Month: March 2012

Then & Now, A Rough Few Days…

by Ashley filed under Ashley
Last February, for Willy’s birthday, I made him a little book with snapshots of our life and growing family. Hooper was just a few months old at the time and Sarah had just recovered from a rattlesnake bite she suffered a month prior. I included a picture of Sarah in the book and for shits and giggles I cut out a little slithery snake and glued it near Sarah’s flap, where she had been bitten. When she was out of the woods, we joked about the two little gash marks she had on her cheek, referring to them as battle wounds. She looked so tough with those fang marks. Overtime they went away and the snakebite was just a memory.
Until now. It’s been a rough couple days around these parts. For starters, I’ve had some major pregnancy discomforts. Bad enough to call in sick to work, two days in a row. I’m still in a fair amount of discomfort, but my worries and energy now are geared toward Sarah who we picked up from the vet yesterday. She was bit by a rattlesnake, again, on Thursday. I took her over to my parents house around 3pm to play with their dog and get some of her energy out in their large backyard only to go out and check on her and find her with grossly inflamed flaps. This is not the first time her flaps have been grossly inflamed and it never leads to anything good. I got her in the car and rushed her to the vet immediately. She threw up all over my car. The vet seemed to think it was another bee sting. She’s been stung twice before and is allergic and nearly goes into anaphylactic shock each time. They gave her some epinephrine and benadryl and I took her home. The swelling seemed to be getting worse and a large amount of fluid started collecting under her chin making it appear that she swallowed a tennis ball. Red flags started going off at this point. When she was bit by a rattlesnake the first time, it looked like someone implanted a huge softball in the side of her neck. Willy and I examined her further and found a little blood seeping under her nose where she was “stung”. Odd for a bee sting to still be oozing blood (FYI: rattlesnake venom causes bleeding problems and dogs that do die from the bites usually die due to internal bleeding). Under her flap we noticed a bruise. More red flags. So at 8:30pm I took her back to vet. Another vet saw her and confirmed that he thought it was a snakebite. He gave me the option of getting the anti-venom but also said that being hours after the bite it wouldn’t necessarily work. Anti-venom costs $600. Sarah was alert at this time, playful, and eating treats. We opted to pass on the anti venom after weighing the pros and cons and talking to Willy’s dad who is a dairy veterinarian. I did ask that they give her something for pain as she was incredibly restless and unable to lay down without getting up 20 seconds later to reposition herself. My heart aches just recounting this story. They gave her some dilaudid, a very strong narcotic, and, once again, I took her home. It was 10:30pm by the time I got home and we were instructed to keep an eye on the bruise under her flap to be sure it didn’t get bigger. Willy and I sat with heavy hearts on the sofa watching as her rib cage slowly rose and fell. We got up every 20 minutes or so to go sit by her and re-assess the swelling and the bruise. The swelling seemed to be getting worse and she could hardly keep her left eye open. It was obvious we weren’t going to get any rest, rest I for one definitely needed, so at midnight Willy scooped her back up and brought her back to the vet. She spent Thursday night there. We picked her up Friday afternoon and she seems to be doing okay, but we won’t know if she is out of the woods until another day or so. The concern now is that the area of bruising under her flap becomes necrotic. If that happens, we’re in for many more problems. Willy asked me this morning what we should do if that occurs. Unable to muster up the energy to think negatively, I told him we’d wait until it’s an issue.
Sarah and I spent much of Friay together, on the bed, resting and recuperating. But yes, it’s been a rough few days…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bits + Pieces

by Ashley filed under Ashley, Bits + Pieces, Hooper
Snapshots from our week:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a time when Hooper was more into the trash can than his toys. He’s still into the trash cans, trust me, but he’s also discovering the mounds of toys in his room. He’s hell bent on learning how this little vintage Mickey winds. He hasn’t got the dexterity quite yet // Papa likes to call this cuddle time. I call it the let me distract you with YouTube videos on my phone so I can enjoy your little body in this crevice here I made for you. Either way, it’s time enjoyed on both ends // We listened to records. Lots of Mellow Yellow in celebration of Hooper’s apparent favorite color, “weyow” // Bath time is always a good time. If I could photograph babies in the bath for the rest of my life, I think I’d be totally content. No matter how many pictures I’ve taken of him in the bath, they are all different. Definitely one of my favorite times to grab my camera. Keeping my camera dry, on the other hand, now therein lies the challenge // We read some books. Of course Hooper found the one book with a broom in it // Hooper played with the remotes, a daily rite of passage. I cannot tell you how many times Willy has come home and asked me why I’m recording the news in Spanish or the direct TV information channel // Hooper found a hidden toy. It was hidden because it does not belong to him. It’s a gift awaiting to be given. He will be sad to see it go // I found the most perfect vintage plastic bowls. You may remember when my hunt started a while back. They are Hooper-proof, it says so on the bottom: Unbreakable // But those dishes in the dishwasher you see above, they are breakable, and a very little human would like nothing more than to grab one and throw it right off of the rack.
Happy Friday!

