Unreal.
It's Christmas Eve - December 24, 2007 - and I think I've hit a place in my adult life where the days are really going by faster than I could have ever imagined as a child or young adult. The days will only fly by even faster once the baby arrives. I guess knowing what I've come to know now, I will try to be very conscious of embracing the time and try to be more thankful every day I am blessed enough to be here. If only I knew then what I know now...
Kerri and I spent the last couple of days at John & Bev's home in Roberts, WI with Kerri's parents, siblings and their spouses, and our niece Charlie. It was a great time, as it always is, just hanging out. John & Bev have really made their new home feel comfortable. It seems as if they've been there for a long time. Lots of food, drink, desserts, laughs, not laughing (Ernest), games (I beat Danny & Miah at Monopoly - that's two in a row; I lost at Yahtzee like always). Did I mention dessert - man, I love date squares!
Snow and wind through the midwest made a 40 mile drive between Roberts and Minneapolis a pretty hairy situation. We made it home with Broadway Pizza in tow and spent another evening with Danny, Aymee, and Charlie. More fun...
After some shoveling of fresh snow and a few errands today, Kerri & I will head to Monticello for a little of bit of Christmas day cheer. I look forward to spending some quality time with my family, too! More information to come later.
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Let's hope it's a good one...
December 25, 2007
December 21, 2007
The Business of Being Born...
Take a look at the trailer for this new documentary coming out...
http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/index.htm
We're going to see it on January 24th (as long as I'm not in the hospital) and I'll post more about the movie then, but just based on the trailer, it seems like it will be VERY powerful! I can't wait to see it!
Also, if you're interested in reading something along the same lines, check out this book, which is fantastic!
http://www.amazon.com/Pushed-Painful-Childbirth-Modern-Maternity/dp/0738210730/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198274689&sr=8-1
http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/index.htm
We're going to see it on January 24th (as long as I'm not in the hospital) and I'll post more about the movie then, but just based on the trailer, it seems like it will be VERY powerful! I can't wait to see it!
Also, if you're interested in reading something along the same lines, check out this book, which is fantastic!
http://www.amazon.com/Pushed-Painful-Childbirth-Modern-Maternity/dp/0738210730/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198274689&sr=8-1
Christmas Greetings
This Christmas, we're not doing any major gift exchanges which is a relief and a blessing for many reasons. First and foremost, we've been so busy with other things (baby-related) that we haven't really had the time to go shopping. Second, we really do want to reduce our "consumerism" and eliminating presents at Christmas time is a great way to do so. There's a big difference between buying something for someone because they NEED it and purchasing Christmas presents because they're just a routine part of the holidays. Half the time, we don't know what to buy anyway and we just end up picking something that maybe isn't wanted or won't get used. Now don't get me wrong - I'm no grinch - any other year I've participated in this tradition just like everyone else and loved it. And we have exchanged some gifts this year in a MUCH smaller capacity than normal. My hope is that this year, we'll change the WAY we give gifts at Christmas and make a tiny difference, if only just in our household...
So rather than focusing on gifts this year, I want to focus on spending quality time with family and friends and be 100% grateful for all the fabulous things, both material and non-material, that I already have in my life. I have the poem, Desiderata, up in my cube at work and whenever I feel particularly crabby, sad or ungrateful, I like to read it to remind myself of what's truly important. So here it is in it's entirely - my non-material Christmas present to you.
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.
So rather than focusing on gifts this year, I want to focus on spending quality time with family and friends and be 100% grateful for all the fabulous things, both material and non-material, that I already have in my life. I have the poem, Desiderata, up in my cube at work and whenever I feel particularly crabby, sad or ungrateful, I like to read it to remind myself of what's truly important. So here it is in it's entirely - my non-material Christmas present to you.
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.
December 19, 2007
We still have some time...
I'm not dilated and the baby hasn't dropped yet...whew! Our midwife thought baby would come maybe in the next 2-3 weeks. It's great news!!!! Now we have a bit more time to finish our "To Do" list...
December 18, 2007
Baby time???
Last night, I had bloody show and lost my mucus plug (it's actually a bit of a continual process). I was also nauseous this morning and thought I may have had a real (not Braxton-Hicks) contraction this afternoon - it hurt a teeny, tiny bit. But it was all by it's lonesome self and nothing more has happened. I have my 35th week appointment tomorrow morning so we'll see what they say.
Baby may be arriving earlier than expected....a couple more weeks or one week, at least, would be better. I'll keep you posted!
Baby may be arriving earlier than expected....a couple more weeks or one week, at least, would be better. I'll keep you posted!
December 12, 2007
Less than 6 weeks...
It's 10:00 clock on Wednesday night, December 12th and I'm....very, very, very crabby. Hormones, maybe? My stomach is HUGE - I can't take a picture of it tonight because our extremely stupid, idiotic camera which eats batteries faster than we can replace them is dead again. But trust me, it's huge. At about 35 weeks, it's far bigger than week 31 (see below) and I'm a little uncomfortable. I know that it's far bigger because my button down shirts no longer button. I feel decent most of time except at night when sleeping is really difficult.
Actually, I take it back - just let me rant a little bit... My hips hurt and my back feels like someone has been pounding on it with a sledgehammer. I can't breathe very well or bend over easily and I'm constantly scared of peeing my pants. My feet hurt and I have lots of pimples that I've never had before (everywhere). My previously smooth stomach has numerous red, red stretch marks and I walk like a duck. I'm tired now almost all the time, which is interesting since I can't sleep for more than an hour at a time. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, in less than six weeks I get to push a watermelon out my hoo hoo (which I still on plan on doing unmedicated except for my body's normal birth hormones which I'm trusting to pull me through. Come on, oxytocin!). Ok, I'm done. Thank you for your patience and understanding - I feel a little better, now.
Our baby shower was this past Sunday and we had a great turnout. I would say there were about 50 people here. It was a little bit of a madhouse but it was fantastic to see everyone. I hope that it wasn't too crazy for everyone who came...we felt bad that we didn't get to spend more time catching up with people. If we missed you, we're very sorry! We were a little overwhelmed by everything and very grateful for all the wonderful gifts we received. The best gift of the day was being reminded of how much we love all our friends & family and they love us! A special "Thank you!!" goes out to my mom, Tammy (J's sister) and Jen Kinneman for planning and organizing the shower. You guys did a ton of work and we couldn't ever thank you enough!! I didn't get any shower pictures on my camera, but I'm hoping that my sister-in-law, Aymee, did and if so I'll post them later. We probably look a bit like deer in the headlights, anyway.
The nursery is coming along. We only have a few things left to do before it's finished. The changing table, which was my great-grandmother's dresser, needs to be painted and we need to hang pictures, a closet organizer and some other little, miscellaneous things. Here are pictures of the nursery as it is today. My friend Jen, from Seattle, sewed all the crib bedding, the quilt, pillows and curtains as well as the lamp shade. She did an amazing job and we absolutely love how everything turned out! Thank you, Jen! :)
We also redid the spare bathroom for the baby - not that they'll care for the first year or so, but I wanted to do it. We stuck with the same color theme and hung some nursery rhyme inspired pictures on the walls. It's simple but cute.
Other than that, we're still attending some birth classes. Tonight we went to one entitled, "Riding the Natural Wave of Birth" which focused on birth hormones and the physiologic process of a natural, unmedicated birth. It was fantastic and really enforced our desire to birth naturally. I'm still taking yoga when I can and working at Blooma. Jason's keeping busy with work and school and is on his third class already - Research Methodology - sounds like loads of fun, doesn't it? I'll have about 2 weeks starting on December 21st so I'm REALLY looking forward to that. I plan on sleeping excessive amounts, if I can.
If we don't have the opportunity to talk to you before the holidays, we hope you have a fantastic Christmas and New Year! We wish you peace, love, joy and any other good things which you may need in your life at this time!
Actually, I take it back - just let me rant a little bit... My hips hurt and my back feels like someone has been pounding on it with a sledgehammer. I can't breathe very well or bend over easily and I'm constantly scared of peeing my pants. My feet hurt and I have lots of pimples that I've never had before (everywhere). My previously smooth stomach has numerous red, red stretch marks and I walk like a duck. I'm tired now almost all the time, which is interesting since I can't sleep for more than an hour at a time. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, in less than six weeks I get to push a watermelon out my hoo hoo (which I still on plan on doing unmedicated except for my body's normal birth hormones which I'm trusting to pull me through. Come on, oxytocin!). Ok, I'm done. Thank you for your patience and understanding - I feel a little better, now.Our baby shower was this past Sunday and we had a great turnout. I would say there were about 50 people here. It was a little bit of a madhouse but it was fantastic to see everyone. I hope that it wasn't too crazy for everyone who came...we felt bad that we didn't get to spend more time catching up with people. If we missed you, we're very sorry! We were a little overwhelmed by everything and very grateful for all the wonderful gifts we received. The best gift of the day was being reminded of how much we love all our friends & family and they love us! A special "Thank you!!" goes out to my mom, Tammy (J's sister) and Jen Kinneman for planning and organizing the shower. You guys did a ton of work and we couldn't ever thank you enough!! I didn't get any shower pictures on my camera, but I'm hoping that my sister-in-law, Aymee, did and if so I'll post them later. We probably look a bit like deer in the headlights, anyway.
The nursery is coming along. We only have a few things left to do before it's finished. The changing table, which was my great-grandmother's dresser, needs to be painted and we need to hang pictures, a closet organizer and some other little, miscellaneous things. Here are pictures of the nursery as it is today. My friend Jen, from Seattle, sewed all the crib bedding, the quilt, pillows and curtains as well as the lamp shade. She did an amazing job and we absolutely love how everything turned out! Thank you, Jen! :)
We also redid the spare bathroom for the baby - not that they'll care for the first year or so, but I wanted to do it. We stuck with the same color theme and hung some nursery rhyme inspired pictures on the walls. It's simple but cute.
Other than that, we're still attending some birth classes. Tonight we went to one entitled, "Riding the Natural Wave of Birth" which focused on birth hormones and the physiologic process of a natural, unmedicated birth. It was fantastic and really enforced our desire to birth naturally. I'm still taking yoga when I can and working at Blooma. Jason's keeping busy with work and school and is on his third class already - Research Methodology - sounds like loads of fun, doesn't it? I'll have about 2 weeks starting on December 21st so I'm REALLY looking forward to that. I plan on sleeping excessive amounts, if I can.
If we don't have the opportunity to talk to you before the holidays, we hope you have a fantastic Christmas and New Year! We wish you peace, love, joy and any other good things which you may need in your life at this time!
November 27, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
Since it was just Thanksgiving, I'd first like to say that we have so much to be thankful for!! We both have good jobs, we have a nice house with enough space, a truly happy marriage, a healthy baby on the way, good friendships that enrich our lives, great families and so much more that we couldn't ever mention it all. We are truly blessed!
So a month has passed and we're four weeks closer to baby - just about 8 weeks to go... Now that the holidays are here, time is absolutely flying and I'm just hoping and praying that we'll be ready when baby is! We need to finish the nursery which involves painting a bookshelf and the changing table, installing a closet system and accessorizing the room (which is what I'm most looking forward to!). We have 2 baby showers coming up on December 9th and December 13th - maybe that will help with the accessorizing?
My parents have officially moved out and are in their new home. It's a big change and our house feels a little quiet and empty but that will change soon enough. Their new house is great and lots of remodeling has been completed - we've tried to help them out whenever possible over the last month, but time has been something we haven't had a lot of. We had to buy a new couch and completely reorganize our house after they left - we had really been taking advantage of their nice furniture! :)
We had our last birthing class on Monday night and I'm a little sad they're done - we really loved everyone in the class with us and I'd love to continue seeing them once a week. The classes were great and we feel both that we're much more prepared than we would have been without them. I'm still doing yoga at least once a week and I've started working at Blooma on Thursday nights, also. We'll continue to attend Childbirth Collective meetings until January and I'm hoping to make it to some La Leche League meetings, also.
School is keeping Jason very busy but he's doing great and really getting into the swing of things. I feel like I'm bragging about my kid, "He got an A on his last paper! Isn't that great?" :)
I came down with a very nasty bug on the Monday before Thanksgiving. I won't gross you out with the details, but it was pretty horrible and the worst part of it lasted about 2 days. I was extremely dehydrated and my midwife wanted to put me on an IV but they agreed to let me drink my fluids instead. I would say it took another 2-3 days before I was rehydrated. Baby Rumphead was fine the whole time and just kept taking whatever she needed, which I was very thankful for. I'm hoping that will be my last illness of this pregnancy! I got a flu shot, so I better not get the flu! (fingers crossed)
My aunt and uncle (Barb & Jake) came down for a visit last week and it was great to see them. Also over the weekend, we got a call that Chad (my cousin Elisa's husband) and two of his friends had hit a deer in Wisconsin while driving back to Ontario from a week long hunting trip. Their truck wasn't drivable and they were stuck in Spooner, Wisconsin. My mom drove out there to pick them up and we transported them to the Minneapolis airport, where they had rented a car to get back home. Although it was under yucky circumstances, it was nice to see Chad and catch up a bit!
I think that's about it for now - we have some new pictures that I'll add as soon as I get a chance. Before I go, I should mention that I REALLY feel like we're having a girl (you may have noticed I called the baby "she" earlier). I'm so very curious to find out if I'm right! I can hardly wait!!
