On March 4th, 2011 at 12:35pm, Olivia Charlotte was born. She weighed in at 7lbs 9oz and was 20 and 3/4 inches long. She came to us after a long labor and I had to work to get her to come out--but it was worth it!! Mandy took some beautiful photographs of the labor and birth, and put together this amazing slideshow for us. Stay tuned for the birth story!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
A 'sprinkle' for Olivia
I am not sure I've mentioned it on here, but I seriously have the best friends! There is a group of girlfriends I get together with about every month or so if we can, and enjoy just having girl time with. We have done freezer meal exchanges, dinner parties, cocktail parties--you name it. I love each and every one of these girls and if you are reading this going, "hey we are friends why aren't I in on this?" just message me--and you will be! These girls are funny, smart, easy going, and did I mention gorgeous? well you are about to see in the pics. They threw me a sprinkle--kind of like a shower but a smaller scale since this is my second baby. There really isn't a whole lot we need but I did want to spend some girl time just celebrating the end of my pregnancy and the fact that Olivia is going to be here soon!
Mandy hosted (and took some awesome pics!!) and I just can't thank everyone enough. I feel so special, blessed, and loved.
Mandy hosted (and took some awesome pics!!) and I just can't thank everyone enough. I feel so special, blessed, and loved.
Cake pops by Nicole--you can check out her blog here
opening gifts, got some of the cutest cards, clothes, bows, and other baby stuff ever!
a picture of a picture--one of my gifts from Mandy (not to mention maternity, birth and newborn pictures... this girl is too generous I kid you not!) This is a mounted print and I can't decide where to hang it--I love it!
Angela has a diaper cake business, but she knows I cloth diaper. She came up with a 'baby cake' just for me!! Check out Smiling Girl Designs for any diaper cake needs--she now ships anywhere in the country :) Isn't this adorable? This 'cake' had a hooded towel, a bunch of onesies, a couple sleep'n'plays, 2 receiving blankets, washcloths, and a swaddle blanket. All of it is ADORABLE! I didn't want to take it apart but I'm so glad I did! now everything is washed and folded and put away. Can you tell I'm nesting? just a smidge? :)
Me and Mandy. Bff's since high school. 12 years now. That makes me feel old (cuz the mom of two thing wasn't doing that already!)
Me and my Momma--isn't she pretty? and you can really see here how gigantic I am getting. big. as. a. house. I previously thought Olivia would be in the seven pound range. Now I'm thinking more like sevenTEEN ;)
The girl's night crew! So many beautiful girls!
teehee! it looks like she's kissing Olivia but she's just talking to her and telling her to come out!! This totally cracks me up, though :)
newborn diaper stash
so, I hadn't updated the blog in 6 weeks because I have been busy!! Here are some pics of the diaper stash, mostly made by me:
These are burp cloths, 2 layers of cute flannel print with a hidden layer of hemp fleece for absorbancy. I love how they have the cutout to fit nicely over your shoulder. I got this pattern from a friend of mine--so nice of her to share! There are 7 here, and if this kiddo spits anywhere near as much as Staci did this will not be enough, but we have plenty of other prefolds that will work just fine as burp cloths so I'm not too stressed about making more of these.
ahhh the preemie sized prefolds. SO tiny! I had to put a quarter there to show off just how tiny they really are. They should fit as pf's from about 5-9lbs, but we can also use them as burp cloths, doublers, cleaning cloths. so many great uses! I did not make these, they are unbleached Indian pf's.
To the left of the pf's are my homemade wipes. Just one layer of hemp fleece 'serged' around the edges to keep them from fraying. I am using the term 'serged' loosely since I don't have a serger, I just chose an encased zigzag stitch and kept the needle off the fabric on the outside. I really didn't know what I was doing, but they held up well in the wash so that's a plus! They are just wipes. I wasn't too concerned about them being perfect. So far I have 23, and will finish the 24th as soon as I get more thread. I have completely run out!
Teeny tiny newborn sized diapers. The pink ones at the top are all in ones (used just like a disposable, only washed instead of thrown away). Some of them are a microfleece inner (a stay-dry fabric) and some are just cotton flannel. The pink and purple giraffe print has a pink cotton velour inner and these are fitteds. That means they are not waterproof and require a cover. The two on the right are covers (make the pf's and fitteds waterproof). All of these were made by me except the blue diaper--that is one I ordered from diaperswappers. So, all in all, 9 AIO's, 4 fitteds, 24 teeny tiny pf's and 2 covers. SO tiny and CUTE! the fitteds, AIO's and covers should all fit up until about 13 lbs.
This is the next size up, I have 24 infant sized pf's (also unbleached Indian) that will fit from about 8-15lbs, and newborn sized covers that should fit about the same size range. Basically, these should fit Olivia from birth but I was nervous she'd be teeny tiny like her sister so I made some teeny tiny diapers to accomodate that. Anastasia was 5lbs12oz when we brought her home from the hospital--that is a teeny tiny 40weeker!
Close-up of the NB size covers--I am so proud of them! These are the most recent things I've made--my sewing has improved so much. It really is exciting to me! So far there are 2 pink covers and 4 purple covers. Two more pink covers will hopefully be finished by this weekend!
