Jan. Mamas Jan. 2-Jan. 8 - Page 9

[mamabeca]

Now I think THAT's trippy! Seeing snow for the first time (real snow, that is) as an adult! Woah. I grew up with the stuff, it's just part of winter for me. Having lived on the wet coast for a while, though (10 yrs), I can say that I missed the ice, snow, sleet, slush, piles, white-outs, freezing temps and frostbite only a little (hee hee). And I loved being able to get out and do stuff all year long (as long as you don't mind the rain!).

My preggo foggy brain is pretty useless too. I had to go back and get items 3 times in line (everyone was THRILLED with me :-0) at the hfs, and then forgot to gas up so had to go back out to do that (made it as far as our actual street - but before the driveway) - and ALL those things were actually ON the to do list! Yikes! Well, I don't know that this will improve, but it can't get a whole lot worse.

It feels really great to feel baby moving today. I think it was a rough night for them, too. Poor little one - squished in there and then ctrx on top of that! If I were them I'd be wanting out, too! I do know what you mean, K. - when this babe comes I'm ready. And although I'd love to be having them in my arms right NOW, two weeks, even three weeks from now is doable. Not easy, but doable. That's about one week over for me, which is less than dd was, so I'd be ok with that.

We're watching magic school bus in the haunted house and dd is scared (she is SO funny about stuff like this!) - it's not a haunted house at all, it's Professor Contralto's musical house and it is pretty funky, though.

Lotsa laughs after dd came home with a scholastic newsletter featuring the prez. - dd had scribbled out his face and started to chant about not wanting Bush...when I asked where she got that from, she just shrugged and said "the smart people" with a smile of total innocence...I love children!!! Later sista's!

[LEAW]

Lol Andy, nice kid! I have an equally funny story about a student of mine (18 yr old with autism) but of course I can't remember all the right details now. Came down to him answering GEORGE BUSH is the kind of government where there is rule by one, and A democracy is where the WHITE HOUSE controls the government.

I honestly think that baby steals all the good neuron protecting fat from our brains, and that's why we all get so gosh darn dumb. Nerves fire and can't connect all day! I actually went to the drive up at the post office without putting stamps on my mail yesterday, and would have never made it through Target today w/o my list.

Ooooh speaking of freaky never seeing snow kinds of things, I have cousins from waaaay north in Canada, and we took them to an outdoor pool for the first time when they were here to visit.

Off to family time... at TGIFridays, yippee, greasy chain food for dinner, followed by cake. I think I'd prefer a bowl of hummus and some fresh pita.

Lisa

[Pam_and_Abigail]

mamabeca, can you tell me what wiican book that birth ritual was in? It sounds really interesting.
Well, I guess I'm not theonly one who thought I was going to have a baby last night! Turns out it was mostly from a full bladder, once I peed, I felt better. I'm anxious to go into labour because I've realized I am afraid I won't go into labour on my own again, and I don't want another induction.

[Chiromom]

I went and checked out the sling link and decided I need a Moby wrap too! I already have a OTSBH sling which I have really like and a baby bjorn which is really nice when I want to be 100% hands free...but with two kids already and DD (age23 months) who is obsessed with babies, I figure i will be slinging this one like constantly...so I really liked how secure and hands free yet still snuggly like a sling that Moby wrap looks. So, I ordered one.

I think my nesting instinct has taken the form of spending money this week. I went to two resale shop and picked out a few "boy" things even tho I don't know the gender. I just have felt more drawn to the boy stuff...we'll see. The I returned some x-mas stuff at Baby Gap and got some gender neutral stuff in exchange. Then I stopped at Gymboree and got the cutest yellow sweater with a monkey on it (couldn't resist) on sale. And lastly, I splurged on a baby blanket in that freakily soft/fuzzy knit stuff that is out now. My sister stole almost all my warm, good quality receiving blankets so I justified my splurge that I really need a new warm soft blanket. Pitiful. But it was fun. So, hopefully I am done now (after the wrap comes). DH will shake his head. But with other babies I was buying cloth diapers and all the accessories and all kinds of stuff...so I figure I'm waaay ahead of the game over all.