Happy Belated Thanksgiving!
So a month has passed and we're four weeks closer to baby - just about 8 weeks to go... Now that the holidays are here, time is absolutely flying and I'm just hoping and praying that we'll be ready when baby is! We need to finish the nursery which involves painting a bookshelf and the changing table, installing a closet system and accessorizing the room (which is what I'm most looking forward to!). We have 2 baby showers coming up on December 9th and December 13th - maybe that will help with the accessorizing?
My parents have officially moved out and are in their new home. It's a big change and our house feels a little quiet and empty but that will change soon enough. Their new house is great and lots of remodeling has been completed - we've tried to help them out whenever possible over the last month, but time has been something we haven't had a lot of. We had to buy a new couch and completely reorganize our house after they left - we had really been taking advantage of their nice furniture! :)
We had our last birthing class on Monday night and I'm a little sad they're done - we really loved everyone in the class with us and I'd love to continue seeing them once a week. The classes were great and we feel both that we're much more prepared than we would have been without them. I'm still doing yoga at least once a week and I've started working at Blooma on Thursday nights, also. We'll continue to attend Childbirth Collective meetings until January and I'm hoping to make it to some La Leche League meetings, also.
School is keeping Jason very busy but he's doing great and really getting into the swing of things. I feel like I'm bragging about my kid, "He got an A on his last paper! Isn't that great?" :)
I came down with a very nasty bug on the Monday before Thanksgiving. I won't gross you out with the details, but it was pretty horrible and the worst part of it lasted about 2 days. I was extremely dehydrated and my midwife wanted to put me on an IV but they agreed to let me drink my fluids instead. I would say it took another 2-3 days before I was rehydrated. Baby Rumphead was fine the whole time and just kept taking whatever she needed, which I was very thankful for. I'm hoping that will be my last illness of this pregnancy! I got a flu shot, so I better not get the flu! (fingers crossed)
My aunt and uncle (Barb & Jake) came down for a visit last week and it was great to see them. Also over the weekend, we got a call that Chad (my cousin Elisa's husband) and two of his friends had hit a deer in Wisconsin while driving back to Ontario from a week long hunting trip. Their truck wasn't drivable and they were stuck in Spooner, Wisconsin. My mom drove out there to pick them up and we transported them to the Minneapolis airport, where they had rented a car to get back home. Although it was under yucky circumstances, it was nice to see Chad and catch up a bit!
I think that's about it for now - we have some new pictures that I'll add as soon as I get a chance. Before I go, I should mention that I REALLY feel like we're having a girl (you may have noticed I called the baby "she" earlier). I'm so very curious to find out if I'm right! I can hardly wait!!
Happy Belated Thanksgiving!
October 25, 2007
27 weeks and only 13 to go (hopefully!)
Well, I'm one week away from being officially done with the second trimester... and we'll be having a baby in approximately three months! I can't believe it. Time is flying by and I keep having this feeling that I'm not getting everything done. Get used to it, right? My stomach is getting noticeably bigger. It gets harder to do my yoga class every time.
Last Saturday, we attended the opening of my doula's yoga studio/wellness center, Blooma. I got a very cool henna on my belly which I wish would last the whole pregnancy! It's very fun to have something beautiful on your stomach when it's the size of a watermelon. Here's a picture of it:
We started our Birthing from Within classes last Monday and I think they'll be really good for us. I like the group of people who are in the class and the atmosphere is very calm and soothing. We got to practice pain management techniques using ice, which actually hurts if you hold it in your hands for a little while. Try it once!
Other than that, not too much new going on in the past few weeks. Jason's keeping up with school and he got to write his first real paper today after going to the Van Halen concert last night. Hmm, it almost feels like we're back in college.
Last weekend, Sandy & Miah and Danny & Charlie came to visit. Aymee had to work so she couldn't make it and we missed her. It was a really fun weekend. We all got to see my parents new house in Wisconsin and we got homemade waffles and white sauce for brunch on Sunday morning. Mmmmm. Danny, Jason & Miah had their usual Monopoly game, although Danny didn't win for once.
That's all for now - have a great weekend everyone!
October 8, 2007
Marathon Weekend ~ Kerri's perspective
What a busy, fun and exhausting weekend!
On Friday night, I attended a Faith and Friendship event at my good friend Jen's church in Chaska. We had a fantastic buffet, heard some great music and were treated to a fun and insightful discussion of the different types of friends and how friendship affects and enhances our faith. I had a great time and loved getting to connect more with Jen, her sister, Sara and Jen's neighbor. Thanks for the invite, Jen!
Saturday morning we got our pumpkins for carving - a dad, a mom and a baby pumpkin. How perfect! We'll post a picture of our carved pumpkins once they're done. We then had a frantic trip to the grocery store and barely made it to our seminar in the afternoon. The seminar was titled, Celebrations & Rituals During the Childbearing Years and was led by Pam England, author of the book, Birthing from Within, which is the childbirth class we'll be taking.
Here's a synopsis of the seminar from the website:
Deep in our bones we know that birth is a rite of passage. We feel that truth quicken our heartbeat; we seek ritual, we feel our feet want to dance, but we never learned the steps. This afternoon will bring joy, dance, color, tears and laughter as we look at celebrating the thresholds from conception to cronehood. Bringing our experiences, dreams and visions together, we will begin to piece together a “quilt” of ritual and ceremony in which to wrap ourselves and the next generation.
Like Jason mentioned, the environment was very soothing and womb-like. A warm, dim room with candles and incense burning and quiet music playing. I could have fallen asleep! The seminar was very good and definitely pushed us out of our comfort zone, which I appreciate. We live in such a sanitized, robotic (Western) culture devoid of true celebrations of motherhood. Expression of our deepest emotions is very rare in a group setting and tends to make us really uncomfortable. It's much easier to exist at a surface level, but not always the best way to live. As Jason mentioned, I got to participate in a ceremony which was meant to celebrate the passage into motherhood and to help me focus on what it means to me to become a mother. The ceremony involved drums, scarves, dancing, music, etc. It was at the same time very unfamiliar and very cool! I was struck with the awesome realization that the baby we are going to deliver in January will FOREVER be our child and we will be the only parents it will ever have. I know it sounds obvious but the absolute permanence of having a baby is amazing to me. It was a great experience.
Saturday night, I made supper for Jason, Tammy & Alysa which turned out great. And Sunday morning, we got up very early for the marathon. Jason and Dan (his friend and running partner) did fantastic especially considering that the day was excruciatingly hot and humid. It was about 74 degrees and 75% humidity at the start of the race and it only got warmer as the day continued. It was clear that lots of runners were struggling with the heat, but they pushed through and finished. It was a huge accomplishment for Jason and I'm very proud of him! Dan was a great running partner and supporter for Jason. Thanks Dan!
