A Brand New Life

The wait is over - we are finally proud and happy parents!!!


Charlotte Olivia Hord came into our life this last Friday, September 11th (9 days to "due" date), at 5:24 pm. Weighing a healthy 8 lbs. 6 oz., and measuring 20" long, she was the picture of health and strength - as evident by her scream upon arrival, and continued signs of her "personality". ;-)



(let it be known, mama's intuition came through - early, and a girl, is what I was predicting)

This really should be a long and detailed post, but I haven't the time or the energy. I promise more details later..and, of course, more pictures.

But, I'd like to brag about my amazing husband - how wonderfully committed, and strong, and caring my prince was - and continues to be...how beautiful as well as handsome he is to me this day...how he continues to prove to be the man I married - and then some. Since the official "start" of labor, at 12:30 am Friday morning, Michael came through in every way imaginable. As well as in ways I never would have dreamed. That day, Michael changed as a man. Labor hit a button, and - I mean it when I say this - he became who he was meant to be. A father. I owe to him this beautiful experience.

More to come. For now, wish us luck in our first week as a family!

Weekly Mama Meditation

From The Tao of Motherhood:


Influence

Right Mothering is honored from
generation to generation. Like an
old tree with untold roots, it holds
firm through countless storms.

Behave toward yourself with
loving kindness, and serenity
will emanate from you

When you are serene,
your life is in order.

When your life is in order,
you family is harmonious.

Your family affects your
community. Your community
influences your culture.
Your culture influences the world.

How do I know?

Just by looking around.

Labor Day!!

...oi, I wish!

We're 38 weeks now, and these next couple (or 4...) are going to be long ones - assuming Jellybean waits that long. A part of me still feels like this is going to happen early, despite the fact that I've had NO signs of impending labor. Not even a Braxton Hicks contraction (at least not to my knowledge) much less the passing of "the plug" or anything else...

I'm sure my uterus has been contracting, getting ready, but I'm not feeling it. Or, I'm feeling it and mistaking it for gas. Whatever the case, I'm still Just Pregnant.

Just Pregnant meaning: carrying around what feels like a beach ball filled with water; feet and ankles ALWAYS swollen, which hurts (have you ever had your skin stretched to its capacity? Ouch.); fingers practically inoperable most days (but I push them anyways - too much to do); and so, so, so tired. I don't "do" tired well. I'm cranky (bless my prince of a husband - he's still here!!) and my face looks like it's melting into my neck, it's so droopy.

Oh, and have I mentioned, I have two chins?!

Another thing I experienced recently, which I'm assuming was brought on by the onslaught of pregnancy hormones and the changes happening in my body, is an ocular migraine. If you've never had one, check out the link- so you at least won't freak out and call your husband, sounding frantic, convinced you're losing your eyesight.

I apologize for the pissiness. I'm just really to the point where I'd like my body back, and my baby out here with me...

On a happy note, my very dear friend Andrea came for a visit this weekend. It was so nice to hang out and just be in each others' "energy" again. It had been far too long!! Not only was it my wedding (last October) that I last saw her, the last few times I've seen her have been such hurried and busy visits. This was a nice, nearly 2 day visit with no place to be or anything to really "do", and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Our good friend, Meredith, joined us for Renaissance Festival yesterday, and the three of us hung out into the evening. Despite the fact that Michael and I had a lot of canning to do (thanks, girls, for peeling peppers and tomatoes!!), I was still able to sit and visit quite a bit. It was really wonderful.

This week will be a busy one. Besides the last few things we need to do around the house to ready for JB's arrival, we're taking a breastfeeding class and a CPR class. Looks like we'll also have a "last minute, late housewarming, see you all in a few months when we've gotten some sleep, co-ed shower" type thingy. We figure once it's baby time, we'll be M.I.A. for a while, and we'd like to get friends (and local fam) together one last time before then. We never did end up having a housewarming party, so a lot of folks haven't even been to our house yet. AND, we are still in need of some things before babe comes (registry items, frozen meals, etc.). This will be an opportunity for all of those things to come together. We certainly hope as many people can come as possible.

I have to send a special shout out to our friends Kelly and Jason for their generous gift! They have provided us with our first 12 weeks of diaper service!! (from Do Good Diapers) Knowing that we would be going the cloth route, they had delivered last week a heaping diaper can of cloth diapers along with the knowledge (and relief) that - for at least the first 3 months of parenthood - we won't have to wash poopy diapers. What an incredible gift - many, many thanks to you guys, again!!!

