Finally Friday

It's finally Friday. It was a busy week. I finished up my Photoshop class and started another one. I have 4 chapters to read over the next 2 days and an assignment due today and tomorrow, but I am so excited, because I am going to learn flash and dreamweaver and some more web design stuff. YAY!

Oh, and last night, I finished my third blog design for Kristen at Diary of a Shoe Addict. So you'll have to check it out.

And I have started on my next one, which I know I will have so much fun with.

I have an extra day care kid well...just today, yesterday and next week. It is the older sister of the 4 year old I watch. I believe she is 6 or 7. I was worried that it would be harder, because she doesn't nap...and bickers with her younger brother. But actually, she has been making things around here easier. For instance, right now, she is in my daughter's bedroom...helping her clean it up. She saw how messy it was, told the miss that she should keep her room clean and got her to start picking it up with her. She is also good at helping me keep an eye on the kids when I run to the bathroom or something. Maybe I should hire her. LOL

Well, that's it for now. Nap time is officially over. All the kids are awake, so my break has ended.

Hopefully now that my horribly time consuming Photoshop class is over, I will be able to blog everyday now, like I used to. I really have missed it. I hope all of you have a wonderful FRIDAY!

So Tired

Phew, I am finally done. I just now, at 10:35 P.M., turned in my last assignment for my Photoshop class. It was such a time consuming class. This is the first class I have taken so far in my program that really wore me out. But, I also have a lot going on right now and I am still feeling my 1st trimester fatigue.

Poor Kristen, a blog design customer, has been having to deal with a servicer who has been very late in getting things done. I promise Kristen, if you are reading this, I will be emailing you your design tomorrow.

I unfortunately don't have a break from classes. My next class, which is advanced web scripting, including java and dreamweaver, starts tomorrow. And, I never bought my textbook. It completely slipped my mind. That is so not like me. But again, there has been so much going on right now. My hubby separates from the Air Force in September, so we've been dealing with going back and forth between should we move, should we stay. We've been searching job ads. I've been looking into short term insurance for us, since once he leaves the Air Force, we will no longer have benefits. So, it's been a crazy time.

Tonight, my midwife came out for an hour or so to meet with me and the hubby. She answered a lot of questions, gave me a wealth of information and made me excited to have my child at home. I had my first two in the hospital.

With my oldest, an almost 4 year old girl, the miss, everything that could possibly go wrong in a labor went wrong. First of all, we were military at the time and for each appointment, I had a different doctor, so that I could meet them all...because it wasn't certain who would be the one on call when I had the baby. So that was weird. It was like at each appointment, I had to go over stuff that I previously went over, but was new to them. I was induced, because she was late. I had wanted to do it naturally, but the pitocin just made everything so hard. By 6 or 7, I got an epidural. I had forceps used in my delivery and it was all so rushed. The communication with the doctors and nurses was horrible. They kind of demanded what needed to be done, without really talking about it with us or explaining it. In a way, it was kinda scary. I bled a lot, I had a 3rd degree tear. And, I ended up having a spinal headache because the epidural was administered incorrectly. They punctured a hole in my spinal area, so fluid was leaking out and it was the WORST headache known to man. So then I had to come back to the hospital to take care of that. I also ended up with a horrible kidney infection as well.

Fast forward to the mister's birth. He is the little guy who just turned one last month. He was born in a different state, but still military. At the military hospital where I had my appointments and birth, they did have midwives on staff. I fell in love with and saw one of them for a few appointments, but then she went away, either on deployment or vacation and I never saw her again.
I was 4 days late with the mister. My water broke, gushed, at home at around 11:30 or so. When I got to the hospital, the doctor there, to deliver the baby, was some guy who I had never met before. That was kinda weird. My nurse was wonderful though. My contractions were intense. They were right on top of each other, with no break. And I had back labor as well. I was in a lot of pain. Thankfully, from my Bradley classes with my first, I understood where in labor I was. I could tell when I was in transition. I got to the hospital at around midnight and had the mister 3 hours later. I knew I was progressing quickly, but when I told the nurses, I got the impression that they didn't believe me. But then they checked me and realized that I wasn't lying. I had an epidural, which I must admit I was afraid of, because of the experience I had with the miss. But, I was in pain. It never worked in time and I felt all of my contractions. It did numb me for the actual pushing and delivery however.

Since this is my 3rd baby and I am having it close to the mister. I am confident that my body will know what to do and remember and that it will go pretty quickly. I know that I can handle labor without meds, but will definitely need help with relaxation and different positions, which I will have the luxury of having. I did tear with the mister as well. And I talked to the midwife about that as well. She said that if I do a water birth and or get into a different position to deliver, that I should greatly reduce my risk of tearing. In the hospital, I would never be allowed to deliver in a different position.

Having births at home is safe. My midwife is certified and has done 179 births since being a midwife. However, she had to apprentice, assist and train for many years. So she has been involved in hundreds more. She has only had to call 911 3 times. Once for a baby who just had severe respiratory problems. One for a mom who was hemorrhaging while delivering a placenta and once for a mom who had a baby wanting to come out feet first.

Safety, mine and the baby's, is her number one priority. She is very well trained. She has to be.

It will be nice to be at home, in the comfort at home, with a midwife who knows me...with the same midwife who has done all of my prenatal care. With the midwife who will assist me with positioning and things to help ease my pain. Who will allow things to progress naturally. Who will not be so eager to grab the forceps.

A lot of the time, hospitals rush it and rush it. Our bodies were designed to give birth in a natural way...progressing naturally. Sometimes, when too much focus is put on how quickly we progress or administering pitocin to speed things along, the body is taken out of its natural course. And then problems arise. And too many c-sections happen....Really.