Its crazy how every time you get a flurry of contractions you vacilate between being excited (this could be IT) and apprehensive (not yet...not ready...oooh...am I ready? arrggghh) at least for those of us still not due for a few weeks. I'm sure several of you (Lisa, Stacey) just want it OUT...so this probably doesn't apply to you. I keep thinking...I've made it 36 weeks since this child was conceived...I can wait two or three more...but it seems SOOOO LOOOONG! Plus, the comments are starting: "boy, you are due anyday now right? You gotta have that baby soon! etc..." Note to self: say nothing like this to a pregnant woman EVER. I don't think I have said it before but...its a good note anyway.

My littlest sister just found out she is pregnant over christmas and started having pretty horrible pregnancy sickness this week.. After hearing from her I realize I don't really have it soo bad. I don't feel as rotten as her, plus, in two to three weeks I will never have to be pregnant again, while she still has 30some weeks to go! DH got the *snip snip* as a birthday present 3 weeks ago (LOL), so we are officially *DONE*.

Happy sleeping to all. I wish my kids were ready for bed right now...just an hour and a half and we can go to bed!!!!!


Mar

[stacey31]

Ugh. I slept for 2 hours & am now awake again. I do not have concractions exactly, but awful cramps way down across my butt which are making me nervous.....

I am going to take a hot shower & get back in to bed. I did make it to the mall today where I bought a lamp, a comforter for DS, and some clothes at Gymboree for my girls. I have been spending money like crazy & NEED TO STOP!!

We definately need a late night chat room here....keep each other company while we wait

[Proudmom]

Thank you, Malama, for my first bead. It included one of my favorite quotes

The results from my GBS test came back NEGATIVE - YIPPEEE!!!!!! It looks like everything is falling into place for our homebirth. I am very excited and a bit nervous...

I have been spending time with my sister who is visiting. She is 31 weeks pregnant. The two of us are a site when we go out with our children (7 months apart) and our preggo bellies...

Bought four new nursing bras today at Kohl's for $5.50 each . My sister also bought a few.

Had dinner at my parent's - so nice to not have to cook...DH is putting ds to bed and I am spending a few minutes catching up with everyone.

Life is good

Proudmom

[Proudmom]

I forgot to say that mamabeca you make me giggle. I definitely can visualize the happy dance!!

I have lived in snow and much prefer the warm sunny weather. I thought I would give the cold a try again a few years ago. No dice - I told my husband I hated it! 42 inches of snow and it was only the first two weeks of December!! Not for me...We moved back as soon as he finished up school.

Proudmom

[jessitron]

Proudmom, how great that your kids have cousins right at the same age. That's even better than siblings, especially if you live near each other.

Mar, what a birthday present for your husband. That's funny.

It's the weekend, yay! Time to sleep when I'm tired and be awake when I'm not - like now. I could barely stay awake to eat dinner tonight. Lots of BH wear me out.

Stacey, I hope you have a babe in your arms soon, and that your labor and birth go beautifully. Rest your brain and let your body do what it knows how to do.

[mamabeca]

Ok, 2am and here I am again! No major cntx, though. As chiro said, I still am wavering between wanting ctx and not ready yet. I know that once things start going I'll be fine, I think there's some fear associated with not being able to do this without some help (induction-wise) and maybe having a lot of labor that isn't very productive... these concepts scare me more than anything.

I can't get my hands on that book P&A, I will do a search tomorrow. I sort of know what I want to do - hot bath with herbs, oil rub after, circle, candles, and I will write something for myself to say in the direction of allowing energy to move through my body as the vehicle for life bla bla bla. I enjoy these ceremonies, and in the past they have worked. I did one for a friend who was desperate (sp?) to sell a piece of land as they REALLY needed the money (this was about 4 mos ago). I did a ceremony for her and they sold THAT WEEK although noone had even phoned about the place until then. Whoah. Not that I think it was just me, it's an awesome plot in a great location, but it also worked with dd and with dh on some stuff.

