Born at home February 7, 2010
2:27am
7lbs 12oz, 20 inches long.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The last pictures of baby on the inside
Or at least I hope they are!!
As I sat in the birth pool Tuesday evening trying to decide if this baby was going to make an appearance or not, I chatted with Karen. She mentioned wanting to play with some lighting, and taking some more pictures on Wed if I was up for it. It didn't look like it was going to happen, but this stubborn little girl decided to stay put for a couple more days at least.
So exhausted from 3 hours at the vet with my cat who lost a fight with a large dog (and he's a large cat) resulting in a couple of broken ribs and a ton of bite wounds on his sides, contractions 3 minutes apart for hours and hours, waking up at 4am with a terrible headache and not going back to sleep until 5:30 at least after some tylenol and a hot bath, and being up again at 7 to call the midwife to reassure her that as of 11pm NOTHING was going on anymore so she didn't need to come over, I trudged over to Karen's house to take more pictures of my overly large belly.
I figured that I'd look more tired than I did in the last set (where I looked tired!!), but they came out fine. This one is my favorite - I just look so done being pregnant, and really shows how I felt!
And the rest http://www.karenbove.com/allison39/
I felt a lot better last night after a short nap, another hot bath, and lots of food. Slept really good, and feel good again today. While I'm hoping that she comes REALLY soon, I'm glad for the rest that she's given me the last two days.
As I sat in the birth pool Tuesday evening trying to decide if this baby was going to make an appearance or not, I chatted with Karen. She mentioned wanting to play with some lighting, and taking some more pictures on Wed if I was up for it. It didn't look like it was going to happen, but this stubborn little girl decided to stay put for a couple more days at least.
So exhausted from 3 hours at the vet with my cat who lost a fight with a large dog (and he's a large cat) resulting in a couple of broken ribs and a ton of bite wounds on his sides, contractions 3 minutes apart for hours and hours, waking up at 4am with a terrible headache and not going back to sleep until 5:30 at least after some tylenol and a hot bath, and being up again at 7 to call the midwife to reassure her that as of 11pm NOTHING was going on anymore so she didn't need to come over, I trudged over to Karen's house to take more pictures of my overly large belly.
I figured that I'd look more tired than I did in the last set (where I looked tired!!), but they came out fine. This one is my favorite - I just look so done being pregnant, and really shows how I felt!
And the rest http://www.karenbove.com/allison39/
I felt a lot better last night after a short nap, another hot bath, and lots of food. Slept really good, and feel good again today. While I'm hoping that she comes REALLY soon, I'm glad for the rest that she's given me the last two days.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Decisions, indecision, and my brain is mush.
There's so many things you need to decide on when pregnant. Who you see, where you have your baby, tests, names, etc etc. Then you get to the end, and you think you're done making decisions. But your not. And you no longer have many functioning brain cells to make said decisions because the baby apparently needs them all.
I am currently more pregnant than I have been in a VERY long time (12 years). I'm just starting to get uncomfortable to the point I'm begging the baby to come. And so I had/have a decision to make. Do I let this baby decide completely on her own when she makes her exit, do I prod her a little, or do I give her an eviction notice. And if I decide to do any prodding, or write up that notice - how long do I hold out for.
There's the "natural" encouragement - which I've found (personally and 2nd hand) rarely works unless labor is imminent anyways. There's sex, pineapple, walking, squatting, evening primrose oil, etc. Then there's things that are still of the DIY category, but tend to work a bit better. Including caster oil (ick), nipple stimulation, stripping membranes, and certain herbs. And then there's the eviction process that is not a DIY technique.
So all those things require decision making. I can't even remember that one of my best friend's baby is almost 2, rather than the almost one that I'm thinking she is. And I just saw her. Never mind that I took her 1 year pictures almost a year ago!
So I weeble, and I wobble, and can't make up my mind. I ask friends. One day I'm more than done and willing to do almost anything except evict. The next, I'm all in happy land and believing that babies will come when they're ready. Really depends on how many contractions I've been teased with that day.
So today I saw the midwife again. She lied to me last week and said I wouldn't make it to this appointment pregnant(no - I didn't really believe she was 100% sure of that!). Therefore, I had to make a decision. After a long evening of contractions and not feeling well, and no where near enough sleep because contractions kept waking me up, I'm in the "lets get this baby out" camp. So I waddle out of her office with my membranes stripped. We'll see what happens. I've had it go either way (baby a few hours later, or showing up for my next appointment still very pregnant), and I'm OK with that. If she's not ready, she's not going to do her part.