The Twin Cities Marathon is known as the most beautiful urban marathon in the US and I believe it. Here's a couple of pictures from the marathon. The first is a picture of the runners at Mile 22, just to the right of them is the Mississippi - that's the next picture. The last is a picture of the Capitol Building where the marathon ended.
Overall, we had a very busy and fulfilling weekend. I need some sleep...
On Friday night, I attended a Faith and Friendship event at my good friend Jen's church in Chaska. We had a fantastic buffet, heard some great music and were treated to a fun and insightful discussion of the different types of friends and how friendship affects and enhances our faith. I had a great time and loved getting to connect more with Jen, her sister, Sara and Jen's neighbor. Thanks for the invite, Jen!
Saturday morning we got our pumpkins for carving - a dad, a mom and a baby pumpkin. How perfect! We'll post a picture of our carved pumpkins once they're done. We then had a frantic trip to the grocery store and barely made it to our seminar in the afternoon. The seminar was titled, Celebrations & Rituals During the Childbearing Years and was led by Pam England, author of the book, Birthing from Within, which is the childbirth class we'll be taking.
Here's a synopsis of the seminar from the website:
Deep in our bones we know that birth is a rite of passage. We feel that truth quicken our heartbeat; we seek ritual, we feel our feet want to dance, but we never learned the steps. This afternoon will bring joy, dance, color, tears and laughter as we look at celebrating the thresholds from conception to cronehood. Bringing our experiences, dreams and visions together, we will begin to piece together a “quilt” of ritual and ceremony in which to wrap ourselves and the next generation.
Like Jason mentioned, the environment was very soothing and womb-like. A warm, dim room with candles and incense burning and quiet music playing. I could have fallen asleep! The seminar was very good and definitely pushed us out of our comfort zone, which I appreciate. We live in such a sanitized, robotic (Western) culture devoid of true celebrations of motherhood. Expression of our deepest emotions is very rare in a group setting and tends to make us really uncomfortable. It's much easier to exist at a surface level, but not always the best way to live. As Jason mentioned, I got to participate in a ceremony which was meant to celebrate the passage into motherhood and to help me focus on what it means to me to become a mother. The ceremony involved drums, scarves, dancing, music, etc. It was at the same time very unfamiliar and very cool! I was struck with the awesome realization that the baby we are going to deliver in January will FOREVER be our child and we will be the only parents it will ever have. I know it sounds obvious but the absolute permanence of having a baby is amazing to me. It was a great experience.
Saturday night, I made supper for Jason, Tammy & Alysa which turned out great. And Sunday morning, we got up very early for the marathon. Jason and Dan (his friend and running partner) did fantastic especially considering that the day was excruciatingly hot and humid. It was about 74 degrees and 75% humidity at the start of the race and it only got warmer as the day continued. It was clear that lots of runners were struggling with the heat, but they pushed through and finished. It was a huge accomplishment for Jason and I'm very proud of him! Dan was a great running partner and supporter for Jason. Thanks Dan!
The Twin Cities Marathon is known as the most beautiful urban marathon in the US and I believe it. Here's a couple of pictures from the marathon. The first is a picture of the runners at Mile 22, just to the right of them is the Mississippi - that's the next picture. The last is a picture of the Capitol Building where the marathon ended.
Overall, we had a very busy and fulfilling weekend. I need some sleep...
Marathon Weekend - In Review
Well, what can I say??
This last weekend was one like I have never had before, and one that I will not likely ever see again, given the combinations of activities, people, places and things. Let's start with Saturday, shall we?
It started as a very relaxed weekend. Kerri & I slept in on Saturday morning - for me that means around 8:30 a.m. & for Kerri a little later. We both got ready (read: put on clothes and baseball caps) and went to get pumpkins for carving sometime soon. It was a rather sticky and warm morning, and we both talked about how we hoped the same weather would not spill over into Sunday. We found our way home a short time after pumpkins and a Byerly's shopping trip to really get ready (read: shower) for an afternoon workshop being offered by Birthing from Within author, Pam England.
We traveled to Woodwinds Hospital in Woodbury and were greeted by a few friendly faces that we recognized - and promptly sat for the workshop. The smell of burning incense, dimmed lighting and sound of soothing music welcomed us into the conference room where the workshop would take place. The workshop was very interesting - many of the topics and activities were outside of our normal comfort zone. We listened to discussion about rediscovering rituals and took part in a couple of native rituals ourselves. We will be starting a Birthing from Within class in the coming weeks. I am really looking forward to exploring the ideas and practices that were touched on in this workshop - I'm sure we'll have more to share!
After the workshop was over (at about 4:30 p.m.) we headed home to prepare my pre-marathon meal. Not long after we got home, we were joined by my sister (Tammy) and niece (Alysa). At the time of their arrival, Kerri was frantically hustling about the kitchen tending to four things at once - eat your heart out, Rachel Ray.
The smells of garlic and fresh tomato sauce began filling the house, and before long we were all treated to a fantastic dinner. The pasta sauce was incredible - and spicy! Coupled with the bread, which had freshly roasted garlic and melted cheese, the pasta was just the carb load that I needed to power me through 26.2 miles in the morning. Take note of Kerri's last post and make this one at home, even if you're not running a marathon. The shrimp in the pasta and red pepper flakes in the sauce were a tasty flavor combination. Cheesecake and plenty of glasses of water were the perfect dessert!
Fast-forward to Sunday, 6:30 a.m. After a decent sleep, I awoke, got dressed and started to mentally prepare myself for the run of my life. My running partner, Dan, showed promptly at 7:00 a.m. and we discussed our approach to the race coming up. Kerri dropped us off at the marathon start (Metrodome) and promised to see us at mile 7 (Lyndale Rose Gardens).
I'd take you through a mile-by-mile account of the race, but that would likely feel like the 5 hour and 42 minute torture that it was. In hindsight, it could've been worse. Sure, it was one of the hottest Twin Cities Marathons on record and my training "taper" turned into a "stop", but I didn't pass out from dehydration or burst into tears from the pain. With Kerri, Tammy and Alysa cheering (and with food and water) at miles 7, 17, 20 and 26 and with the constant pushing and encouragement from Dan, I finished my first marathon.
Here I am at mile 17 (still smiling for the camera!):
And here we are at the finish line:
By and large, the marathon was the most physically grueling activity I have ever been through in my life. A day later, I am struggling to walk down stairs and rise from a seated position. But, other than a sore back and tired legs, I am feeling pretty good.
Some tips for any of you would-be marathoners:
This last weekend was one like I have never had before, and one that I will not likely ever see again, given the combinations of activities, people, places and things. Let's start with Saturday, shall we?