Well that happy dance turned into a MAJOR session for me today! Mom called and asked about taking a train up, but of course w/dh and dd skiing I won't have a car to pick her up, and I suggested that she may get stuck here because we wouldn't be able to get her back to the station...that pretty much clinched it and she bailed --- the relief is truly overwhelming! I'm awake now only because I have a cold (not too bad, just inconvenient) and fell asleep at 9:30 and dd just woke with a nightmare so I put her back to bed in her bed (no sharing the ickies, I said), and now I'm UP, thinking about how hungry I was, so I'm making tea and I ate a banana and now I'll just ramble for a while... the lights are dim, and I am thinking about the birth stories that Mamamaya and Delfina and others have shared...it's such an amazing experience, and yet not exactly like other amazing experiences...like parachuting or a huge roller coaster, which are so similar to each other. It's so individual and not at ALL possible to really compare experiences. The intensity, duration and feelings involved are all so variable, and the conditions going in make a HUGE diff. to how it plays out. I can only imagine how someone else might've handled my own experience last time, and how I might have handled someone else's experience if it had been mine... it's like sci. fi., it's so not possible! Enter...the twilight zone!

Just a quick question: The mother's tea I drink has nettle, red rasp. leaf, oatstraw, spearmint and red clover in it - are some of you drinking straight red rasp. leaf tea? I'm not sure I'd like it ... but is it better to drink than a mix like this if you are ready to prime your body for labor? 'Cause I'm ready! I looked into the cohosh options but didn't really want an anti-spasmodic, do I? I think I may have some tincture upstairs, old but maybe still ok as it's an alcohol base... get the baby drunk??? More cc cookies today - dd and I shared while we played crokinole and checkers (before magic school bus). I can feel the belly expand (not to mention butt and thighs!). I did join the Y, as they have childcare for 6 wk to 6 yr olds and I figure I can get into some exercise classes around early March and start to DROP some weight...I won't be ready until then, I think. And cut out the pasta, of course! Who can lose weight eating as much macaroni as I ate tonight (even the veggi kind with homemade pesto!)?

Hey PM - CONGRATS on the neg. test! It's so awesome to be able to start out the process in your own way and know that unless something ELSE happens, you shall finish it that way. WHEW! I'm really very glad for you. I know it was a source of stress for you - enjoy the relax from knowing you don't have THAT to worry about!

I spent some money early in this pregnancy on some wonderful organic stuff for baby, stuff I didn't have time/info to buy for dd when she was born. I'm very happy to have it! I also feel like we really have TOO many clothes and stuff. Really kind of overwhelming. Boxes and bags all over the attic. I can not imagine one baby ever wearing that many clothes! A toddler, perhaps, but not a baby. I think around 18 mos. dd started needing more clothes (bigger pees that more often leaked, messy eating, paint, mud, sand, you name it that kid wore it!) every day, but honestly I think it was a rare blow-out that required a change of clothes for the baby dd. KWIM? Anyway, I'm thinking that we could use some heavy duty winter blankies for baby, so I may go looking next week at the ONLY consignment store in the area for those next week, and if I have to, I could buy some new ones, too. I have one delicious organic one from under the nile, which I LOVE, but only one is probably a little on the skimpy side for how cold it is here...and will be for a few more months! Karen - how are you doing for baby stuff - we talked a long time ago about maybe you needing some stuff - I do have extra stuff, so let me know, ok? At this stage you'd probably get it after baby is born, but not too long after.

Dd made an interesting observation yesterday - "what happens if you go into labor while I'm at school and I miss it!?" she says. Hmmmmm that would be pretty true, if I started labor right after she left for school and finished up within the 8 hrs. that she's away. Since we only have the one car, the mw's are planning to pick up dh from work if I labor in the middle of the day, and noone to pick up poor dd! So now I'm thinking I could call the doula massage therapist who lives on that side of the river and could maybe pick her up if she were coming from home (if not, it's pretty out of the way, her school). W/o extra family around the area, what else can we do? Should I consider sending dh over to get her - that's like 45 min. that he'd be gone, getting there and back again. Not too cool, in my book. But ideal isn't always the possible, I know. Hmmm.

Mar - what are your kids - how old, boy/girl? How many have you got? Sounds like a pretty busy household over there!? It's hard to imagine getting it all done for the crowd and still finding time for work AND yourself! You are amazing!

It's now 3am, and I have been up and writing and drinking tea and peeing for an hour. My eyes are starting to burn, and I think I can try to get back to sleep. I hope you are all having a good night - even out there in hawaii land, where it's not quite so late: by the way, I dreamed I flew to hawaii and hitchhiked to karen's house where there was this big pig roast (HUH?) happening and Heidi was there too (my first two beads) - and then there was a rainstorm and I had to stay overnight on the floor and couldn't sleep so I was wandering around and found this huge grow-op in the back, and was chatting away with some security guy there and then found the pool and was swimming in the pool late at night. It was a very strange dream. In the end, I think I wasn't allowed to fly home because I was too pregnant by like 12 hours or something, and ended up finding a place to live on the beach... yeah, keep dreaming!

Sweet dreams all! Andy

[Malama]

Andy, oh, how I enjoy your late night ramblings! I'm in bed with my kids' kitty. she's all over me, wanting attention, walking in between me and my puter- what;s up with THAT??

your dream sounds fun- fat chance for a pig roast at my house (no eat them), and no grow-op out back either. but it is lovely here, and you're certainly welcome to visit one day.
and thanks for the clothes offer again, but i'm pretty set, it seems!

I'm drinking (well sometimes) a similar tea as you too andy. Acutally I think it's exactly what I put in mine. But I've not been drinking much- I just like to drink water and it's always a chore to drink something else. And with my state of always being hot, i certainly can't just brew up one hot cup. oh well.

Oh, I finished my quilt today. beyond my wildest imagination, I started to think that baby would not come til it was done- so I stayed home today and sewed and sewed and sewed. I stuck it in the washer while we ate dinner and it's now on my bed (that I'm not sleeping in ). I will post some pictures tomorrow, because I'm very proud of myself!!!

congrats Proudmom on the neg GBS test. That's awesome!

Oh, Chiromom, I read your posts on the UC thread about the talk you're giving. There's a book called "Expecting Trouble: the myth of prenatal care in america"- can't think of the author this second, but it's an OB. You might find some good info in there for your talk, if you can get your hands on the book. i read it awhile ago, but found it very interesting and enlightening.

I also really enjoyed reading mamamaya and delfina;s birth stories.....I am really looking forward to more of them- even if they aren't mine! Someone will be popping soon..... maybe Stacey? Who I hope will be able to get in her body and conquer her fears and anxieties.....

I'd better start winding down to sleep. Didn't nap today and last night was not a sleeping one.

[jessitron]

Andy, what a great dream! You're getting me really excited about this birth experience. Goodie goodie.

I came here to post some questions, but prego-brain may have consumed them.

Here's one: which sling is your husband's favorite? DH has been reading the Sears Baby Book, and he has declared that he needs a sling instead of Baby Bjorn (yay).

There's a new belly shot on my web page, along with a photo of Eric modelling the hat I knitted.
http://www.cirerrek.addr.com/girl

[HelloKitty]

Hi All! Just wanted to stop by from the Feb DDC to let you all know that Embens had her baby this morning!!! Daniel James (at least I think that's the name, I didn't get final verification in my sleepy state but that's the one she had picked out before the birth :LOL ) was born at 2:45 AM. 7 pounds, 15 ounces. Her water broke around 2AM so it was a QUICK birth!!!!!

I'm sure she will give you all the details when she gets home and gets a chance to get to the 'puter.

Kitty

[Chiromom]

I couldn't sleep again! last night, even tho' I was sooo exhausted from crappy sleep the night before.. No naps lately and DH had to leave early today for some work stuff. He said he will let me nap when he gets home at 2:00! Hooray! I get the itchees some nights right as I fall asleep and I just twitch around and make myself nutso. DH finally got home at 12:00 last night and adjusted me andthen the itchees were a bit better. Sometimes the yellow dock and dandelion seem to help...othertimes...not so much.

Red rasp tea total grosses me out. I tried (kinda) with first pregnancy, but only drank like two cups a week for like the last month. I total skipped it last time and had a great fast labor (butter baby). I'm not saying it has no helpful properties, nut its just not for me!!!

Melama--I have actually ordered that book from amazon...but it's on back order and won't come until february... Oh well...I''ll use it for my next talk. My personal resource library (and parental lending library at office) is getting to be pretty impressive. I feel like the LLL junior. I also went to Borders for like 3 hours yesterday and hand copied info from the few books there that are alternative friendly. It sickening the multiple copies of total crap like "What to Expect", "the Girlfriends Guide", and "Pregnancy Sucks" and "The (freakin') Baby Whisperer" and other books that are just sooooo negative and de-powering (not a word). That's not even counting the really dangerous "Babywise" bs. Arrgghhh. I could only find like, a few Sears books, a copy of spiritual midwifery, a copy of Immaculate Deception II, and a copy of Peggy's Book (Having a Baby, Naturally) which I mostly already have. It's so depressing...and no wonder our society continues to have such screwed up notions about child birth.

Mambeca---congratulation on your escape from the maternal visit. I'm glad you got that worked out. There is nothing worse than unwanted company when you are this pregnant!

I dreamed last night I was at a birth (someone else's) with more women than just myself attending and they had the baby, and then it was *my turn* and all the women (4 or 5 of us) formed a circle and held each other and chanted and I was holding my baby the whole time but we were trying to help her *do something* and the baby was a sweet sweet little girl of about 6 months. Does this mean I am having a girl? Or that I will have lots of support from my circle of women (you guys included) spiritually while I labor? ( I will likely be alone) I'm not sure, but it was a really sweet and peaceful dream. And my first dream about this baby and birth.

Okay...I've got to get some work and laundry done.


Mar

[pixiexto]

Mar, what a lovely dream! The imagery is just fantastic, and it sounds like you are feeling very strong and positive about your baby's birth I had a dream a few weeks ago that I gave birth to a toddler girl ... of course, it only took 2 pushes, so entirely realistic ...

Andy, I'm happy for you that you have escaped an unwanted visit from your mother! It's not the time when you want people who don't have a positive influence around you, hey?

I had some mild contractions last night!! They lasted only about 1/2 an hour, and were about 6-7 minutes apart (lasting about 30 seconds), but still I feel it's a great start! I am really happy to have lots of these little lead-up's ... I feel like it will only make the active labour easier & more smooth. Oh well, if nothing else there's the power of positive thinking, right?

Jess, my husband is a TOTAL sling daddy He loves the ring-slings the best, I'd say. The ellaroo lightly padded is his current favorite. He never did like my maya ~ said the shoulder cap flap always screwed him up. He also finds the Moby *really* comfortable, but was less enthusiastic than me about learning to tie it (as in, he didn't ever try.... lol!) A lot of daddies like the Ergo, and we have one that we use a lot. We didn't get it until DD was almost a year old, but I know they have a newborn insert. I'm not sure it's what I'd recommend for a newborn or tiny infant, but really it's awesome for later on. They're a bit $$, but worth it IMO.

Ok, I'm off to the post office to mail the beads!! DD chose each of your beads for you, one by one

[Proudmom]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

Hi All! Just wanted to stop by from the Feb DDC to let you all know that Embens had her baby this morning!!! Daniel James (at least I think that's the name, I didn't get final verification in my sleepy state but that's the one she had picked out before the birth :LOL ) was born at 2:45 AM. 7 pounds, 15 ounces. Her water broke around 2AM so it was a QUICK birth!!!!!

I'm sure she will give you all the details when she gets home and gets a chance to get to the 'puter.

Kitty

Congratualtions to EMbens and little Daniel!!