The Day the House Stayed Dirty

by Ashley filed under Ashley, Hooper
It was a weekday and I had the day off from work. I did two loads of laundry and ran the dishwasher in the morning and by the time Hooper woke up from his nap, I felt like that was enough. So I left the unfolded laundry, a dishwasher full of clean dishes, and a house with things strewn about, grabbed Hooper and headed to the beach. It was a nice day, not overly hot, with the occasional breeze that made you think twice about grabbing your jacket. We took the windy road over the mountain and parked it at the first beach we came to. One family to our right, a man sleeping with his bicycle to our left, the pacific ocean directly in front of us, blue skies overhead. It was the perfect way to spend the day, a perfect way to break the monotony, a perfect way to celebrate my days off with this little joy of ours.
I watched as Hooper slowly warmed up to his new surroundings, sifting his fingers through the sand, chewing on sticks that had washed ashore. I watched as he discovered the seagulls and continued to watch as he put all of his energy toward catching up to one. There’s nothing like watching an innocent child run after something that can fly. The first of many lessons, I suppose. I scooped him up, plopped him on my lap and tried to show him the beauty in merely watching the birds swarming above us. He rested his head on my shoulder for a second and it was all I needed to know the moment, the day, was well spent.
We returned home to dishes waiting to be put away, laundry waiting to be folded, and toys waiting to be placed back on the shelf. But we added a coin to memory bank and for that, we’re just a little richer. Sometimes, house work can wait.

Hooper @ 16 Months

by Ashley filed under Ashley, Hooper
Growth: You haven’t been weighed or measured this month but what I can tell you is that you are growing out of your 12 month pajamas and into the 18-24 month sizes. We bought you new shoes this month, as your feet have grown out of the size four. We opted to get you a size five instead of a 4.5 so you have some room to grow and we can save some money. You’re still wearing size 4 diapers. I’m starting to lose track of how many teeth you have, but you definitely have four front teeth on top and four on the bottom and I believe you have 3 molars with one more just pushing it’s way through. You handle teething like a champion. With the exception of some extra fussiness for a night, we’d have no idea. In fact, I checked your mouth just the other night because you were a bit on the fussy side and that’s when I discovered three had already come through and one side was swollen, prepping for another little rascal to join the others. Not sure when the three others came through and why those didn’t seem to bother you, but this mama ain’t complaining.
Feeding: You eat a lot of what you like. You can polish off a container of fresh raspberries in two days, possibly one if I let you. Those are your favorite at the moment, as blueberries have fallen to the wayside. You’ve also become a mac n’ cheese monger. We discovered this one night at Red Lobster where you ate an entire plate of mac n’ cheese faster than the Wiggles can jump into their big red car. Raisins are still your favorite snack. As a result there are always stale raisins at the bottom of my purse. You could care less, you’ll eat em’ however you find em’. Other things you’re fond of these days are whole wheat bagels with cream cheese, carrots with ranch, scrambled eggs with cheese, yogurt, chicken fried rice, chicken pesto pasta, ground beef with taco seasoning, most any cheese and, of course, chicken nuggets. If you’re really good, we’ll give you a nugget of dog food for dessert, which is still your all time favorite. Seriously. You also have a new obsession with the temperature of your food and like to think everything is “ha-ha-ha” or hot. 
You drink anywhere from 15-25 ounces of whole milk a day. You’ve also finally started to like juice, which we discovered the same night at Red Lobster. Although in hindsight, I’m not sure if it was the juice you liked or if it was just the cup and straw that you truly fancied. Either way, we discovered that night that you can drink from a straw. It was exciting. 
(note the food on Sarah’s face)
Sarah is never far away when food is around and you are still very nice about sharing with her. I’ve come to think having a dog is absolutely essential for no other reason than their contribution to clean up. Sarah really cuts down on the post-meal pick-up.
Sleeping: I hope you teach your bother early on how awesome it is to sleep through the night and take long naps, cuz you are king of sleeping. When you’re awake, you never stop moving and then you crash, but you’re moving right up until I place you in your crib. Then you grab your blanket, stick those two fingers in your mouth, and you’re out. It’s lovely. Typically you play for a while in your crib before you’re ready to come out. Other times you whine until someone comes in. Either way, as soon as that door opens, the first thing out of your mouth is “ca-ca” as you grab your diaper. Yes, you love to notify us of the shit in your pants. If papa’s around and hasn’t heard this proclamation, sometimes I convince him you said “pa-pa” and with honor and pride he comes running into your room to free you from your little prison. He’s never too stoked with the surprise. Other times you say “ca-ca” but haven’t shit, Papa coined this the feces fake out.
Talking: Oh your little voice just melts my heart. The repetitive baby talk like ca-ca, ma-ma, pa-pa, da-da is one thing, but when those two syllable words or words with meaning attached come out of your mouth I just want to eat you all in one massive bite. The way you say “baby” is just precious as can be. You see a picture of yourself on the computer and declare, “baby”. You see a 6 year old on the side walk and declare, “baby”. You point to my belly and declare, “baby”. You see a stroller, or even a wheelchair, and declare, “baby”. And yes, in case you’re wondering, it’s quite embarrassing when you refer to a 90 year old woman being pushed around in a wheelchair as a baby. You’ll be there one day too, you know. You also say “yellow”, but it comes out “weyow”. Willy has you saying “Willy”, but it comes out like “wewwE”. You say “een” for “green” and “bo” for “blue”. You also say “bone”, “broom” (though you still roll the “r” with your lips), “whoa”, “koki” for “cookie”, and “bayoon” for balloon. You’ll repeat just about anything, but you have surprisingly made no attempt to say “Sarah” or even “doggie”. Not sure why, she’s clearly your best bud. 
As I mentioned before, you are enthralled with hot things. You point to lights and the oven and stove and proclaim “ha-ha-ha”. We’ve tried to convince you that things we don’t want you to touch like our iPhones are also hot, but I think you’re just confused or know we’re fibbing because you’ll go ahead and touch it anyway. You’re also still obsessed with brooms and point out, wherever we are, where the broom is. It’s funny, nearly every major establishment has a broom tucked away somewhere. Not sure how, but you always spot them.
Development: Hooper, seriously, what’s with the pinching when you want to get your way? Your little fingers are like claws and you sink them into my skin like an overweight man with butter on his legs in quick sand. Or something like that. Really though, who taught you to pinch? Sarah doesn’t have thumbs, so I can’t blame her for this one. What I can blame her for is your behavior with other children. Yes, you treat your counterparts like dogs. You want them to chase you like Sarah does, so you initiate a game of chase by going up to other children and hitting him, or tagging them as I prefer to call it. I know you are not trying to be malicious, but if some little boy did that to you I’d want to whop him from here to China, where they could put him to work in a factory and feed him only stale rice. What I’m trying to say is that children are not animals and you cannot play with them like you do with Sarah. Capiche? I feel like handing each kid you hit a buck and saying “I’m so sorry”. You’re like the boy that was raised by wolves. The only play you’ve learned has been from Sarah and it’s very aggressive and hands on. Not sure what to do about this.
You know most of your body parts and can point out things like your teeth and knees, in addition to your head, hair, eyes, ears, nose, and feet. You love a good game of chase or simply running back and forth between your Papa and I. You could stay outdoors forever, making games out of throwing dirt into the ivy or reorganizing the rocks. You still love YouTube videos and are especially into the Wiggles. Papa and I know Greg, Murray, Anthony, and Jeff well and can’t get over their silly antics. Those Wiggles are really something.
Your confidence is budding so beautifully. You’re so stoked on yourself. It’s funny to witness as you do something for the first time or do something you think is so cool and this tidal wave of pride just washes over your little face in the sweetest way. You wear confidence beautifully and I hope it never leaves.