It started as a very relaxed weekend. Kerri & I slept in on Saturday morning - for me that means around 8:30 a.m. & for Kerri a little later. We both got ready (read: put on clothes and baseball caps) and went to get pumpkins for carving sometime soon. It was a rather sticky and warm morning, and we both talked about how we hoped the same weather would not spill over into Sunday. We found our way home a short time after pumpkins and a Byerly's shopping trip to really get ready (read: shower) for an afternoon workshop being offered by Birthing from Within author, Pam England.
We traveled to Woodwinds Hospital in Woodbury and were greeted by a few friendly faces that we recognized - and promptly sat for the workshop. The smell of burning incense, dimmed lighting and sound of soothing music welcomed us into the conference room where the workshop would take place. The workshop was very interesting - many of the topics and activities were outside of our normal comfort zone. We listened to discussion about rediscovering rituals and took part in a couple of native rituals ourselves. We will be starting a Birthing from Within class in the coming weeks. I am really looking forward to exploring the ideas and practices that were touched on in this workshop - I'm sure we'll have more to share!
After the workshop was over (at about 4:30 p.m.) we headed home to prepare my pre-marathon meal. Not long after we got home, we were joined by my sister (Tammy) and niece (Alysa). At the time of their arrival, Kerri was frantically hustling about the kitchen tending to four things at once - eat your heart out, Rachel Ray.
The smells of garlic and fresh tomato sauce began filling the house, and before long we were all treated to a fantastic dinner. The pasta sauce was incredible - and spicy! Coupled with the bread, which had freshly roasted garlic and melted cheese, the pasta was just the carb load that I needed to power me through 26.2 miles in the morning. Take note of Kerri's last post and make this one at home, even if you're not running a marathon. The shrimp in the pasta and red pepper flakes in the sauce were a tasty flavor combination. Cheesecake and plenty of glasses of water were the perfect dessert!
Fast-forward to Sunday, 6:30 a.m. After a decent sleep, I awoke, got dressed and started to mentally prepare myself for the run of my life. My running partner, Dan, showed promptly at 7:00 a.m. and we discussed our approach to the race coming up. Kerri dropped us off at the marathon start (Metrodome) and promised to see us at mile 7 (Lyndale Rose Gardens).
I'd take you through a mile-by-mile account of the race, but that would likely feel like the 5 hour and 42 minute torture that it was. In hindsight, it could've been worse. Sure, it was one of the hottest Twin Cities Marathons on record and my training "taper" turned into a "stop", but I didn't pass out from dehydration or burst into tears from the pain. With Kerri, Tammy and Alysa cheering (and with food and water) at miles 7, 17, 20 and 26 and with the constant pushing and encouragement from Dan, I finished my first marathon.
Here I am at mile 17 (still smiling for the camera!):
And here we are at the finish line:
By and large, the marathon was the most physically grueling activity I have ever been through in my life. A day later, I am struggling to walk down stairs and rise from a seated position. But, other than a sore back and tired legs, I am feeling pretty good.
Some tips for any of you would-be marathoners:
- Train properly. Don't let your taper turn into a stop. Do as many miles as you can throughout the training period.
- Hope that you are lucky enough to have a wife like Kerri to take care of you before and after the race. Thanks for the dinner, cheering, food/water, and loving at mile 17, babe. I'm glad you didn't leave - I was looking forward to a little sugar!
- Have a friend like Dan to power you through the rough spots. Dan could've finished the marathon at least an hour ahead of our recorded finish, but he stayed with me the entire time. He helped me push through. I'd like to think that I would've been able to push myself through had he not been there - but my thanks go out to him for sticking with me.
Thanks to Tammy and Alysa for coming to cheer me on through the run. I really appreciate you guys coming down to see me and help me make it through. Your words of encouragement meant a lot! I look forward to running the marathon with you in 2010, Alys. Let's start with some 5k's next summer!
Thanks to everyone else who also had my back but couldn't make it out on race day, for whatever reason. I appreciate the support you gave leading up to the race! I hope this post wasn't too long, drawn out and boring for you all to read. After all, it was my weekend to remember. And remember it, I will...
October 3, 2007
Twin Cities Marathon in 3 days!!!
In just 3 days from now, my brave, strong husband will run 26.2 miles in the Twin Cities Medtronic Marathon! It's supposed to be cool and raining all day Sunday, so please pray for dry, warm weather!! To help him out, I'm going to cook this yummy recipe for supper the night before and serve it with homemade garlic bread and cheesecake for dessert!
Marathon Fettuccine with Charred Tomato Sauce and Grilled Shrimp, Serves: 4
Charred tomatoes
8 plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Preheat broiler over high heat. Brush tomatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a sheet pan and place under the broiler until charred on all sides, turning several times with tongs. Remove, let cool slightly and coarsely chop.
Grilled Shrimp
20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
If you're not busy on Sunday morning (and you're not scared of getting wet), come join me in cheering him on - I'm sure he would appreciate the support!
Marathon Fettuccine with Charred Tomato Sauce and Grilled Shrimp, Serves: 4
Charred tomatoes
8 plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Preheat broiler over high heat. Brush tomatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a sheet pan and place under the broiler until charred on all sides, turning several times with tongs. Remove, let cool slightly and coarsely chop.
Grilled Shrimp
20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the grill to high. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with enough olive oil to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until just cooked through. Remove from grill and keep warm until ready to use.
Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, peeled, halved and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon red chile flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh basil, coarsely chopped
¾ pound fresh fettuccine, cooked al dente
Fresh basil sprigs, for garnish
- Heat the oil in a large high sided sauté pan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, two-to-three minutes. Add the garlic and chile flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the charred tomatoes and salt and pepper and cook until the tomatoes are soft and break down completely, 20-30 minutes, stir in basil. Add the cooked pasta and using tongs, stir to coat the pasta evenly.
- Divide the pasta among four large shallow bowls and top with 5 of the grilled shrimp. Garnish with basil sprigs.
If you're not busy on Sunday morning (and you're not scared of getting wet), come join me in cheering him on - I'm sure he would appreciate the support!
October 2, 2007
Natural Childbirth
Immediately upon finding out that I was pregnant, I decided that it was important to me to have as natural a pregnancy and delivery as possible, while knowing that there may be issues that are out of my control and being ready to accept whatever childbirth experience we are given. Personally, since it's my body and my baby that will be affected, I feel very strongly about being able to make choices without outside pressure from others, such as doctors, nurses, concerned friends, etc. (even though their intentions are usually good).
It's interesting to me how people react when they find out this is my choice. Some people think it's great but most people make a comment something similar this, "Oh, just you wait until you see how much it hurts - you'll want drugs for sure!" And then they tell me how horribly painful childbirth is and how I can't understand this since I've never experienced it before. While I appreciate and respect the fact that this may have been their experience, I truly resent being told that I don't have the ability to make the correct choice about my body, my baby's body and drugs, simply because I've never experienced childbirth.