Proudmom

[Chiromom]

Originally Posted by mamabeca

Mar - what are your kids - how old, boy/girl? How many have you got? Sounds like a pretty busy household over there!? It's hard to imagine getting it all done for the crowd and still finding time for work AND yourself! You are amazing!

Andy,

DS is four and a half. DD will be two a few weeks after the new baby comes. Thats it. I work (in office about 25 hours a week and the kids go to childcare at the home of wife of another chiro who watches her own dd who is the same age as mine and one other little boy. I have been *working* more like 40 hours a week since x-mas while I prepare for this big class next weekend...then it will be back to slackerville for me.

In fact, when this baby comes, I plan to still send the kids to childcare a few afternoons a week so I can spend some one on one time with the new baby. I will just work a few short adjusting only shifts (like for an hour 3 times per week) for the first few weeks after the baby comes and then I will gradually ease into more as the baby allows it. Because I'm the boss...I get to bring baby to work with me, so that's no big deal. I did it with both my other two when they were little.

Overall, its not that bad except that DH works two jobs, both in our private chiro office and teaching at the chiro school, so some weeks he is not around much and that can really get old for all of us. Once our private practice is doing really well (it is just a few months old now) he plans to quit his teaching job and find a little balance...but for now, we really appreciate the set paycheck (and "healthcare" benefits).

Mar

[Malama]

more babies! yay embens!!!! sounds like some fast labors are happening. this Jan..... makes me think I'll be the one with the long one!! but that's fine. I'm perfectly OK with that!

chiromom (mar), if you are really interested in that book for your talk, I'd be happy to loan it to you- you could paypal me the $ for shipping. You can PM me if you want it. I am very puposefully neglecting all of my birth/ mw books for now and it's great. It's been so liberating to try and get OUT of my head.
Your dream sounded so beautiful. So nice.

It's great you and dh are both chiros and you can get adjusted when you need. I have wanted to get adjusted this pregnancy a few tiimes when my pelvis was bad, but I chickened out. I have a gentle chiro here, but she's very small and has a hard time adjusting me (I'm small too, but she's smaller). So she has her partner do it, and I don't trust him or like him at all..... it's fine if i"m in extreme pain and desperate, but I found that with all this relaxin in my body, things aren't staying bad for very long. And so I've had CST more this pregnancy and that's more my speed.

I haven't remembered my dreams of the past few days, but last week I had one dream I had a boy and another I had a girl. go figure. THey were nice butter birth dreams.

[LEAW]

Wow, busy busy board. And a new baby! Yaay!

You guys have been having such great dreams. I haven't been able to remember a dream in a few weeks. And the ones I was having that I could remember were just so odd, no happy baby dreams for me.

I should have gotten up to post last night, I don't think I slept much at all. Had some serious reflux most of the night, finally fell into restless sleep sitting up, and got up at 5 to make a bagel, only to cut my finger. Grr!

Did sleep a bit this morning, and dh woke me after making breakfast, but I think today is a nap day.

Andy, reinforce your mom for being so smart to stay home. Tell her that it is still snowing in Ohio and that the snow here is heading toward you. It started snowing early this morning, and now everything is so pretty again - although the iced over snow was rather nice the last few days, all the lawns and sidewalks shimmered at night under the lights. Looked unreal, and was hysterical to see the dog run across and end up like Bambi on ice.

Lisa

[jessitron]

Ha ha Lisa, that's hilarious about your dog. We have very pretty snow here, too, this morning. It's about three inches, the streets are completely clear, and it is stacked up on the trees. Beautiful! The gumball tree outside our window is the best - all those poky gumballs have little snow hats. They look like elf heads.

Good for y'all with your lovely birthing dreams. My dream last night had to do with sex, lemons, and vibrators that plug into the wall. TMI? Maybe. Definitely not a birth dream.

[tofumama]

Just wanted to update...
Max Richard was born on 1/4/05 after 3 wks of pre-term labor. He was7lbs 6oz. and 21 inches. It was a beautiful, unmedicated birth, and dh delivered him. He's doing well and I am on cloud 9!