The Sarah & Joplin Extravaganza

by Ashley filed under Ashley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love dogs. So does Willy. We both grew up with dogs for the better part of our childhoods and when we finally moved into our home nearly three years ago, it wasn’t long before Sarah joined us. Willy has nagged me to get another dog since. A “friend” for Sarah, he protests. I’d bring up things like lack of space and cost of vet bills. In Sarah’s first year of life she almost died from aspiration pneumonia after a botched spay, got bit a rattle snake, had an anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting twice, not to mention the non-near-death vet visits like ear infections, a possible tick bite after camping in the woods, and giardia. Multiply that by two and I don’t know that we could stomach it emotionally or financially. Lately it’s been easier to put off his request as I protest with a mere glance down at my belly and a shake of my head proclaiming, “Oh no, I’m not allowing a puppy to join this family at the same time as a newborn”.
Well this past weekend, we dog sat. Sarah has many boxer friends and one of them, Joplin, joined us for one night.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a blast. The sofa was rearranged about five feet back and at a diagonal slant and the cushions were thrown off faster than you could say “Get off the sofa!”. It was pure mayhem and it didn’t stop all. weekend. long. To make matters worse, Sunday was a downpour and poor Willy was stuck inside with Hooper and two overly playful dogs while I worked. Needless to say, after the mayhem that took over our house, the all night long whining due to separation from one another, and the five o’clock in the morning surprise jump on the bed lick fest, Willy came to a smart decision: One dog is enough. That husband o’ mine, he’s a wise one.
Here’s some shots from the Sarah & Joplin Extravaganza:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks relatively calm and easy, right? It took many treats to get these two still for a couple pictures. The rest of the weekend looked like this:

24 Weeks

by Ashley filed under Ashley, Pregnancy
Time seemed to be buzzing by, it seemed like I only knew what week of pregnancy I was in because I was blogging about it. Now time has slowed and July feels like forever away. I’m tired. I’m still sleeping good, but for whatever reason my back aches like hell when I’m on my left side so I can only sleep on my right side. That is, until the arm I’m lying on falls asleep and I have to switch to my left side, which is only temporary because then my back starts hurting. You get the idea. And worst of all, I find myself secretly planning on and hoping for an early delivery. Why is this dangerous, you ask? Because Hooper stayed cookin’ in the pot until I was nearly 42 weeks and had to evacuate him from the womb. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before, but those two weeks being post-due were absolutely emotionally excruciating. Those two weeks have formed my number one advice given to first time mom’s: Plan on a 42 week gestational period. As my due date passed, it started to feel like the gap between my due date and a supposed expiration date was closing. To avoid this turmoil, I’ve opted to go with the latest possible due date and in my own head I’ve added a week or so on to this. But, with time now beginning to slow the idea of cutting a month off this pregnancy and still giving birth to a full-term baby is more than tantalizing. In any case, I hate to complain this early on. I know things are bound to get bigger and more uncomfortable and at this point, I ought to praise the pregnancy gods that I can still put my shoes on and even bend over to tie the laces. And, of course, I’d also like to praise the pregnancy gods for this beautiful gift growing inside me. It may bring discomfort and fatigue and all that good stuff, but with each little jab, wiggle, and kick, I’m reminded that it truly is a blessing and the best gift I’ll ever be given.

