Mama Splurged!

Self  portrait in the van.

Today, with the help of our fantastic friend Lizbet, the girls and I went to lunch, Colonial Williamsburg, and the Carter's outlet. I was trying to kill many birds with one stone. Starting with Miss Roo.

This year for Roo's birthday we are doing a few small gifts and one large "experience" gift.  Her gifts (big girl panties, cloth pull ups, a baby wearing sling, a Vera duffel that I got on super-ultra sale, and a rainbow wand) are already purchased and together ready to be wrapped. We plan on going to Busch Gardens for the day and taking her to eat lunch with Elmo and play in "Elmo-Land" (as they call) it to celebrate the big 2.

She is much more girlie than Miss Moo was at this age and is constantly trying to take her sister's sterling silver bracelet and any of my Yurman bracelets she can reach. In an effort to keep gifts to a minimum, we asked NanaPop to get her the same bracelet as her sister.  I went to Colonial Williamsburg to grab one while we were already there and to give the girls some time to stretch their legs, see some history, have a small adventure, and look for horses. We didn't see any horses, sadly, but we DID see a very cute and very dirty sheep.

After gathering some spring summer clothes for the girls at Carter's, Lizbet offered to sit in the van while I took 15 minutes ALONE in a store. I chose J. Crew and entered giddily. I spotted a dress that can be worn three ways - long halter, short halter, and as a skirt! It's cotton, stretchy, coral, and perfect for nursing in! Not only was it an outlet price but it was also 40% off the ticket price!!  Finding the dress took less than 5 minutes. Deciding to actually BUY it took well over 10.

But, I splurged and grabbed it for myself.  I will be able to wear "real" clothes and have belly free dates again with my husband very soon. So, it didn't seem too terribly frivolous. At least that's what I'm still telling myself. We then headed home with a van full of giggles from the backseat - for a few minutes.

Thanks to LizBet for snapping this photo for me! :) 

The girls, by the way, had a GREAT time.

Current Mama Update

Here's a snapshot of where my pregnancy is now:

• Gestation: 34w 5d
• Weight Gain: 38 lbs
• Fundal Height (as of Friday) - 34cm
• Baby's Heart Rate: 130s-140s
• BP:120/82
• Cravings: mostly savory with ice cream in there at night
• Swelling: Left foot when I do too much during the day

Supplements:

• Pregnancy Tea
• DoTerra Vitamins
• Probiotics
• Garlic
• Vitamin C
• Alfalfa
• Apple Cider Vinegar Mix in the bath water or peri-bottle after showers
• 8-10 plus glasses of water daily

Discomforts:

• leg cramps at night
• swelling
• tail bone pain
• sciatica
• heartburn
• Braxton Hicks
• back contractions

My best guess is that he's gonna be early, somewhere between March 31st and April 2nd. But, we'll see :) 

Baby Stats

At 29 w 4 d:

32 cm fundal height
turning head down
HR in 140s
No Anemia


He also doesn't like getting messed with by anyone :)

Mama, Naturally

Ever since I went through my great weight loss (which I still need to blog about), I've been slowly and steadily cleaning up my act. Once I met and married Drew, it became  a lot easier to change the way we lived because he is so supportive of a natural, real lifestyle. We started with food and once we had children our awareness spread.

Sometimes I am really hard on myself and think that I don't do enough to promote natural living in my children. Then I realized that I do more that I did as a child as does Drew. So I thought I'd take a minute to look at what we DO and WHY it's so important.

The Kids

Miss Roo sleeping in a GroVia AIO.

• Cloth Diapers: Both girls have been mostly cloth diapered since birth. I say mostly because there have been times, travel, sickness, moving, when I just haven't been able to cloth diaper due to time, facilities, and sanity. The girls have been cloth diapered 95% of the time since they were born. Baby Boy will be as well. We cloth diaper not only to cut down on waste- more specifically HUMAN waste- in landfills, but to keep our children free of diaper rashes, harsh chemicals on their skin, and cleaner in clothes. I have never experienced a blow out in a cloth diaper. I don't have to slather my girls with ointment at every diaper change. I don't have to buy diapers every other week or once a month. I just do a load of diapers every 3 days.