During my first appointment with my physician (who is no longer my physician), she callously advised me that I would not truly want a waterbirth as the only thing I'm going to want to do during labor is lay flat on my back in bed and accept the pain relief they provide. I'd like to think that as a smart, educated, independent women, I CAN make that decision for myself - thank you very much!
In her book, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Ina May Gaskin writes:
So many horror stories circulate about birth - especially in the United States - that it can be difficult for women to believe that labor and birth can be a beneficial experience. If you have been pregnant for a while, it's probable that you've already heard some scary birth stories from friends or relatives. This is especially true if you live in the United States, where telling pregnant women gory stories has been a national pastime for at least a century. Now that birth has become a favorite subject of television dramas and situation comedies, this trend has been even
more pronounced. No one has explained the situation more succinctly than Steven King in his novella "The Breathing Method." Commenting on the fear many women have of birth, his fictional character observes, "Believe me: if you are told that some experience is going to hurt, it will hurt. Most pain is in the mind, and when a woman absorbs the idea that the act of giving birth is excruciatingly painful - when she gets this information from her mother, her sisters, her married friends, and her physician - that woman has been mentally prepared to feel great agony." King, you may not know, is the father of several children born at home. The best way I know to counter the effects of frightening stories is to hear or read empowering ones. I mean stores that change you because you read or heard them, because the teller of the story taught you something you didn't know before or helped you look at things from a different angle than you ever had before.
My beautiful doula, Sarah, has been the best in reassuring me that I am strong and I have the ability to have a baby. Now don't get me wrong... I don't believe that I can control every aspect of my labor and delivery and if something happens which requires intervention OR if I decide at some point that I do want drugs, then I'll be ok with whatever happens.
What I'm focusing on is believing that the birth of our child will be an amazing, beautiful, life changing experience (no matter how it occurs) and that I am truly strong enough to birth a baby without drugs. Millions of women, all over the world have done this and continue to do this everyday. I am choosing to trust my body and my instincts and to believe in the strength that ALL WOMEN possess, including me.
I hope that everyone who knows me, can both accept this choice and support me in this effort.
It's interesting to me how people react when they find out this is my choice. Some people think it's great but most people make a comment something similar this, "Oh, just you wait until you see how much it hurts - you'll want drugs for sure!" And then they tell me how horribly painful childbirth is and how I can't understand this since I've never experienced it before. While I appreciate and respect the fact that this may have been their experience, I truly resent being told that I don't have the ability to make the correct choice about my body, my baby's body and drugs, simply because I've never experienced childbirth.
During my first appointment with my physician (who is no longer my physician), she callously advised me that I would not truly want a waterbirth as the only thing I'm going to want to do during labor is lay flat on my back in bed and accept the pain relief they provide. I'd like to think that as a smart, educated, independent women, I CAN make that decision for myself - thank you very much!
In her book, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Ina May Gaskin writes:
So many horror stories circulate about birth - especially in the United States - that it can be difficult for women to believe that labor and birth can be a beneficial experience. If you have been pregnant for a while, it's probable that you've already heard some scary birth stories from friends or relatives. This is especially true if you live in the United States, where telling pregnant women gory stories has been a national pastime for at least a century. Now that birth has become a favorite subject of television dramas and situation comedies, this trend has been even
more pronounced. No one has explained the situation more succinctly than Steven King in his novella "The Breathing Method." Commenting on the fear many women have of birth, his fictional character observes, "Believe me: if you are told that some experience is going to hurt, it will hurt. Most pain is in the mind, and when a woman absorbs the idea that the act of giving birth is excruciatingly painful - when she gets this information from her mother, her sisters, her married friends, and her physician - that woman has been mentally prepared to feel great agony." King, you may not know, is the father of several children born at home. The best way I know to counter the effects of frightening stories is to hear or read empowering ones. I mean stores that change you because you read or heard them, because the teller of the story taught you something you didn't know before or helped you look at things from a different angle than you ever had before.
My beautiful doula, Sarah, has been the best in reassuring me that I am strong and I have the ability to have a baby. Now don't get me wrong... I don't believe that I can control every aspect of my labor and delivery and if something happens which requires intervention OR if I decide at some point that I do want drugs, then I'll be ok with whatever happens.
What I'm focusing on is believing that the birth of our child will be an amazing, beautiful, life changing experience (no matter how it occurs) and that I am truly strong enough to birth a baby without drugs. Millions of women, all over the world have done this and continue to do this everyday. I am choosing to trust my body and my instincts and to believe in the strength that ALL WOMEN possess, including me.
I hope that everyone who knows me, can both accept this choice and support me in this effort.
September 30, 2007
Rumphead's Nursery
Since we don't know what we're having (I know it's a girl, but shhh... don't tell Jason!) we had to have a gender neutral nursery. Here's a picture of the fabrics we'll be using. The theme of the nursery is a vintage Dick & Jane fabric with muted red, blue, green and yellow colors. The walls of the room are a light green and the crib is cream. The yellow and blue paint chips are what the changing table and bookshelf will be painted. All of the fabrics will be used to make a quilt, bedskirt, crib bumper, curtains and pillows (by my most awesome friend and seamstress, Jen - I love you!!)
Also, here's what I look like today - almost 24 weeks pregnant ... big mummy tummy! So yummy!
Name Game
I want to thank Kerri for taking the first step in setting up our blog and catching everyone (is that anyone?) up on the last 23 weeks. She did a fantastic job in recounting the highlights and some of the finer points of our foray into the world of parenthood.
It's funny how the little things in our every day take up so much time and thought. Take for example, this blog. Kerri started the new blog process early this week - she signed up on the google (on the internets) and we spent the longest time between the sign-up and the first blog in the 'naming' step. The naming step is something that we've gone through in the past. Kerri and I both spent a considerable amount of time trying to come up with a name for a band that I play(?) and sing in. That one ended up at 'Spinal Cracker', not 'Rubber Lucky' like someone would have chosen...
Roundabout - we've come to the name game to end all name games. We hit the baby name books pretty hard early on, spending evenings and weekends with the "what do you think about...?" conversation. Thanks (again) go out to Kerri for charging down this road. And, she came up with some pretty good names -some others, not so good...
Regardless, it's been fun thinking of names, so far. And, with 16 weeks left before our due date arrives, there is plenty of fun to be had. Kerri feels pretty strongly that she's carrying a girl, so the names that have taken the majority of conversation have been of the female persuasion. We've got a good number of boy's names, too. You'll all find out in January!!