Post-Pregnancy-Prize-Pack

by Ashley filed under Ashley, Pregnancy
It’s no secret that I dream of clothes I can wear when I’m no longer pregnant. Don’t get me wrong, I love the challenge of making what I own work with my pregnant belly. But when I separated my little closet into my no way will I be able to wear this section and my clothes that MAY work with pregnancy section, I immediately started missing the neglected half. I remember taking a childbirth class when I was pregnant with Hooper and the instructor suggested the women buy a dress during their pregnancy that they plan on wearing after giving birth. A little gift from your pregnant self to your newly defined mama self. My eyes instantly lit up as I told Willy, she’s the one who suggested it, not me. Well this time around I thought I’d do something similar, though a little grandeur. I’m putting together what I’m calling a post-pregnancy-prize-pack. I’ve bought a few things over the past few months that in no way, shape, or form are appropriate for the two of us. And when I say the two of us I mean myself and this incredibly noticeable jetting out belly o’ mine. So I’ve placed these little gems in a delicate little box where I hope to forget them and then re-marvel at them at a later time, post birth. Who said I was going to include my favorite bottle of wine as well? I didn’t say that! No I didn’t… Okay, some sweet white wine may be thrown in as well. Cheers! 
What would you include in your post-pregnancy-prize-pack?
Photo source

Baby Registry Ideas

by Ashley filed under Ashley, Pregnancy
I’m hesitant to give my two cents on baby registries because I consider my own far from successful. But, what I can offer is a logical list of what you’ll need and tips I learned from mistakes I made. Here we go:

 