But you would thins she would WANT to come out. She can't get named until she's here - I need to know that whatever we chose (no, still don't have something that's definite) is a good fit. And I've been sewing for her. Doesn't she want to wear the really cute outfits that are waiting? Like this shirt.
Or this jacket
I'm ready to meet her. To have her snuggle with me in bed at night, to nurse her, wrap her up, and watch her sleep. To sniff that sweet baby smell that doesn't last very long. To count her toes and fingers, and decide who in the family she looks like. I want to know if she has dark hair or light hair. A lot of it, or just some fuzz. I'm ready to meet my baby - she just needs to get ready to meet me!
I am currently more pregnant than I have been in a VERY long time (12 years). I'm just starting to get uncomfortable to the point I'm begging the baby to come. And so I had/have a decision to make. Do I let this baby decide completely on her own when she makes her exit, do I prod her a little, or do I give her an eviction notice. And if I decide to do any prodding, or write up that notice - how long do I hold out for.
There's the "natural" encouragement - which I've found (personally and 2nd hand) rarely works unless labor is imminent anyways. There's sex, pineapple, walking, squatting, evening primrose oil, etc. Then there's things that are still of the DIY category, but tend to work a bit better. Including caster oil (ick), nipple stimulation, stripping membranes, and certain herbs. And then there's the eviction process that is not a DIY technique.
So all those things require decision making. I can't even remember that one of my best friend's baby is almost 2, rather than the almost one that I'm thinking she is. And I just saw her. Never mind that I took her 1 year pictures almost a year ago!
So I weeble, and I wobble, and can't make up my mind. I ask friends. One day I'm more than done and willing to do almost anything except evict. The next, I'm all in happy land and believing that babies will come when they're ready. Really depends on how many contractions I've been teased with that day.
So today I saw the midwife again. She lied to me last week and said I wouldn't make it to this appointment pregnant(no - I didn't really believe she was 100% sure of that!). Therefore, I had to make a decision. After a long evening of contractions and not feeling well, and no where near enough sleep because contractions kept waking me up, I'm in the "lets get this baby out" camp. So I waddle out of her office with my membranes stripped. We'll see what happens. I've had it go either way (baby a few hours later, or showing up for my next appointment still very pregnant), and I'm OK with that. If she's not ready, she's not going to do her part.
But you would thins she would WANT to come out. She can't get named until she's here - I need to know that whatever we chose (no, still don't have something that's definite) is a good fit. And I've been sewing for her. Doesn't she want to wear the really cute outfits that are waiting? Like this shirt.
Or this jacket
I'm ready to meet her. To have her snuggle with me in bed at night, to nurse her, wrap her up, and watch her sleep. To sniff that sweet baby smell that doesn't last very long. To count her toes and fingers, and decide who in the family she looks like. I want to know if she has dark hair or light hair. A lot of it, or just some fuzz. I'm ready to meet my baby - she just needs to get ready to meet me!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Finally
No - she's not here :)
I think I'm finally started to get a tad excited about the baby. I wasn't thinking it would take the whole pregnancy, but it has. I'm still worried about how everything is going to get done that needs to be done, and still parent her the way that is so very important to me. We'll figure it out some how.
I've been sewing - not enough to get everything done I wanted to, but enough. Of course, I don't think I've actually finished anything - lots of things still need hemming, or snaps, or some other little small part. That's on the list for this week.
School started yesterday. Checked out all my online classes - I believe algebra is going to kick my butt.
Also saw the midwife yesterday. Baby is nice and low. Did my first every Strep B culture - lets hope it comes back negative! Didn't gain any weight from 2 weeks ago, which makes me quite happy. But my blood pressure had finally gone up. I'd been averaging around 120ish/80ish the whole time, and it was 135/80-something yesterday. I've been ordered to cut out the caffeine, and start drinking water (oops!). I've now ordered little girl out so I can start drinking Dr Pepper again.
The birth supplies are all gathered - just waiting in the closet. The birth pool has had a test run (and I believe will have another today - darn husband that didn't want to put a deep bathtub in when we built!), and sits in the room waiting as well. This waiting part sucks. I'm very much a plan, and think, and plan, and obsess, and plan some more type of person. And that's very hard to do knowing you'll have a baby sometime in the next 4 (please God not 4) weeks. Day to day planning just doesn't do it for me.
I go back and forth from wanting her to come out NOW, and to wait a couple weeks. She is NOT allowed to come from 1/21-1/24. Too many birthdays in our family, and people I want here can't be here. We'll obviously manage if it happens, but I'll be begging her to stay put from tomorrow until Monday.