Maternity Pics
Mandy from MLP took some amazing maternity pictures a couple of weeks ago. check them out! here is one of my faves. It always amazes me when I see the finished product of the photographs Mandy takes. She truly is gifted--I'm so lucky to have her as a friend--for much more than just the pictures of course! They are, however, a wonderful bonus :)
38 weeks
We are getting very excited to welcome baby Olivia into our lives on the outside! In just 2 weeks, give or take, our lives are going to be forever changed by a tiny little person. She is going to grow and grow, but she will start out tiny (at least Mommy hopes).
I have set up a bassinette next to my side of the bed, I've been making diapers like crazy, I have my birth bins all set to go--dare I say we are ready? Only a few things left to do--I want to finish up a couple of diaper covers and we need to get the infant seat installed in the car.
As far as birth preparations go, I still need to figure out how to attach the hose to the sink to fill the birth tub, but other than that I think we are good to go. I have an 'emergency birth kit' prepared just in case things happen too quickly and no one can get here in time--and since I'm all prepared for that I'm sure labor will putter in and out just as it did for Staci--giving me plenty of time to cook and clean and prepare.
I think Staci is starting to come around to the idea of there being another baby in the house. She pulled out my shirt and looked down at my chest, pointed and said, "milk" the other day. I was so shocked, but yes Staci that is where milk comes from and that's what the new baby is going to eat! She just looked at me and nodded. She astounds me with her level of perception.
Dear Olivia,
We absolutely cannot wait to meet you! I'm so excited for your birth, to sniff your tiny head and cover it with kisses. I want to introduce you to your daddy and your big sister, I know you will love them just as much as I do.
I've dreamt about you, felt you in my arms and it was SO real. but I am not the only one who has been dreaming about you and your birth. Myself, your daddy, 3 of my friends AND our midwife have all dreamt about your birth. There are a lot of people anticipating your arrival. You are already so loved here, and that love is only going to grow once you arrive.
I keep forming tiny baby faces in my mind, and it's hard to imagine having a baby that doesn't look like your sister. It's going to be so amazing to see what you look like--and to see how your personality is different. We love you dear Olivia and we can't wait to meet you--so please come out soon!
I have set up a bassinette next to my side of the bed, I've been making diapers like crazy, I have my birth bins all set to go--dare I say we are ready? Only a few things left to do--I want to finish up a couple of diaper covers and we need to get the infant seat installed in the car.
As far as birth preparations go, I still need to figure out how to attach the hose to the sink to fill the birth tub, but other than that I think we are good to go. I have an 'emergency birth kit' prepared just in case things happen too quickly and no one can get here in time--and since I'm all prepared for that I'm sure labor will putter in and out just as it did for Staci--giving me plenty of time to cook and clean and prepare.
I think Staci is starting to come around to the idea of there being another baby in the house. She pulled out my shirt and looked down at my chest, pointed and said, "milk" the other day. I was so shocked, but yes Staci that is where milk comes from and that's what the new baby is going to eat! She just looked at me and nodded. She astounds me with her level of perception.
Dear Olivia,
We absolutely cannot wait to meet you! I'm so excited for your birth, to sniff your tiny head and cover it with kisses. I want to introduce you to your daddy and your big sister, I know you will love them just as much as I do.
I've dreamt about you, felt you in my arms and it was SO real. but I am not the only one who has been dreaming about you and your birth. Myself, your daddy, 3 of my friends AND our midwife have all dreamt about your birth. There are a lot of people anticipating your arrival. You are already so loved here, and that love is only going to grow once you arrive.
I keep forming tiny baby faces in my mind, and it's hard to imagine having a baby that doesn't look like your sister. It's going to be so amazing to see what you look like--and to see how your personality is different. We love you dear Olivia and we can't wait to meet you--so please come out soon!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Looking back and planning ahead
Today marks 31 weeks pregnant, and my biggest area of focus right now is preparing for labor and delivery. This is my second time around, and my goal is that it goes at least as well (and hopefully much better) than my first labor and delivery. It is an amazing, almost out of body experience--at least it was for me. Those of you that know me well (and probably even if you don't know me that well!) know that I am a huge supporter of natural labor. In a normal, healthy pregnancy, it is my belief that it's best to allow things to progress as nature intended. Luckily, I was successful in a natural labor and delivery with my first baby. Almost every mom I talked to, excluding my own, basically told me I wouldn't be able to do it. But I did. It wasn't easy, but it was something that was very important to me, and I was lucky that things progressed the way they did in order to allow it to happen.
As I look back on Staci's birth, there are things I know I want to be different. I don't want to have to sign 874 pieces of paper during hard labor. In fact, it's actually illegal to ask a woman in labor to sign anything within a certain distance from a hospital. And yet hospitals still do it. I'm pretty sure I would have signed away my baby for all the reading I was able to do in that state. I don't want a HEP-lock inserted into my wrist during a contraction while another nurse holds me down. I don't want a nurse so unsupportive of natural labor she refuses to acknowledge simple requests, like keeping the lights off and being quiet during contractions. I don't want to be 'checked' when I say no. There is no reason to check until I am ready to push, and shoving your hand where the sun don't shine is still not ok even if I'm in labor. I definitely don't want 15 people to waltz into the room as the baby is crowning to watch the freak show. I literally was thinking to myself, 'perhaps I should apologize for not keeping my nether regions a bit more, well, kept?' I really shouldn't have to worry about that as I prepare to push a baby out, should I? And finally, I don't want a support staff so unfamiliar with the natural progression of labor that my doctor is literally MIA and barely makes it in time to catch the baby.
As the hospital bills started to roll in, I felt angry. We chose to have our birth in the hospital 'just in case' anything went wrong. And I fully understand the reasoning behind that--but I can honestly say in MY situation--a healthy baby and a healthy mommy--the chances of anything going wrong are very, very slim. Nonetheless, it was my first go and I don't regret my choice one bit. But, it was angering to pay so much money when I felt I did not get the kind of care I SHOULD have received for that kind of price. Seriously, if I am paying someone $800 (and that doesn't include what our insurance paid out) to waltz in and catch the baby at the last second, what have I really paid them for? Literally, anyone could have caught her. I could have reached down and grabbed her myself. and saved $800! and that was only for the OB. I think by the time all was said and done, we spent well over 2k, even with the help of our insurance. I felt cheated. I felt mistreated. I was angry.
After much research, and considering my and Olivia's healthy disposition, we have chosen to strive for a homebirth this time around. (GASP, I know) Before you go lecturing me on how unsafe it is, I encourage you to do your own research. I have found surprising information confirming that for healthy babies and healthy pregnancies, it is equally as safe as a hospital birth. If we do need to transfer to a hospital, I live just 10 minutes away. The chances of something going wrong where we couldn't get to the hospital in time are very, very slim. Especially since this is our second baby, and second babies generally come a bit easier than first babies. Also, to put your mind at ease, if anything feels hinky I will not wait to transfer.
A good overview of statistics found by a recent study in the US can be found here.
Another overview of studies done on homebirth around the globe can be found here.
All of that said, as long as I and Olivia stay healthy, a homebirth is ideal for us. But in no way do I think everyone should have or want a homebirth, nor is it appropriate in many situations. Please send healthy, happy, and easy birthing vibes our way! 64 days and counting...give or take ;)
As I look back on Staci's birth, there are things I know I want to be different. I don't want to have to sign 874 pieces of paper during hard labor. In fact, it's actually illegal to ask a woman in labor to sign anything within a certain distance from a hospital. And yet hospitals still do it. I'm pretty sure I would have signed away my baby for all the reading I was able to do in that state. I don't want a HEP-lock inserted into my wrist during a contraction while another nurse holds me down. I don't want a nurse so unsupportive of natural labor she refuses to acknowledge simple requests, like keeping the lights off and being quiet during contractions. I don't want to be 'checked' when I say no. There is no reason to check until I am ready to push, and shoving your hand where the sun don't shine is still not ok even if I'm in labor. I definitely don't want 15 people to waltz into the room as the baby is crowning to watch the freak show. I literally was thinking to myself, 'perhaps I should apologize for not keeping my nether regions a bit more, well, kept?' I really shouldn't have to worry about that as I prepare to push a baby out, should I? And finally, I don't want a support staff so unfamiliar with the natural progression of labor that my doctor is literally MIA and barely makes it in time to catch the baby.
As the hospital bills started to roll in, I felt angry. We chose to have our birth in the hospital 'just in case' anything went wrong. And I fully understand the reasoning behind that--but I can honestly say in MY situation--a healthy baby and a healthy mommy--the chances of anything going wrong are very, very slim. Nonetheless, it was my first go and I don't regret my choice one bit. But, it was angering to pay so much money when I felt I did not get the kind of care I SHOULD have received for that kind of price. Seriously, if I am paying someone $800 (and that doesn't include what our insurance paid out) to waltz in and catch the baby at the last second, what have I really paid them for? Literally, anyone could have caught her. I could have reached down and grabbed her myself. and saved $800! and that was only for the OB. I think by the time all was said and done, we spent well over 2k, even with the help of our insurance. I felt cheated. I felt mistreated. I was angry.
After much research, and considering my and Olivia's healthy disposition, we have chosen to strive for a homebirth this time around. (GASP, I know) Before you go lecturing me on how unsafe it is, I encourage you to do your own research. I have found surprising information confirming that for healthy babies and healthy pregnancies, it is equally as safe as a hospital birth. If we do need to transfer to a hospital, I live just 10 minutes away. The chances of something going wrong where we couldn't get to the hospital in time are very, very slim. Especially since this is our second baby, and second babies generally come a bit easier than first babies. Also, to put your mind at ease, if anything feels hinky I will not wait to transfer.
A good overview of statistics found by a recent study in the US can be found here.
Another overview of studies done on homebirth around the globe can be found here.
All of that said, as long as I and Olivia stay healthy, a homebirth is ideal for us. But in no way do I think everyone should have or want a homebirth, nor is it appropriate in many situations. Please send healthy, happy, and easy birthing vibes our way! 64 days and counting...give or take ;)
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