1 & 2. The Boppy and the Bumbo: Two small essentials. The boppy is great for breast feeding and the bumbo is great for when your little one has good head control but can’t sit on their own yet. Truthfully, I used the bumbo with the tray as a high chair for a while. It’s great because it’s small and portable. I’d sit Hooper on the kitchen counter while I cleaned up. And no, I never left him unattended in it. Don’t worry. The Boppy can also be used to work on head control, as it supports a baby lying on their stomach.
3. Nursing Bra: I have two nursing bras made by Bravado that I LOVE. Want to know a secret? I still wear them. Partly because my boobs are still too big to fit into my old B cup bras and partly because they’re just so comfortable I haven’t wanted to look for another bra. I figure my breasts will be filling with milk soon enough, so rather than waste the money on a bra that will fit today but not four months from now, I stick with these.
4. Bath tub + shampoo + towel + grooming kit: The options for bathing your little one are endless. We have the Primo Euro-Bath, which is fantastic. It adjusts to fit both a newborn and a sitting aged baby perfectly and is easy to empty and clean. The only downside is that it is rather large. For a while we only had one functional bathroom and we had to stand the EuroBath up to shower and it was always in our way. If you have a separate bathroom, preferably with a tub, then simply placing the Eurobath within the tub would eliminate this problem. I also used to set the bath on the kitchen counter and do the dishes while giving Hooper a bath. Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Again, you learn as you go. Shampoo is a personal choice, there’s tons of options, I like the Bert’s Bees but we tend to use a few different brands. I splurged before Hooper was born and bought this ridiculously priced bath towel made by 3Sprouts. Of all the silly things to spend money on, I think this was my biggest regret. You can dry your baby off with any old towel, save your money.  The grooming kit should include a brush and nail trimmers (we used hand mittens for way too long because we were scared to cut those little nails, be brave and learn from me).
5. Baby Carrier: We used the Baby Bjorn until Hooper was old enough to separate his legs and hold his head, then we used the Ergo Baby. I like the look and the feel of the Ergo baby better, but it’s not really made, as far as I know, to accommodate the floppiness of the newborn stage. Luckily we were given the Baby Bjorn as a hand-me down, so we only bought one carrier. I would check craigslist for a used Baby Bjorn and buy a Ergo Baby. The Ergo Baby can be used all the way through toddler hood as it can be used as a back carrier as well.
6. Diaper Pail + extra bags: We initially purchased the Diaper Dekor Plus Pail, which worked great for the first year. Then it started to smell. Once Hooper was eating more solids, his shit changed and the pail no longer handled the smell so well. When I looked up other pails I read of other mom’s atesting to the same thing. Based on reviews, we changed to the Arm & Hammer Munchkin Pail. The bags are easy to change and best of all, no more stench. I recommend this one from the get go.
7. Diaper Bag: Truthfully, I rarely use our diaper bag. If we have a day planned at the beach or are going on vacation, I take it. But for day to day errands and trips I just keep wipes and an extra diaper or two in my car. I think you could get by just using a purse, especially with some of the over-sized purses out there nowadays. I have the StorkSak Olivia Diaper Bag, which I splurged on after my purse idea busted on me (I was using a cheap fabric purse). I get many compliments on it and I love it, but like I said, I don’t use it enough to justify spending that much on a diaper bag.
8. Car Seat + Extra Base: We had one car seat given to us as a hand-me-down and bought another one used on craiglist. I think the recommendation is to replace a car seat every 5 years, but both of the ones we have are in excellent condition and happen to be less than 5 years old. We have the Graco Snugride solely because it’s what was compatible with our Bugaboo stroller. What do I mean by compatible, you ask? See, I would have asked the same thing the first time around. Again, you learn as you go. The Bugaboo stroller comes with a standard frame and has an attachment that works with the Graco Snugride so you can simply snap the car seat into the frame. We used this method exclusively until about six months or so when Hooper weighted too much to be lugging that thing in and out of the car. It worked out well, because at six months he was able to sit up in the stroller anyway. Whether you go with the Bugaboo or another stroller, a “snap-and-go” is definitely handy. It’s no fun to wake a sleeping newborn in their comfy car seat to transfer them to a stroller. Much easier to take the car seat out and snap it into the stroller. Oh yes, get an extra care seat base for ease of sharing between two cars. Tons of people sell used extra bases on craiglist for cheap. 
9. Monitor: If you have a small house, screw the monitor. A mother is like a hawk when it comes to her baby crying. We have a small house and Hooper’s room is right next to ours, however, Willy insists on sleeping with a white noise maker which makes it hard to hear anything else. We currently have the Sony Baby Call Monitor, which is one of the best priced monitors around. Originally we bought the Angelcare monitor , but after a few months it started to develop this terrible ticking noise. It was right around the time Hooper was sleeping a solid 4-5 hours straight, so to be awoken instead by a ticking monitor was the absolute worst. If they had a monitor destruction yard, I would have taken it there. This monitor deserved the very worst of fates. I’ve had no issues with the Sony Baby Call and, like I said, it’s one of the cheapest out there.
10. Breast Pump: If you are a working mama like myself, you will enter the unfortunate world of pumping. People can say whatever they want and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but sitting with a machine attached to my tits in a tiny closet sized room with a billion work stresses around me was not fun. I dread the thought of not only returning to work and leaving two babies now, but also having to pump all over again. I’m sure I’ll have many posts on the subject to come, but I’ll limit this post to what I suggest and why. I have the Medla Pump In Style. I was told by my midwife, who is also an excellent lactation specialist to get a double electric pump. They are faster and more efficient. Sometimes I would use the Medela Symphony because it was available when I’d pump on the labor and delivery unit, though I must say I would express just as much milk with the Pump In Style. The only thing I liked better about the Symphony is that it was quieter. The Symphony, by the way, is so pricey it’s only available, as far as I know, to rent. In any case, any double electric pump is going to cost you some bucks. If you are unsure if you will be a working pumping mama, then just wait. You can always get it later. You may try breastfeeding and find that, for whatever reason, it doesn’t work for you. It’d be a shame to waste a few hundred bucks on something you didn’t end up needing. But, if  you’re like me, and completely dedicated to solely breastfeeding, get the pump beforehand. One last thing you’ll have to leave the house to hunt for.
11. Food processor: This is only necessary if you plan on making your own baby food. We bought the Beaba Babycook. It’s very simple to use and there are only three parts to clean. It’s not the cheapest thing, but it’s something I continue to use til this day and something I will be using once again when the second baby arrives. There’s tons of recipes online, though for the most part experimenting with fruit and veggie purees isn’t rocket science. And there’s nothing like knowing exactly what your baby’s eating. I just don’t trust carrots that can sit on a shelf for years on end.
12. High Chair: Just like everything else, there are a billion to chose from. We opted for the cheapo wooden high chair you’d find in a restaurant and I love it. It sits nicely at the table, drawing no attention to itself like some other big clunky chairs. You can read my earlier post here, where I give my two cents on high chairs.
13. Bottles & Nipples: I remember when I went back to work and it was time for Hooper to learn to take breast milk from the bottle, which is a separate story in itself. My dad went to the local Babies R’ Us and was taken back by the ENTIRE wall of bottles and nipples to chose from. Back in the day, he said, you bought whatever bottle they sold. Today, there a plethora of options with several parts and nipples that come in different levels based on speed of flow which is based on age. Not as easy as you’d think, right? You learn as you go as a new mom. But my advice is this: buy/register for a couple different bottles and a couple different nipples. When you experiment with those, you can buy more of what you like most or what works the best.
14. Changing Pad: You can change your baby anywhere. If you want to have a designated “changing table”, that’s obviously available. But you certainly don’t need it. We opted for the changing tray, which fits perfectly across our crib and therefore takes up very little space. We keep the wipes and a few diapers on there. We have the rest of the diapers in a drawer within arms reach. You can also place this changing tray on top of a dresser you already have or were planning on using and viola, it’s magically a changing table. If you opt for an actual changing table, I read this great article on re-purposing them when your done.
15. Crib + Sheet + Mattress: Not much to say about these items. I imagine even if you decide to co-sleep you’ll want a crib for naps or the post co-sleep era. What I can say is that the crib I fell in love with was rather expensive. I managed to find one on craigslist for less than half price from a family that opted to co-sleep and never ended up using the crib. It was a score. Walmart has tons of affordable cribs and a wide variety in terms of style. We currently have two crib sheets we rotate between. My mom made one and the other is a very plain and simple store bought sheet. Making a crib sheet is fairly simple. If you desire to go this route you have more options as you can find any fabric or twin sheet and convert it into a lovely handmade sheet. Whatever you decide, you don’t really need more than two. And a mattress, that’s rather essential.
16. Stroller: I loved the idea of having a vintage pram. I had visions of myself strolling with my newborn baby in parks you’d only find in the middle of Paris. My dream died with the more research I did. I called one store to see if I could look at a pram they sold and the woman pretty much detoured me over the phone, explaining they’re really only practical for those who live in a big city and take an elevator up to their loft. And she’s right. For one, prams are monstrously large. With that large size comes weight. They’re not really made to be shuffled in and out of a mini van. And the wheels do not provide for optimal steering. To turn a corner requires some degree of lifting because either the front or the back wheels don’t rotate, I forget. Then I fell in love with the bugaboo. I can’t tell you how many times Willy and I have turned to one another and declared, “I love this stroller”. Just the other day I took Hooper with me to the doctor and thought about if I had bought that pram as I navigated my way through the heavy door and hallway and into the tiny bathroom to pee in the cup. The bugaboo rides like a dream. Last time we were at the flea market, some strange man even commented, “Looks like he’s riding in the Cadillac of strollers”. Yes, a man took note. And it is the Cadillac of strollers. It turns beautifully, it breaks down easily, it’s stylish, the seat is adjustable, I could go on and on. The only thing the bugaboo has against it is the price, which granted is a major factor. So, once again, we turned to craigslist. We bought ours used for a couple hundred and eventually bit the bullet and bought a new seat and hood, which were a little faded. I think it’s one of the best purchases we made. And all the parts are sold individually so replacing or upgrading any part is not an issue.
Things you can wait on: Swings, Bouncers, Bassinets… Forget em’. Again, this is just my opinion. We bought a playpen and have used it once. I can’t imagine most babies would be cool with the confinements of a play pen. Hooper hated it. I wrote it off as a total waste of money until we used it as a portable crib in Big Bear. Then it had a purpose. For that reason alone, I leave it in his closet. Otherwise I would have listed it on Craigslist a long time ago. I think it’s easy to go overboard with the swings and bouncers. Tons of people are looking to get rid of this stuff anyway. If you don’t get something as a hand-me-down, check your local thrift shop give it a good cleaning and voila, money saved. You’ll use these things for such a small period in time it’s not worth buying brand new, in my opinion. And bassinets, sure they’re beautiful, but I never found a use for one. Just seems like one more thing cluttering a house.
General Tips: Use logic. It’s like going through a wedding magazine only to get to the end and have a new list of a thousand things you didn’t know you needed prior to opening the magazine. Same same but different. Register for what you want and need. What you don’t get, look for used on craigslist or thrift stores. Still need some items? Check out Diapers.com. Seriously, best site ever. Load up your cart, I believe first time customers still get 20% off. They deliver right to your door within two days. We still get all of our diapers and other random needs from this site and I can’t say enough good things about them. Returns are also super easy.
And if anyone else has any other suggestions please leave them in the comment section for other readers to see!
My list and tips for baby numero dos soon to follow…

Bits + Pieces

by Ashley filed under Ashley, Bits + Pieces

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Truthfully, I can’t believe I got around to posting snapshots of this week, as it’s been a busy week of work. I guess I had a few days off here and there and these photos serve as proof. We welcomed spring by spending a lot of time outdoors. It had been rainy and cold but suddenly, on the first day of Spring, the sun came out and we took advantage. Even the indoor plants have been blossoming beautifully. I love this time of year. Who said California didn’t have seasons? // I finally received my copy of More of the Business of Being Born but have yet to find the time to watch it. I’ve actually had it for a few weeks now. Maybe I’m intimidated by the multiple CD’s within it. Where will I find the time? Oh dear time fairy, please come my way // We enjoyed breakfast out at a diner. I had cinnamon roll french toast (not pictured, but it really doesn’t get any better than that). Hooper even got to enjoy the rides outside the diner, until we left. Then he threw a small scale tantrum. A peek into the real world of toddler-hood, I suppose // Hooper walked his toy dog all over the place. I long for the day he’s big enough to control Sarah and take her for a walk while I sit at home and paint my nails. I lie, I never paint my nails. But I would enjoy just sitting // Hooper also got a new pair of kicks, size 5. He’s moving up in the world // I found these cute vintage t-shirts for $3 a piece. The stripped one is too small for Hooper, but I figure this new baby should get a little something too. And I’m totally smitten over that Hershey’s shirt. You’ll be seeing a lot of it. Don’t judge, I do laundry all the time // Even when we were indoors, these two munchkins of mine longed to be outdoors. Instead, we played fetch indoors // Snack time just got a whole lot more fun now that someone has perfected sucking out of a straw // That same little someone received a boat load of hand-me-down toys from a friend. Aren’t hand-me-downs the best? The same friend also gave me a children’s table and chairs, for which I have a great DIY planned. Now I need to summons the space fairy because I’m running out of space faster than I’m running out of time.
Happy Friday!

♥ Happiness ♥

by Ashley filed under Uncategorized
My heart was warmed when I was recently asked by a reader to do a post on what makes me happy, for her blog. I spent a lot of time pondering because many things make me happy and then there is, of course, the obvious answer in being a mother. Instead, I tweaked the question a bit and asked myself instead to reflect on a moment of happiness. A favorite time of the day, per say. And then the answer came easy.
Most nights culminate in Hooper’s room. We watch him play, we read books, we listen to music, we discuss our day or our plans for the next day, we call Willy’s parents in Arizona and laugh with them as we all watch Hooper run amok in these last few minutes before he hits the hay. It’s a time of reflection and togetherness and it has happiness smeared all over it.
Thank you Leigh, for inviting me to do this post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All things Spring

by Ashley filed under Uncategorized
The change from winter to spring reminds me that come the next change of season we’ll be busy preparing for our new addition. Time really does fly, doesn’t it? Here’s some photos to welcome the new season. Oh spring, you blossom so beautifully.