Karen and I did some pictures Monday. I was very shocked to see how round and basketball looking my belly was! Just doesn't look like that when I'm looking down at it. You can check them out here:
37 weeks
Now just to keep waiting.
I think I'm finally started to get a tad excited about the baby. I wasn't thinking it would take the whole pregnancy, but it has. I'm still worried about how everything is going to get done that needs to be done, and still parent her the way that is so very important to me. We'll figure it out some how.
I've been sewing - not enough to get everything done I wanted to, but enough. Of course, I don't think I've actually finished anything - lots of things still need hemming, or snaps, or some other little small part. That's on the list for this week.
School started yesterday. Checked out all my online classes - I believe algebra is going to kick my butt.
Also saw the midwife yesterday. Baby is nice and low. Did my first every Strep B culture - lets hope it comes back negative! Didn't gain any weight from 2 weeks ago, which makes me quite happy. But my blood pressure had finally gone up. I'd been averaging around 120ish/80ish the whole time, and it was 135/80-something yesterday. I've been ordered to cut out the caffeine, and start drinking water (oops!). I've now ordered little girl out so I can start drinking Dr Pepper again.
The birth supplies are all gathered - just waiting in the closet. The birth pool has had a test run (and I believe will have another today - darn husband that didn't want to put a deep bathtub in when we built!), and sits in the room waiting as well. This waiting part sucks. I'm very much a plan, and think, and plan, and obsess, and plan some more type of person. And that's very hard to do knowing you'll have a baby sometime in the next 4 (please God not 4) weeks. Day to day planning just doesn't do it for me.
I go back and forth from wanting her to come out NOW, and to wait a couple weeks. She is NOT allowed to come from 1/21-1/24. Too many birthdays in our family, and people I want here can't be here. We'll obviously manage if it happens, but I'll be begging her to stay put from tomorrow until Monday.
Karen and I did some pictures Monday. I was very shocked to see how round and basketball looking my belly was! Just doesn't look like that when I'm looking down at it. You can check them out here:
37 weeks
Now just to keep waiting.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Time to get ready!
I've got 3 weeks to get everything ready for this baby. Yes, I realize it's the absolute earliest she's allowed to come, but school starts as soon as I hit 37 weeks as well, and I'd like to try to get a couple weeks ahead on my school work. Life is going to be busy enough, I want to try to relax and enjoy her as much as possible! I know all too well how very very quickly those first few weeks, and then months go. I'm still in complete shock over how quickly this pregnancy has gone! It still seems like it should be 3 or 4 more months before I'm due.
I've always said I wished babies would stay newborn to 6 months for a year, and then grow normally until 2. And from 2 to 3 should only last 6 months. Or maybe from 12 - 18 years should only last 6 months?
There's so much I want to get done, and with no school for the next few weeks, and the only other household projects (besides the deep cleaning it so desperately needs!!) we're doing is building the swing set the kids got for Christmas. There's the newborn layette set I want to make (all mix and match to make it easier for everyone to help get her dressed or for little ones to pick out her clothes!), my mom's quilt to finish, and of course, the nursery.
I've NEVER had a nursery before. For Chrissy, I had a little area in my room for her crib. There was a wall hanging that matched her crib set, and that was the extent of it. Every baby has spent the first few months in our room, and then gone into a room they shared with someone. This baby will do the same thing, but right now the 2 youngest are sharing a room, and I'm decorating is as the "nursery". Baby girl will eventually go in there as well, and her quilt will coordinate with what I'm doing in there as well.
Crib set and quilt for Alannah's full size bed are being made from these fabrics and their coordinates. I'm not sure I'm going to love the full sized quilt (the top is almost done). If not, I stocked up in a big way when the fabric was discontinued, and I can always make a different one. I won't do a quilt for the crib, Kian has a sock monkey one already. I'm going to make these fabric boxes out of the fabrics and brown corduroy, various sizes to go on the shelves we have on the wall to hold diaper supplies and other odds and ends.
The finishing touch?? A couple sets of these adorable fishes (again in the Heather Ross fabrics) tied together and hung on the walls. I've asked Eric to help me get the room all done as soon as the swing set is finished. We need to paint the walls, Alannah's headboard, the dresser, and some of the shelves. There will definitely be pictures of the progress!
Before I forget - pictures from the last photo shoot (now that it's almost time for another one!). These ones are my favorites, you can see the ones Karen picked here.
I've always said I wished babies would stay newborn to 6 months for a year, and then grow normally until 2. And from 2 to 3 should only last 6 months. Or maybe from 12 - 18 years should only last 6 months?