Wooden eggs dyed for the girls' Easter baskets.

• More Natural Toys: I haven't found a way to completely escape plastic toys. The girls receive gifts from family and friends. They also have particular things that they gravitate towards- pirates and their ships, Minnie Mouse, farm animals. Each time we purge and donate I try to slip more and more of the plastic stuff into the bags. I try to make gifts for them at every holiday that are cloth or wooden. Our toy kitchen is stocked with felt and wooden food and their dishes are wooden or Green Toys. Our trains and their tracks are wooden as are our fantastic set of building blocks.

• Less Toxins: We don't use traditional bubble baths anymore. We use Dr. Bronner's baby wash for all our bathtub fun. We have wooden and metal toys in the tub. Our toothpastes have ingredients I can pronounce. Their supplements aren't filled with sugar. I get probioitics in them from foods. The juice they drink- with filtered water added - is just that -JUICE.

The Parents

• No 'Poo: I've wondered for years what exactly mainstream shampoo was doing to my hair and my scalp. I spent some time researching it and learned it is essentially detergent. I decided to come off of it. And then I got pregnant and my hormones went NUTS. Everything I had been able to predict about my hair and manage with baking soda and vinegar wash went out the window. I am not using and Aloe based shampoo which I finishing making this little boy. Drew is completely on the no 'Poo routine with baking soda maybe once a week and he's doing great.
• No Deodorant: We don't walk around stinking, we've just changed what we use. We were using Thai Deodorant Stones but I was still experiencing weird reactions to them. We then moved to alcohol while I did further research. After a few weeks, I switched to Milk of Magnesia. Plain 'Ole MOM. I have had no irritation, no sweating, no odor. I use a nickel size under each arm and let it dry before I dress. I spent around $2.50 on a bottle that will last us at least a year.
• No Chemical Skin Care: I used to use all kinds of mass marketed skin care systems. Any time I would miss them for more than a day, my skin would go haywire. I started looking into what some of the chemicals in those cleansers and moisturizers did. Some chemicals in well known skin care lines are used to tan leather. I was done. I now use natural soap and tea tree oil as a cleanser and an oil cleanse 2-3 times a week. 

The Family

Local, organic, from scratch chicken and chili stew.

• Food: We are on a real food diet now for 95% of our food. I say 95% because I am constantly learning and changing. We eat local, grass fed beef, lamb, pork, and chicken. We buy local and organic produce whenever we can. I try to shop the perimeter of the store- produce, meat, dairy, bakery - when at all possible. Some things I have not tried to make yet - bread, noodles, sprouted flour - but I do try to make things I always used to buy - diced tomatoes, sauces, soups. Processed foods are disappearing from our house and being replaced by homemade goods on a weekly basis.
• Laundry Detergent: I now make a powder detergent. It isn't chemical free, but it's low chemical, low suds. I use bar soap, borax, and washing powder in a 1:1 ratio. This item is one of those things that I plan to tweak to lower the chemicals even more, but for now this is far down as I've gotten the mixture. Fabric softeners have left our home as have dryer sheets. I do occasionally use the Lavender sachet's from Trader Joe's to lightly scent our clothes, towels, and sheets.
• Cleaning Products: I use On Guard cleaner from doTerra and Dr. Bronner's for most of our cleaning needs. Peppermint is my Bronner's of choice for general cleaning due to peppermint's antibacterial qualities illustrated in laboratory studies. I do use Clorox wipes when we are all sick in the bathrooms, but otherwise, mainstream cleaners are disappearing. For cutting grease, I use cleaners with a citrus base or make some heated lemon water to scrub through the gook. 

One of our vintage pans.

• Cast Iron: We are slowly acquiring and upgrading to traditional, antique cast iron and enameled modern cast iron. Have you ever noticed little pieces of your non-stick pan were missing? Guess where those went while you were cooking? Modern cast iron isn't as good as the vintage/antique stuff because it is simply cast -not hand turned or smoothed. Drew has become very versed in all things cast iron and has been getting us great pieces to cook with in traditional ways. He's my go to guy.
• Supplements: FCLO, multivitamins, Kombucha, probiotics, essential oils as medicines.