 

I stumbled across Betina Lou’s Spring line and I can’t stop thinking about how cute this little model looks in these adorable little outfits. It always seems that when I’m pregnant I’m dreaming of all the things I can’t possibly fit into. But whatever, I won’t be pregnant forever right? In any case, in my next life I’d like to come back as this chick, in these clothes. Happy first day of Spring 🙂

 

 

Then & Now, 23 Weeks

by Ashley filed under Uncategorized

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s almost as if this little boy was trying to fool me. He thought that if he gave me a little nausea and caused my skin to break out like a rebellious pizza-eating-teenager that I may believe all the old wives tales and think him to be a girl. The funny part is that as soon as I unveiled his little secret, my skin mysteriously cleared up. What a little jokester. I have a feeling I better play my cards right with this one, he’s a mischievous one already.
So yes, the celebration may begin. My skin is clear. Can I get a collective hip hip hooray. Hip hip hooray. Hip hip hooray. I feel much better now that I’m not spending my evenings in front of the mirror performing toilet-side procedures that end in anguish and despair. My dear pregnancy gods, please tell me those days are behind me for good.

I ♥ Jill Freedman

by Ashley filed under Uncategorized
Jill Freedman has the most wonderful collection of street and documentary style photography of New York in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. She says, “Those early years were fired with an intensity and passion I had never felt before. I was obsessed and driven. I thought about photography all of the time, I dreamed about it. I was totally in love.” Here’s some of my favorites:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos borrowed from here, here, and here.

 

Bits + Pieces

by Ashley filed under Bits + Pieces, Uncategorized

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past week has been busy, but the fun busy. Willy took Hooper to the beach on a day I had to work. I was bummed I missed it until a friend of ours sent me the photo above and then I was just glad they got to go. There will be more beach trips. We introduced Sarah to a new bone that has already disappeared to the backyard, but not before a true tug-o-war fight was won. I haven’t seen the bone since. We had a play date with the lovely Emerson and her cousin Evan, who is Hooper’s age. Unfortunately I couldn’t get away from photographing this beautiful little girl to capture one, not one, photo of the boys playing. Granted, we lost one of them to nap time and my opportunity was sort of shot. There will be more play dates. We spent lots of time playing in the backyard. Hooper is fond of sticks and Sarah is fond of stealing his sticks. Needless to say, Hooper got knocked straight back by a romping wild Sarah and came inside with no stick and a bump on his head. It’s hard being a boy. Even harder being a boy with Sarah as your best friend. And lastly, some sweet gifts came in the mail from my mother-in-law. It’s always nice to open a surprise package. Hope you all had a nice week as well.
Happy Friday!

Polly Wanna Cracker? Part II

by Ashley filed under Ashley, Hooper
I started a cracker experiment a while back. You can read the first post here. This is an update. Here’s what Hooper has tried on a cracker:

 

Not all were successful. The olive, cheese, tomato mix was a second chance for this recipe that failed the first time. It failed again. He also did not like the cottage cheese or tuna. He did, however, take to the avocado, hummus, and peanut butter (not pictured). I may have exhausted my cracker trick, but if anyone has anything further to recommend on a cracker, I’m all ears.

Psst…

by Ashley filed under Ashley, Pregnancy
Before I divulge my secret I want to tell the little story behind it. It was the night before my first appointment with Dr.C, our new back-up OB. It dawned on me that this would most likely be my last ultrasound and therefore my last opportunity, short of visiting a psychic, to find out the sex of our baby. I’ve been dying to know. Sure, it was my plan to keep it a surprise. I had visions of our beautiful midwife lying our freshly born baby onto my chest while Willy and I eagerly peek between the legs to unveil all we had been waiting for. Don’t get me wrong, this is a beautiful vision. It still sounds dreamy. But I really wanted to know the sex and it started becoming this game of inner strength and it wasn’t suppose to be that way. It was planned to be a surprise because initially I didn’t care one way or the other. I still don’t care one way or the other, but I definitely was dying to know… so I went to my appointment. The doctor insisted on doing an ultrasound to rule out any problems that would prevent me from being able to deliver at home. When he was done ruling things out, he shut off the machine. I then prompted him to turn his magical wand back on so I could have a little secret to go home with. On went the machine. He scanned my belly for another ten seconds our so babbling about how the baby’s breach and it’s kinda hard to get in between the legs and then he thought he saw something and so he went with what he thought he saw and declared, “I’d say you’re having a…. 
So with that said, I’m fairly certain Hooper will be having a brother. I say fairly because really he took ten seconds and to be honest, it looked to me like the penis could have been mistaken for the umbilical cord. But I’m going declare it a boy being that it’s a 50/50 shot to begin with and with probable boy parts seen, I’m going to bet that 50/50 is swayed a little more toward the boy end of the spectrum. Hip hip hooray! Truthfully, I’d be celebrating either way. I just want a healthy baby. But gosh, it feels good to know.

Planning a Hospital Birth?