There's so much I want to get done, and with no school for the next few weeks, and the only other household projects (besides the deep cleaning it so desperately needs!!) we're doing is building the swing set the kids got for Christmas. There's the newborn layette set I want to make (all mix and match to make it easier for everyone to help get her dressed or for little ones to pick out her clothes!), my mom's quilt to finish, and of course, the nursery.
I've NEVER had a nursery before. For Chrissy, I had a little area in my room for her crib. There was a wall hanging that matched her crib set, and that was the extent of it. Every baby has spent the first few months in our room, and then gone into a room they shared with someone. This baby will do the same thing, but right now the 2 youngest are sharing a room, and I'm decorating is as the "nursery". Baby girl will eventually go in there as well, and her quilt will coordinate with what I'm doing in there as well.
Crib set and quilt for Alannah's full size bed are being made from these fabrics and their coordinates. I'm not sure I'm going to love the full sized quilt (the top is almost done). If not, I stocked up in a big way when the fabric was discontinued, and I can always make a different one. I won't do a quilt for the crib, Kian has a sock monkey one already. I'm going to make these fabric boxes out of the fabrics and brown corduroy, various sizes to go on the shelves we have on the wall to hold diaper supplies and other odds and ends.
The finishing touch?? A couple sets of these adorable fishes (again in the Heather Ross fabrics) tied together and hung on the walls. I've asked Eric to help me get the room all done as soon as the swing set is finished. We need to paint the walls, Alannah's headboard, the dresser, and some of the shelves. There will definitely be pictures of the progress!
Before I forget - pictures from the last photo shoot (now that it's almost time for another one!). These ones are my favorites, you can see the ones Karen picked here.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Like I didn't have enough to do already
For whatever reason, this whole pregnancy I've had many many dreams with my mom in them. I really don't mind - they seem to fill a hole in my heart that's been just sitting there gaping. This is the 2nd baby I'll have that will never had been held by her - and the ache that causes wasn't something I had ever even imagined when I was saying goodbye.
Today on the way to school, I was thinking about her and the latest dream. Just remembering the things she did, and what things of hers I held on to. And then I remembered the bag of quilt pieces that she started when I was little - 7 or 8 maybe. She got a couple blocks pieced, but never got any farther than that. I remember going over the colors choices with her - I wanted rainbows, and she obliged for the most part. That bag - that's been through many moves, and even a fire (there's smoke damage on the outside of it) is sitting in my closet. I think it's time for it to come out.
I didn't have this connection with her when I was pregnant with Kian - no more dreams than usual, didn't think and reminisce any more either. This is all new. So I feel compelled to do something different with this baby because of it. And it hit me today what to do. What better way to connect this little girl with the wonderful grandmother that she'll never get to meet, then by finishing the quilt that my mom started for me so long ago?
7 weeks to get it done. I believe it was meant to be a twin size - it will be lap size or crib sized at the most. I have 25 pieces - all of them are stained, I can't decide if I should soak them before or after I put them together. Being stored in a plastic bag for 25 years hasn't done them any favors. And of course I can see why it never got finished. Each piece had to be hand sewn onto the white square. Blah. She had more patience than I do!
Going through the bag makes my heart melt. Besides the pieces to 4 quilts she started (I don't remember her ever finishing one, until the king sized one she made for me about 6 years ago!) there's little notes and drawings for them.
Today on the way to school, I was thinking about her and the latest dream. Just remembering the things she did, and what things of hers I held on to. And then I remembered the bag of quilt pieces that she started when I was little - 7 or 8 maybe. She got a couple blocks pieced, but never got any farther than that. I remember going over the colors choices with her - I wanted rainbows, and she obliged for the most part. That bag - that's been through many moves, and even a fire (there's smoke damage on the outside of it) is sitting in my closet. I think it's time for it to come out.
I didn't have this connection with her when I was pregnant with Kian - no more dreams than usual, didn't think and reminisce any more either. This is all new. So I feel compelled to do something different with this baby because of it. And it hit me today what to do. What better way to connect this little girl with the wonderful grandmother that she'll never get to meet, then by finishing the quilt that my mom started for me so long ago?
7 weeks to get it done. I believe it was meant to be a twin size - it will be lap size or crib sized at the most. I have 25 pieces - all of them are stained, I can't decide if I should soak them before or after I put them together. Being stored in a plastic bag for 25 years hasn't done them any favors. And of course I can see why it never got finished. Each piece had to be hand sewn onto the white square. Blah. She had more patience than I do!
Going through the bag makes my heart melt. Besides the pieces to 4 quilts she started (I don't remember her ever finishing one, until the king sized one she made for me about 6 years ago!) there's little notes and drawings for them.
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