Moving Forward
There are countless additional changes I'd like to make in our home. I'd like our home to have less stuff in it and focus on all aspects of our family. I'd love to establish and maintain a better rhythm. I'd like to have a small garden to grow a few veggies and fruits seasonally. I'd also like to focus more time on my kids and ways to make their world a more inspirational, natural place to learn and evolve. 

As I look at 2013 spread out before me and all the changes it will bring, my only resolution is to be true to myself in my desire to Mama, naturally.


What is your biggest desire this year? Where are the biggest places you find yourself successfully Mama-ing naturally?

We're Bringing Birth Home

 My previous two pregnancies and birth experiences were completely different. Miss Moo was born in a birth center attached to a hospital in Northern Virginia and Miss Roo was born on the L&D of a local hospital. They were completely different and both attended by midwives. I wouldn't change the outcomes of either of my births - two healthy girls delivered vaginally with no complications.

This time around, however, I wanted more control. I wanted discussion, options, support, and peace. We began our pregnancy at the free standing birth center here. The midwives there are great and the staff is exceptional. But I still felt that something was missing.

Friday I met with a fantastic midwife and her assistant. We talked birth, testing, options. We discussed what I wanted birth to look like and what their role is during labor and birth. We spoke about Doulas, placentas, and time. And I felt peace wash over me.

My third child, my son, will be born at home. I can't think of a better place for him to come into my arms and  into our family. I'm grateful to have the opportunity, support, and love to begin this journey and I can't wait to see where it ends at the crossroads to the next.

Moo's Birth Story from 10/13/09

As we enter the last week of having a 2 year old, I've been going through a lot of things to take a trip down memory lane.

I came across this email form of Moo's birth story and thought I'd share it with you, even though it isn't very well written or well thought out, I think it carries the excitement and awe of a first time Mommy one week after giving birth.

I was starting to get a little discouraged because I went overdue and I (along with all my family) thought that our due date of Oct. 5th was wrong and I'd have her late September or very early October. When my due day came and passed with nothing eventful changing, I began to get a little down. I had a good check on the 6th with some pretty intensive membrane stripping and the midwives went on and scheduled an induction for the 16th if needed but assured me that day and in a follow up call that they didn't think I'd need it.

Around midnight on the 8th I started feeling weird. I told Andrew that I was going to go to bed because I thought I might be in labor- something I had said before. I left the dishes from dinner in the kitchen because even though I felt different I didn't think that really meant anything and my Thursday would go as normal. I woke up around 2 am uncomfortable but not really in pain- I was having stronger cramping but there wasn't a lot regularity to it. I eventually go up and went to the living room to watch tv -  I was thinking too much and not sleeping. Around 5:30 I finally felt tired and went to bed b/c the cramps were spacing out.

At 8 am, I woke up with a start and thought that it was the garbage trucks clanking around outside our bedroom that got my attention. Then five minutes later I had what I knew HAD to be a contraction. I laid in bed until around 8:45 and was having then at 5 minutes consistently. I woke Andrew up and told him what was going on and that I was going to get in the bath to see if that stopped it. After 25 minutes in the bath, there was no change. We paged the midwife on call, Paula, and talked to her. She suggested that I come to the office that morning for a labor check so we could all see what was going on. We got everything completely packed and in the car just in case and ate a little breakfast just in case this was it.

We arrived at the midwives' office around 11:15- at this point I had 3 contractions from getting out of the car to getting in the office and Margie walking in my room at 11:25. She started to check me and my water broke ON the table. It was very comical b/c Margie is talking as she checks, " Okay, well, the head is now at a +1, you're 4 cm, 90% effaced, so I think AND THERE'S YOUR WATER!! Okay, I didn't do that! We're having a baby today!"