I know I have some concerned friends who feel that a hospital is safer. But if I am low risk and healthy, there really is no difference...unless there was a life or death or real serious incident. In which case, I could be at the hospital in 3 minutes with an ambulance here in 45 seconds. But I won't be needing that. I'll be fine.

Okay, I am done rambling. I really need some rest.

Pictures As Promised

I promised GG some pictures. And I was supposed to bring the camera with me to the ice cream shoppe, where we took the kids as a special treat for the miss..that she earned. But, I forgot the camera. So, when we got home I took some pictures. The kids were antsy though, so I was surprised that they came out as well as they did.
So, here you go.....

We didn't do it!!!! We're Innocent

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11 Weeks and a little baby bump!

Happy Friday

It's Friday!!! And I am sooooo happy about that! Today is my 5th wedding anniversary. And I think we have only been able to celebrate..one, maybe two, anniversaries together, because he always seemed to be sent somewhere around our anniversary. Last year, I was in Arizona visiting family, while he was away at some class for the month of August. So, tonight we are going to try to go out to eat, with the kids in tow, because I forgot to try to find a sitter. We are hoping that with tons of snacks for the mister and bribing with the miss, that it will be an enjoyable dinner. Then, we will rent a movie, put the kids to bed and cuddle on the couch.

I just hope I won't be tired tonight. I am going to try to stay relaxed, upbeat and fed today, so that I can keep my energy for tonight.

And tomorrow, the hubby is going to take the miss to her gymnastics class for me and bring the mister along too, and he has ordered me to sleep. So, I will take him up on that offer, definitely!

So, the miss is so excited about the pregnancy. She was only two years old when I was pregnant with the mister and I don't think she really understood. But now, she knows that there is a baby in mommy's tummy. I have a little magazine type thing that shows pictures of the fetus from conception to birth, and she has been asking to look at it over and over again. By looking at it, she gets to see images of the baby at each month of the pregnancy. And yesterday, I was laying down and she came over to me and put her hand on my belly. I bet she'll love it once she can start feeling the baby kick and stuff. She does refer to the baby as..."she". The miss is determined that I will be having another girl. Anyway, I think it's going to be very fun going through the pregnancy and watching her excitement at each stage.

The Army post out here, where I will go for my OB care and to have the baby, has a Big Brothers/Big Sisters class for ages 4 and up. So, she'll be 4 in a few months and I am thinking I will take her to the class at some point before the baby comes. It is on a Saturday for a couple of hours. They go over things like, how to hold a baby...and how to help mommy out. And at the end they get a little certificate. I think she'll love it.

Well, that's it for updates for now. I have a huge final project due tomorrow for my Photoshop class and I am working on a blog design as well. So, I am a busy bee on top of my horrid 1st trimester fatigue that seems lately to be sucking out my motivation to get things done around the house...including stuff for my class and what not. But, a few more weeks, and I will be in the 2nd trimester and life will be grand.

Have a great Friday!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Talking to Grandma

Thankful Thursday

So much to be thankful for:

I am thankful for my hubby. I don't think I tell him enough either. Last Friday, I was having a rough day with the day care kids. Somedays I think I am running a zoo and not a daycare. When he got off work, he made a special trip to the store to bring me home a dozen purple roses, my favorite. When he gave them to me, he told me that he wanted me to know how much he appreciated all that I do and that he felt he didn't tell me enough. And he also wanted to help make my day a little brighter. And since I've been tired lately, since I am in my first trimester, he has been helping a lot in the evenings...cooking dinner or playing with the kids. It's been so nice.

I am thankful for my little mister's smiles. They just melt my heart. He is so happy and always smiling and giggling. Sometimes, on the tough days, just getting one of his smiles or sloppy kisses, is all I need to get me out of a grumpy mood.

I am thankful for my daughter's energy. Although, it's tough somedays to keep up with her, she just has this energy and excitement about her. She brings so much fun and so much laughter. I love it!

I am thankful that my cramping has subsided. At the beginning of the week, for 2 days, I was having some painful cramping, that had started to worry me, but since then, it has gone away. I can't wait for my first doctor's appointment so that I can hear the heartbeat and know that the little life inside me is doing well.

I am thankful for Vita-T. It is the Iced Tea vitamin water. I am not a big water fan, but I love this stuff. It's water, vitamins and tea all in one. And I think it is mighty yummy.

I am thankful for the cooler days we have had lately....and for the rain. I love the rain, and our dead grass has needed it badly.

I am thankful for my best friend, my Kate. She was out here visitng last week, and we were able to spend a little bit of time together. We have also been trying to keep in touch more, and it's been wonderful. We've had some great conversations. I am so thankful for her.

And last, but most importantly, I am thankful for all the ways God has been shouting at me lately. Over the past month or so, He's been kinda on the back burner. I've just had so much taking up my time, and I wasn't making the time for Him like I should have been. And so He's been showing Himself in many ways. And I love that He does that. Even when I distance myself, I can still feel Him and hear Him. I know how much He longs to spend time with me. And I love that about Him. He seeks me. He calls after me. And He does it with love and gentleness. I am so thankful for my God.

So Blessed

So, I took some time to blog surf today. I visited Amanda's blog, and came across a video that not only made me teary eyed....but reminded me just how truly blessed I am. You see, I am apparently very fertile. I have had two kids already, and am 9 weeks pregnant with my third. And I feel guilty now, for feeling a bit worried, overwhelmed and maybe not as joyous as I should have been, after finding out last week that I was pregnant.

I know that there are so many people out there who want to have a child...who have been trying and trying to have a child.....who have been spending so much money to try to have a child.

I am so blessed. And of course I know that, but after watching this, it just kinda made me realize it even more.

Here's the video: