. And I won't let my lack of ignorance rob me of my bliss!! I have a number of people in my life that you can tell don't want to get too excited about a new baby. They have reservations when they ask how my appointments are going, have I had any new tests, is everything okay with the baby, etc. Even though I have explained that this pregnancy is just as normal as Katelynn's you can tell they don't want to (or maybe just won't) believe it until they meet Ashley. Makes me wonder sometimes if I'll have to prove that I'm capable of "producing a healthy baby" before the fears can be subsided. Sure I have fears too, but Ashley shouldn't be shadowed by them!
Which is why I love meeting people that have no idea about Kristen! I used to wish more people knew about her, but now I love talking to those that don't because of the excitement people tend to have around a pregnant woman. The look of joyful anticipation is refreshing. They want to know if it's my first, if its a boy or a girl, not if it's healthy, as if there'd be any reason to think otherwise. They want to know when the due date is and how I've been feeling, not when the next test is going to be and what the doctors are saying.
So I guess until I have a screaming little newborn in my arms, I'll keep looking forward and know that my hope comes not from my "positive thinking" which will always fail me, but from a God that will not disappoint. My hope has been deferred and I can't wait until it is redeemed!!
Now off to pre-wash some baby clothes! :)
While Kevin worked on the patio cover today I worked on the baby center. I'd say the baby's room, but it's kind of a multi-purpose room really. It will have a twin bed, some of Katelynn's larger toys, some of our things simply for storage, and the changing table with all her immediate needs, but she'll be sleeping in either our room or Katelynn's. (I think I posted before about Katelynn not liking the idea of Ashley not sleeping in her room with her, so that helped us decide if they'd have separate rooms or not!) So the "spare room" has turned into the baby/guest/toy room. :)
We've turned an old desk that I refinished in college into a changing table and placed it in the closet - a perfect fit! (there's no doors) Then last night Kevin installed a shelving system to create the perfect baby center. So today, it was up to me to "get it ready", stocking it with diapers/wipes (which I've been stockpiling with all my crazy coupon sales!), burp rags, clothes, blankets, etc, etc.
As I "nested", I found myself faced with the decision similar to when I had to decline or accept my friend's offer to give Ashley a baby shower. You see, there are a number of things that I didn't end up doing before Kristen was born, that are normally "before baby comes home" kind of things, that I think God spared me from doing, because of what it would have meant to come home to. I didn't pre-wash all her clothes. I didn't open up all her diapers and get them all lined up on her changing table. I didn't even go out and buy nursing bras! Yes, we did set up the crib and get a few things ready, but for some reason, maybe 'cuz she was our 2nd, I didn't get all wrapped up in preparing for her homecoming. Maybe I sensed something, I'll never know, but I'll count it as a blessing. A blessing in that circumstance, but a new dilemma in this one.
So as I unpacked the "baby boxes" I came across a number of things that we kept from Kristen but that didn't necessarily have major Kristen memories attached to them. There are a few items that will forever be Kristen's and those are packed away or set aside. But there were a number of really cute outfits from her baby shower and bags of diapers that we hadn't given away because we knew we'd be able to use them in the future. So as I unpacked things, I had to decide if I was going to take the tags off of things and pre-wash them; was I going to open up the packages of diapers and get them ready for Ashley's big homecoming? Then all the "what-if's" started. What if she doesn't come home? I didn't get this prepared for Kristen and it was horrible coming home to the few things I did get ready. I can always pre-wash things when she comes home I thought....with the when quickly turning to an IF.....
That's when I'd had enough and I ripped open the bag of diapers and snipped the tags!! I'm going to go out and get her her own hamper, I'm going to unpack all the clothes and hang them up, I'm going to enjoy celebrating her at her baby shower. I won't let the devil steal my joy by hiding in the details. And I won't let my lack of ignorance rob me of my bliss!! I have a number of people in my life that you can tell don't want to get too excited about a new baby. They have reservations when they ask how my appointments are going, have I had any new tests, is everything okay with the baby, etc. Even though I have explained that this pregnancy is just as normal as Katelynn's you can tell they don't want to (or maybe just won't) believe it until they meet Ashley. Makes me wonder sometimes if I'll have to prove that I'm capable of "producing a healthy baby" before the fears can be subsided. Sure I have fears too, but Ashley shouldn't be shadowed by them!
Which is why I love meeting people that have no idea about Kristen! I used to wish more people knew about her, but now I love talking to those that don't because of the excitement people tend to have around a pregnant woman. The look of joyful anticipation is refreshing. They want to know if it's my first, if its a boy or a girl, not if it's healthy, as if there'd be any reason to think otherwise. They want to know when the due date is and how I've been feeling, not when the next test is going to be and what the doctors are saying.
So I guess until I have a screaming little newborn in my arms, I'll keep looking forward and know that my hope comes not from my "positive thinking" which will always fail me, but from a God that will not disappoint. My hope has been deferred and I can't wait until it is redeemed!!
Now off to pre-wash some baby clothes! :)
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