Exhaustion

Okay, so I think I forgot to mention how extremely exhausted I am! And here is what I have been eating the last week:

• Toasted bagels, sometimes with honey, sometimes with PB, sometimes with both.


• Rice Chex cereal.


• Mac and Cheese, from a box, the powdered cheese kind ( I haven't eaten it since my last pregnancy).


• PB Cliff bars.


• Canned chicken soup.


• And lots of Peppermint Lifesavers.

That is my diet. Ugh! Time for a nap.

It is all Coming Back

Only 5 and 1/2 weeks into this pregnancy and it is all coming back to me! I went to bed last night with extreme nausea only to toss and turn for hours until Matt got out of bed and got me some crackers and 7up. That did settle my stomach and I slept well after, however, this morning and until about 2 pm today, the nausea returned. I worked hard at keeping my lunch down and fortunately it was a mellow day with just Sam and I, the T.V. and 4 movies! I did manage to get some laundry done and cook dinner, but otherwise I was the preverbial, "bump on a log".

My extreme sense of smell is here along with very sore and brown nipples...the usual first trimester pregnancy woes. Anyway, I know there are weeks to come of this and I am wishing it was the first time all over again, so I didn't know what to expect! UGH!

Home Birth It is!

After sharing my research wih Matt and meeting with the midwife, Laurie, we have decided to have a home birth! I am so happy about our decision. I know it is definately the right choice for us. I feel so much more relaxed about the pregnancy and I am not as anxious about the birth.

Laurie answered all of our questions perfectly. Our first appointment with her is in 2 weeks. More to come...

Definite Difference

I called the hospital yesterday to learn what the estimated costs for giving birth might be. This is what you'll get for about $10,500.00:

1. A 2-night stay whether you really need to be there or not.


2. An episiotomy (you may not receive this, but you pay for it)


3. A 1 1/2 hour separation from your baby only 1 hour after birth so the baby can have a bath(why?), a Vit. K shot and eye goop. All of this can be denied, but it is not encouraged to do so.


4. Prenatal, delivery and post-pardem care for the mother and the baby.

The positives are that you can have your other children in the delivery room and you baby can room in with you, though it is often encouraged that the baby sleep in the nursery so the parents can rest.

We will pay a little more for a home birth, but it seems worth it to me. We meet with the midwife tomorrow. I can't wait.

Faint, But There

It is faint, but it is there! Yes, I am pregnant again and so excited! We have been trying, but really only had to try one month and I was pretty sure about this one from the start!

About 6 days after I ovulated I had a little spotting and wondered if it was implantation spotting, but didn't want to be too hopeful or over-analytical...but you all know me, I can't help it! I kept looking for the signs and sure enough a few days later I started getting hungry every few hours. I was pretty sure at that point, but still wondering. Then, last Sunday I woke up feeling sick and at that point I was almost positive, but still no test to prove my instincts. Then the next morning I woke with the same sickness....that afternoon I checked my chart to see when my period was due and sure enough, I was close enough to take a test. And there you have it! Now, I am 3 days overdue for my period and feel that this is a sure thing.

I am about 4 1/2 weeks along, still very early. The baby is due to arrive around November 29, but most likely in December. So far I have no sickness as long as I keep eating every few hours and sometimes more frequent than that. I am very tired, however, and find that I need a nap to make it through the day.

We are looking into having a possible home birth, though Matt really wants to explore all of our options, even the hospital, which doesn't excite me. However, money is an issue and the responsible thing to do is what he is suggesting. I have already contacted the midwife and we have a meeting with her next week. I will also call the hospital on Monday and look into the expenses there. Our insurance covers us at 90% in the hospital and only 60% with the midwife...go figure!

Still either way, I am thrilled to be pregnant and so is Matt! Sam seems to know that something is up. He is asking to nurse all the time now which is posing a heated internal battle as to whether or not I should keep nursing or wean completely. I can't decide.

Just For Fun

Recently Sam has:

• become very interested in pretend play and likes to dress, undress, feed, bath and put to bed his monkey and baby doll.


• said a number of two or three word phrases...this morning it was, "What was that?"


• developed into the most colorful and expressive toddler I know in town...I am not just being a biased, love-sick mama either.


• lost interest in long sessions with our beloved babysitter, the T.V. (I am thankful and disappointed all at once).


• enjoyed playing in the sink in the kitchen, pretending to wash dishes and can move the chair from the dining room to the kitchen and climb up to the sink all by himself.


• figured out how to pull out the drawer under the oven and stand on it's edge so he has full access to the stove top...scary.


• learned how to walk down the stairs, upright, without holding on to anything...also scary.


• learned how to open and close all the car doors and loves to hang out in the parked car and play with all the buttons an knobs and wheels...very cute.

Inspiration

There are so many things/people that have been inspiring me lately. Here are a few who help:

1. Skiing. Every time I go skiing I feel so refreshed. The exercise is meditative and I become so focused on my body and my environment. I love it. I am going to morrow afternoon and can't wait.

2. Yoga. I have a new morning yoga class at the YMCA. I begin my Thursdays with so much balance and peace.

3. Scatterville. She is attachment parenting, unschooling...raising 3 phenomenal kids, gutting a house and still has time to create artsy, practical things. Check her out!

4. Undercoverhippie. This woman has two awesome kids she is so patient with, a Douala business, countless groups and organizations she is involved with and she still has time to call me up and tell my she likes my website! I love her!

5. Jane. This is the woman I talk to everyday of my life (just about). I can barely get through my day without my morning coffee and my chat with Jane. She is in the middle of buying a house, raising her sweet boy, getting ready to grow for the market, finding a job...I am humbled by her energy and positivity.

6. Yarn. Just looking at my yarn makes me feel inspired! I love yarn!

7. My Mom and Dad. They both just retired and seem so happy to just be together. They don't seem to do a whole lot...but then again they have spent the last 30 years running around crazy, so who can blame them?

8. My sweet sister. She is on the eternal search for the perfect job. She always seems to have a good outlook on her prospects.

9. The spring rain. The hillside by our house is getting so green and it makes me feel so happy for the gardening that is almost upon us.

10. Matt. My dear husband who tries so hard to keep me happy and does a fabulous job. I wonder how he manages to stay sane sometimes.

11. Sam. His outlook on life is fabulous and when I remember to let go of the "rules", I enjoy it with him too. We spent most of the afternoon outside today in the rain jumping in puddles. It was great.

12. Our community. The active people in our community are wonderful. I have recently become closer with a woman that really enjoys life and is so active with many aspects of this town. I love my friendship with her. We talk about everything and I learn so much from her, plus she never makes me feel like I am an irresponsible parent because of the way I allow Sam to explore. She is a wonderful and creative mother and artist and community activist. Cheers to you Sherri!