They sent us on over The Birthing Inn and took me right to my L&D room. They got me monitored, etc, and Paula arrived. I got in the tub around 12:30-12:45. I got down to 2.5 to 3 mins apart and got out. It was 2:15 and Paula did a check- 7cm 100%! I got a little sick at that point b/c she was starting to move down the birth canal and my cervix couldn't keep up. Transition kicked in and I felt no break in pain b/c there was so much pressure from her pushing down against my cervix. At 2:50 she checked me again and I was 9 cm. Paula thought she could help my cervix complete to 10 since the baby was coming whether my cervix agreed or not. I started pushing at 3 p.m. Andrew was a TROOPER!! He was guy on left leg, fanning me the whole time, and had to hold her head as she came out at one point b/c Paula had to get gown and gloves on! 

At 3:25 pm- she was born! She weighed in at 7lbs 7.4 oz  -  20.5 inches long  - and RED hair!!! Who would have thought! We were overjoyed that we were finally able to meet Maisie :) 

So, as far as I consider it, labor was 8 am to 3:25 pm, with the worst part that hurt being the 4 HOURS from 11:25 until birth. 4 HOURS! For a first baby - they called me their rock star.  :) I was able to do it naturally and I had 1 "skid mark" up close to my urethra but no internal or external tearing and no stitches at all. Looking back, I can't believe how blessed I was for a labor and delivery like that!

I can't believe she's almost 3!!

You get a line, I'll get a pole...*

Growing up, we lived out. By "out" I mean we could get to a grocery store in about 5 minutes, but our house was at the end of a driveway .2 of a mile long, in the middle of 12 acres, with our closest neighbor at the other end of the driveway. I remember wishing to live near other kids while riding my bike up and down the driveway however I wanted. I remembering thinking how cool it would be to walk to a friend's house while playing on the swing set we could move whenever I wanted a different view of the mountains. I recall thinking we lived in the boonies when we'd have to plan our trips to "town" because it would take 20 minutes or more to get to the mall, Wal-Mart, etc.

Now that I'm grown and a Mommy, my perspectives have changed. When we come to NanaPop's my girls can PLAY. They can just play. There aren't cars to watch out for, roads they aren't allowed to use in play, dogs that aren't ours, neighbor's to consider, or toys to chase down from other yards. I sit on my parents deck watching my children run, squeal, go on adventures, collect treasures, and make their own way.They can play without me right on top of them. They leave their Tonka trucks in the driveway overnight without a second thought.

 I look up at the mountain and realize how flat our neighborhood is in comparison. I hear of insects from my childhood that I don't recall listening to from my own porch. I smell fall - really smell it. I show Miss Moo places that I played when I was a girl and give her my toys to use. I see Miss Roo clambering after her and recall chasing after my brother because he was so awesome.

I think I've mellowed.

 Or perhaps I have come to understand what is really important to me in the way we raise our girls. I do love the conveience of living 5 minutes from everything we could ever need, but I would much rather spend days playing outside with my girls than finding places to take them for those same opportunities. I'd like them to experience the "Bloo Mountatains" (as Moo calls them) daily rather than as an exclamation as we travel home. I'd like to drive around more with the windows down, two giggling girls, and country playing on the radio. I guess Kix and Ronnie were right after all.

So what am I to do?
 Come home as much as I can? Definitely.

 Let my girls get as much of the country as they can? Absolutely.

Accept and celebrate the rural-ness of my life and my heritage(including my accent)?  Without a doubt.

And perhaps, somewhere in the back of my mind, I'm thinking of ways to follow the siren song home.



*We'll go fishing in the crawfish hole
 Five card pocker on Saturday night
Church on Sunday mornin'
Little Big Town, Boondocks

A Book About BOOBS!

Ever since I nursed Miss Moo, I've been kinda Boob crazy. When I was nursing Roo, I found a hat that makes their head look like a boob. If we ever have another kid, I might have to crochet that now that I know how ;) 

Our good friend, Mookie's Mama, told me about a book dealing only with boobs. I ordered it that night. With October fast approaching, I started reading it so I can touch on breast health a lot that month.

I invite you to check out the book Breasts and see what you think. I'm only on chapter 2 so far but I'm hooked. I'm learning a lot and laughing. Who doesn't like to giggle about boobies???