It's funny how the little things in our every day take up so much time and thought. Take for example, this blog. Kerri started the new blog process early this week - she signed up on the google (on the internets) and we spent the longest time between the sign-up and the first blog in the 'naming' step. The naming step is something that we've gone through in the past. Kerri and I both spent a considerable amount of time trying to come up with a name for a band that I play(?) and sing in. That one ended up at 'Spinal Cracker', not 'Rubber Lucky' like someone would have chosen...
Roundabout - we've come to the name game to end all name games. We hit the baby name books pretty hard early on, spending evenings and weekends with the "what do you think about...?" conversation. Thanks (again) go out to Kerri for charging down this road. And, she came up with some pretty good names -some others, not so good...
Regardless, it's been fun thinking of names, so far. And, with 16 weeks left before our due date arrives, there is plenty of fun to be had. Kerri feels pretty strongly that she's carrying a girl, so the names that have taken the majority of conversation have been of the female persuasion. We've got a good number of boy's names, too. You'll all find out in January!!
September 27, 2007
We're online...finally!
As of today, we're officially 23 weeks pregnant! I can't express how excited we are for the arrival of our little one and it's amazing how fast the first 23 weeks have gone. Since we're more than a little late in the game in documenting our pregnancy, I'll give you a quick run down of our first five months.
May 2007 ~ Our positive pregnancy test on May 17th came as a huge surprise to me as I thought I had my period and we were in for another month of trying. Jason was in Dallas, Texas on a business trip when I found out and it took every ounce of willpower in my body not to call him immediately! But I wanted to surprise him when he came home, so I exercised this rare control over myself. I had promised Jason that me and my dad would redo our closet while he was gone. My dad was awesome and took down all our old shelves and installed the new system that we bought. I found a gender neutral baby onesie and hung it prominently in our new closet with the positive pregnancy test attached. When Jason got home, I told him there was a surprise in our closet ...he thought it was new shelving! It took him a couple of seconds to realize what the onesie meant, but he was very happy and we had a little cry together.
June 2007 ~ While the first few weeks of pregnancy were good, I got very sick at the beginning of June. For about 4 days straight, I threw up constantly and couldn't keep any food or liquid down. I wasn't able to work and was really worried about getting through the next three months in such a state. After two doctor's appointments and the threat of being hospitalized to get an IV, I finally was prescribed an anti-nausea medication which was like a miracle! The first time I took it, I felt better within an hour and was able to eat and drink like a normal person. This resulted in Jason making a frantic run to McDonalds for a cheeseburger and fries...not the best food for my growing baby but I NEEDED it! Of course, need is relative...
I've been taking the medication since although I'm down to about 1/2 a pill every 2-3 days, which is fantastic! I would really like to be off the medication completely but throwing up incessantly is not manageable when I'm at work.
Also during the first week of June, I started bleeding which was extremely scary! This resulted in several doctor's appointments in which my hormone levels were checked and our first ultrasound on June 11th to check the baby and my uterus. The ultrasound experience was amazing even though the baby was only about the size of a peanut. Jason nicknamed the baby "Rugby Rumphead" as the ultrasound tech was considerate enough to label the baby's rump and head on the pictures. On a more serious note, we were very happy that the results were normal. However, it was unsettling that they couldn't identify a reason for the bleeding, which continued until the beginning of August. I was not able to exercise this entire time, which was disappointing as I really wanted to do prenatal yoga. Regardless, we were and we continue to be very thankful that it ended up being nothing and our baby is healthy today!
As a result of these complications, we quickly learned that my doctor wasn't a good fit for us and we immediately began looking for a new care provider. As it's very important to us to have as natural a pregnancy and delivery as possible, it made sense that we would be happier with the midwifery model of care, rather than a regular ob/gyn. We found a fantastic clinic with three midwives (who we love!) and they have been absolutely amazing.
Books I read in May and June:
The Complete Organic Pregnancy, Deirdre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Ina May Gaskin
The Whole Pregnancy Handbook, Joel M. Evans, M.D., Ob/Gyn
The Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
July 2007 ~ On July 18th, we had our 2nd ultrasound. Again, it's absolutely amazing to see a baby in your body! Everything was normal and we were very reassured as I was still bleeding at this time. On July 19th, we had our first meeting with our Doula, Sarah Longacre. We hit it off immediately and I could instantly see her as the person that I would feel completely comfortable relying on during my labor. Sarah is extremely friendly and open, she's very knowledgeable and giving and I'm so excited that we have the privilege of having her at our birth! She's also my prenatal yoga instructor as an added bonus! Take a look at her website if you're interested: http://sarahthedoula.com/sarah.asp
What is a Doula?
Derived from ancient Greek, Doula originally meant "women who help other women," or "highest household servant." Today, Doulas not only provide laboring mothers with physical and emotional support, but also hands-on education that can't be found in any book. Doulas offer support to the pregnant couple prior, during and after the baby is born. A Doula mothers the mother. They assist the couple with breathing and relaxation techniques and non-medical technical labor-coping strategies.
Books I read in July:
The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, Henci Goer
Gentle Birth Choices, Barbara Harper, R.N.
August 2007 ~ August was a great month because we got to spend a week in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico with our friends, Jen & Tom and Erin & Tim. The weather was hot and perfect for spending all day, every day baking in the sun and swimming. It was very relaxing and enjoyable. One day, we took the ferry from Playa to Cozumel and rented scooters and snorkel equipment for the day. Of course, this ended up being the only rainy day of our trip but driving scooters in the pouring rain (it hurts!) is a memory we'll never forget. We had a blast and got a nice tan in the process!
Here we are, tan and happy, on 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen:
We had our third and most detailed ultrasound on August 30th. We got to see the baby scratch its head and put it's finger in its mouth and move around like crazy. It was great. We fall more in love with the baby every day, but actually seeing it makes the experience feel so much more real. The ultrasound tech could tell what the baby is...but we're waiting to find out!
Books I read in August:
Adventures in Natural Childbirth: Tales from Women on the Joys, Fears, Pleasures and Pains of Giving Birth Naturally, Pam England, CNM & MA and Janet Schwegel
Birthing From Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation, Pam England, CNM & MA and Rob Horowitz, Ph.D.
September 2007 ~ On August 31st, we drove to Canada with Danny, Aymee & Charlie to spend Labor Day weekend with our family. We spent the first night at my aunt & uncle's house. The boys all went fishing on Saturday and the girls hung out and relaxed. On Saturday night, we drove to Morden and spent the rest of the weekend visiting with everyone else. It was great to see everyone but me, Aymee and Charlie were all sick and we left our sickness there, unfortunately. Sorry to all who got sick! Thanks to Val & Larry, Barb & Jake and Ray & Pat for letting us crash at your places even though we were sick and probably not the best house guests!