Well, that's all for now. See you here (or here) next weekend!

Links to registries: Target and Twin Cities Green

Mama Meditation - Week 37

(late again...this should have gone up Sunday)

From The Tao of Motherhood:

Relax

First time mothers read all the
books and cling to theories and
gadgets.

Fifth time mothers have taken it
all in and let it sink into the
unconscious. Equipment has worn
out and the child is given wooden
spoons and the easy company of
present-focused people.

The youngest child is usually the
most relaxed.

And, 37 weeks....

Eeshk! I have no idea where that word came from, but I've been saying it a lot over the past few months. That word, whatever it means, pretty much sums up how I'm feeling lately, just by the sound of it. Between the size of this belly inhibiting me (bending over to put shoes on, not to mention clipping the toenails - eeshk!), and the fact that growing baby is making it more difficult to breathe (and putting lots of pressure on the bladder/urethra/vagina - eeshk!), along with the never ending list of things to do (freezing and canning food for the Winter, finding a pediatritian, finishing the deep cleaning, finishing JB's room - EESHK!)....

Well, the to do list doesn't seem to end (on the contrary, it seems to grow), but thank goodness for this cooler weather!! I feel a bit more energized since Saturday, when it cooled off significantly (especially overnight), so I feel confident this week will be the week to plow through that list (with plenty of breaks, of course; don't worry, I'm well aware of my limits).

One "downer" this week: my test for Group B Strep came back positive. Apparently it's not uncommon for a pregnant woman to be carrying this bacteria, and it's a common enough bacteria in women in general that if all women were tested on a regular basis throughout their lives, each one of us would test positive at some point or another. It's just a bacteria that lives in either the gut, the rectum or the vagina, and there is no known cause. It's not an STD or anything preventable. It's just there. And I'm currently a carrier. Which means there's a slim chance I could pass it to baby during delivery. If that happens, there's a slim chance baby could become infected and get sick. Slim chances or not, it's recommended that an IV of antibiotics be administered during labor. I'm looking into it, however, and plan to have a lengthy discussion with my midwife this week. The hope, of course, is to not be "hooked up" and medicated during delivery. But, if it turns out our research leads us to err on the side of caution, that's what will have to be done. So be it.

Oh, and did I mention I'm a duplex? ;-) Look at that tummy!! Anyone else with me on the early arrival bet? If I had to guess, I would say this baby is easily full term, in terms of size. And, oh boy, is he/she going to have an appetite! I hope my breasts can keep up!!

Jellybean's room is so, so close to done!! Just a couple more things to do/get and I'll have pictures posted here. If I can brag about anything, it's that the room, along with all of the "stuff" for welcoming baby home, has been accomplished on the cheap. It hasn't always been easy, and it may not be "ideal", but it's getting done, and done inexpensively. That makes me feel good. Plus, doing it this way, as opposed to running out and shopping like crazy at all the "baby stores", has made the room more unique and personal. I'm very happy about the fact that I had a vision and I followed through, especially when it came to sewing. Being an amateur sewer (at best) I think things turned out pretty well.

Speaking of which...I should be off. Should get things done while the fingers work and I can still make out that I have ankles.

Doin' The Happy Mama Dance!

Prenatal visit went superbly today! And, oh what a relief. I tend to worry myself (if you know me, you're not surprised). I got it into my head that - certainly - my blood pressure was high, because I was getting exhausted more easily and feeling rushes to my heart, and the swelling in my feet has become pretty regular. Then, I got to thinking, "That's it, I'll go in and they'll tell me my BP is high and there's protein in my urine, and diagnose me preeclamptic". Alas, once again, worry over nothing...



*Urine: good

*Blood pressure: within normal

*Pricked finger for one last hemoglobin test: no worries there

*Group B Strep: still out, fingers crossed (wouldn't be a big deal; just don't want to deal with it come delivery time)

*Fetal heart rate (normal is 120-160): 150-160

*Fetal growth: good

*Baby's head is down (hoorah!!...now stay that way, Jellybean)

Now we're scheduled to have a prenatal visit every week...and there's only 3 more visits scheduled before the "due date"! I feel confident everything will continue to go well.

The Name Game

So it's settled...to a point.

If JB is a boy:

William Andrew Hord

If JB is a girl:

Charlotte _________ Hord

Middle name possibilities for Charlotte:

Caroline
Christine
Olivia
Anne

Any suggestions or opinions? All are welcome!