Here's Charlie Bucket, (our niece and Danny & Aymee's baby girl):
I turned 29 on the 6th and I'm feeling a little old since I'm almost 30 and having a baby. I guess it's time to grow up, finally. It's weird how you start thinking about things differently when you're having a baby - I think I'm driving more carefully, which is good. Jason started school this month, also. He's going to be getting a degree in Organizational Management and Leadership from Concordia College. Very exciting!
That pretty much brings us to today, September 27th. We had a doctor's appointment today and everything was fine. The baby was as active as usual, flipping and turning all over the place, making things difficult for my midwife. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come - will the baby be like me? :) Now that we're caught up, we hope to keep this blog updated regularly, so check back soon.
Lots of love!
May 2007 ~ Our positive pregnancy test on May 17th came as a huge surprise to me as I thought I had my period and we were in for another month of trying. Jason was in Dallas, Texas on a business trip when I found out and it took every ounce of willpower in my body not to call him immediately! But I wanted to surprise him when he came home, so I exercised this rare control over myself. I had promised Jason that me and my dad would redo our closet while he was gone. My dad was awesome and took down all our old shelves and installed the new system that we bought. I found a gender neutral baby onesie and hung it prominently in our new closet with the positive pregnancy test attached. When Jason got home, I told him there was a surprise in our closet ...he thought it was new shelving! It took him a couple of seconds to realize what the onesie meant, but he was very happy and we had a little cry together.
June 2007 ~ While the first few weeks of pregnancy were good, I got very sick at the beginning of June. For about 4 days straight, I threw up constantly and couldn't keep any food or liquid down. I wasn't able to work and was really worried about getting through the next three months in such a state. After two doctor's appointments and the threat of being hospitalized to get an IV, I finally was prescribed an anti-nausea medication which was like a miracle! The first time I took it, I felt better within an hour and was able to eat and drink like a normal person. This resulted in Jason making a frantic run to McDonalds for a cheeseburger and fries...not the best food for my growing baby but I NEEDED it! Of course, need is relative...
I've been taking the medication since although I'm down to about 1/2 a pill every 2-3 days, which is fantastic! I would really like to be off the medication completely but throwing up incessantly is not manageable when I'm at work.
Also during the first week of June, I started bleeding which was extremely scary! This resulted in several doctor's appointments in which my hormone levels were checked and our first ultrasound on June 11th to check the baby and my uterus. The ultrasound experience was amazing even though the baby was only about the size of a peanut. Jason nicknamed the baby "Rugby Rumphead" as the ultrasound tech was considerate enough to label the baby's rump and head on the pictures. On a more serious note, we were very happy that the results were normal. However, it was unsettling that they couldn't identify a reason for the bleeding, which continued until the beginning of August. I was not able to exercise this entire time, which was disappointing as I really wanted to do prenatal yoga. Regardless, we were and we continue to be very thankful that it ended up being nothing and our baby is healthy today!
As a result of these complications, we quickly learned that my doctor wasn't a good fit for us and we immediately began looking for a new care provider. As it's very important to us to have as natural a pregnancy and delivery as possible, it made sense that we would be happier with the midwifery model of care, rather than a regular ob/gyn. We found a fantastic clinic with three midwives (who we love!) and they have been absolutely amazing.
Books I read in May and June:
The Complete Organic Pregnancy, Deirdre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Ina May Gaskin
The Whole Pregnancy Handbook, Joel M. Evans, M.D., Ob/Gyn
The Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
July 2007 ~ On July 18th, we had our 2nd ultrasound. Again, it's absolutely amazing to see a baby in your body! Everything was normal and we were very reassured as I was still bleeding at this time. On July 19th, we had our first meeting with our Doula, Sarah Longacre. We hit it off immediately and I could instantly see her as the person that I would feel completely comfortable relying on during my labor. Sarah is extremely friendly and open, she's very knowledgeable and giving and I'm so excited that we have the privilege of having her at our birth! She's also my prenatal yoga instructor as an added bonus! Take a look at her website if you're interested: http://sarahthedoula.com/sarah.asp
What is a Doula?
Derived from ancient Greek, Doula originally meant "women who help other women," or "highest household servant." Today, Doulas not only provide laboring mothers with physical and emotional support, but also hands-on education that can't be found in any book. Doulas offer support to the pregnant couple prior, during and after the baby is born. A Doula mothers the mother. They assist the couple with breathing and relaxation techniques and non-medical technical labor-coping strategies.
Books I read in July:
The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, Henci Goer
Gentle Birth Choices, Barbara Harper, R.N.
August 2007 ~ August was a great month because we got to spend a week in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico with our friends, Jen & Tom and Erin & Tim. The weather was hot and perfect for spending all day, every day baking in the sun and swimming. It was very relaxing and enjoyable. One day, we took the ferry from Playa to Cozumel and rented scooters and snorkel equipment for the day. Of course, this ended up being the only rainy day of our trip but driving scooters in the pouring rain (it hurts!) is a memory we'll never forget. We had a blast and got a nice tan in the process!
Here we are, tan and happy, on 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen:
We had our third and most detailed ultrasound on August 30th. We got to see the baby scratch its head and put it's finger in its mouth and move around like crazy. It was great. We fall more in love with the baby every day, but actually seeing it makes the experience feel so much more real. The ultrasound tech could tell what the baby is...but we're waiting to find out!
Books I read in August:
Adventures in Natural Childbirth: Tales from Women on the Joys, Fears, Pleasures and Pains of Giving Birth Naturally, Pam England, CNM & MA and Janet Schwegel
Birthing From Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation, Pam England, CNM & MA and Rob Horowitz, Ph.D.
September 2007 ~ On August 31st, we drove to Canada with Danny, Aymee & Charlie to spend Labor Day weekend with our family. We spent the first night at my aunt & uncle's house. The boys all went fishing on Saturday and the girls hung out and relaxed. On Saturday night, we drove to Morden and spent the rest of the weekend visiting with everyone else. It was great to see everyone but me, Aymee and Charlie were all sick and we left our sickness there, unfortunately. Sorry to all who got sick! Thanks to Val & Larry, Barb & Jake and Ray & Pat for letting us crash at your places even though we were sick and probably not the best house guests!
Here's Charlie Bucket, (our niece and Danny & Aymee's baby girl):
I turned 29 on the 6th and I'm feeling a little old since I'm almost 30 and having a baby. I guess it's time to grow up, finally. It's weird how you start thinking about things differently when you're having a baby - I think I'm driving more carefully, which is good. Jason started school this month, also. He's going to be getting a degree in Organizational Management and Leadership from Concordia College. Very exciting!
That pretty much brings us to today, September 27th. We had a doctor's appointment today and everything was fine. The baby was as active as usual, flipping and turning all over the place, making things difficult for my midwife. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come - will the baby be like me? :) Now that we're caught up, we hope to keep this blog updated regularly, so check back soon.
Lots of love!
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