by Ashley filed under Uncategorized
As a side note, the following is all advice I would have given myself prior to my first birth had I known then what I know now. This advice may not be valuable for someone else, but if one person finds value in it as well, then it’s worth sharing.
Don’t feel like reading this long post? Then take this advice and run with it: Educate yourself. Educate yourself. Educate yourself. Learning about the labor process and the many interventions done in the hospital will give you a better idea of what the consequences are and will also help solidify your own goals for what you want out of the experience.
1. Find an OB that backs up midwives. I was a lost little soul when I first found out we were pregnant. I chose my first OB based solely on a recommendation from a friend that had delivered two babies from him vaginally. I went to 5 or so appointments before I switched over to the care of the midwives. There were many reasons for this that aren’t pertinent to this post, but I will say that when we informed him of our change in delivery plan to a home birth we got nothing but a ill response from his office staff. In my very humble opinion, I think it says something about an OB that refuses to look at the research and support a woman’s right to chose. And since there are OB’s out there that see the larger picture and support alternative care, I would personally feel safer in their care.
2. Take a birthing class with your partner. And then go home and reiterate things gone over in the class. If your partner has any sense of anxiety, like mine, it is even more essential to go over what to expect. Even with all the education we did beforehand, the bloody show still freaked Willy out. So yeah, discuss things like transitional labor vs. active labor and the progression of each stage. It’s helpful for your partner to know that transitional labor is longer and really more grueling than active labor. You’d think things would just keep getting worse and worse, but in reality it’s that long transition that is the most grueling. Once you get to active labor it’s like a roller coaster ride that you have no ability to stop. The most support is needed in the middle, during transition. Especially if you are planning an un-medicated birth. Also discuss things like the rupture of membranes (water breaking), cervical dilation, back labor (god forbid), episiotomies, perineal massage, cord clamping, signs of labor, contractions vs. braxton hicks, what newborns look like, etc etc.
3. Discuss with your significant other who you want in the delivery room. It’s whatever you want, whatever you envision. As a footnote to that, I had a friend that ultimately opted for a home birth in her last few weeks of pregnancy because the hospital would not allow her 4 year old in the delivery room. She was due in december when H1N1 was running amuck. It was important to have her whole family present, so she delivered her 11 pound baby in 3 hours at home. Amy, you’re still my hero.
4. Educate your partner about your desires and hand him the role as your advocate as you are relatively helpless when in active labor. Discuss amongst yourself, for example, how often you want to be examined vaginally. Some hospitals may check a laboring woman every hour. It can be very heart breaking, especially in early labor and transition to endure a couple hours of pain only to find that you haven’t dilated any further and could even persuade a woman to believe she needs a c-section. Personally, I would request to be vaginally examined very seldom and would even put it off, if possible, until I knew I was in active labor. As you are lying in tremendous pain wondering when it will all go away and how much longer it is going to take, this would be a good time for your partner to step in and refuse that vaginal exam.
5. Hire a doula. Rates of un-necessary intervention and c-sections decrease greatly by having a doula. Having my midwives present at our hospital birth was absolutely priceless. Their knowledge of the hospital environment and of the labor process is an incredible asset. Your partner will thank you for the added support as well.
6. Discuss with your partner what requires a discussion and what just isn’t that important. Some woman’s birth plans get into each and every detail and other’s stick to just the things that are really important to them. It just depends on what’s important to you and how much control you feel comfortable having. You can discuss things like having an IV or fluids, for example. I’ve heard some woman protest that having a needle in their arm is uncomfortable. As a nurse, I don’t think it’s really that big of deal. It’s a little plastic cannula anyway, not a needle. And in the event that they do need to give you something through the IV, it’s nice to have the IV line already established. My blood pressure, for example, runs low. After I gave birth, I inevitably lost a lot of blood and the room became a wee bit fuzzy. I was quickly given a bolus, or a large amount of fluid quickly. And I was fine. In fact, having an IV placed beforehand is something I have already discussed with my midwives because I already know I don’t have a huge reserve as far as blood pressure is concerned. I’m not opposed to fluids after the birth. With that said, I’ve also read a research article that linked fluids during labor to inflated birth weights. Because I was given pitocin, I was also given fluids during my entire labor. Hooper weighed an ounce shy of 9 pounds. While it’s expected for newborns weight to drop within the first few days, it should not drop past a certain amount. Hooper’s weight was an issue from the beginning because he dropped more than what was expected. I wonder how much of that unexpected weight loss was actually due to an inflated weight immediately following birth due to the fluids given to me. Whatever the case may be, the article suggested that newborns be weighed 24 hours post birth for a more accurate reading. I think, forget the fluids instead and weigh that baby right away. But, again, this should be something discussed with your OB or midwife as the decision to give a woman fluids during labor ought to be based on individual circumstances.
7. Many doctors require their laboring patients to be “NPO”. In the nursing world, this means nothing by mouth, which means nothing to eat or drink. The nurse will try to explain that you’re getting everything you need through the fluids in your arm… the fluids that we just discussed you may not want. So again, you ought to discuss this with your OB beforehand. For the longer labors, it’s really important to stay hydrated and energized. I was not allowed to eat or drink, but when my nurse left the room, my midwife suggested eating an energy bar. And I did. Again, hire a doula. I would do this again if placed in the same position.
8.  Research different forms of labor induction in the event you need to be induced. As a side note, disucss with your OB beforehand when induction is necessary and do your own research as well. Some methods of induction are more invasive than others and the side effects of each method vary. There is a cervical gel, for example, that’s worth researching further. I had a very strong reaction to pitocin and would refuse it if placed in that position a second time.
9. Remember you are a patient, not a prisoner. You have the right to refuse whatever treatment you want. I would suggest, however, that your refusal be based on your own personal research and your own personal goals. I would also discuss your wishes with your OB beforehand so he or she knows your wishes and a plan is somewhat in place before your arrival to the hospital.
10. If you must be on a monitor, request for a battery packed monitor. These allow for you move about the room or the hallway while still being monitored. If there is no reason whatsoever that you need to be on a monitor, request to be taken off. If they are not able to grant this request, negotiate to have it on for 30 minutes and off for 30 minutes. Yes, being a patient on a labor and delivery unit is like being a tourist in Mexico, it’s all negotiable. All the more reason I want a home birth, honestly. I’d rather concentrate on myself and the baby than be in a hospital gown, strapped to a bed, bargaining with some woman that I just met who in turn has to leave to go negotiate my wishes with my doctor over the phone. How exhausting.
11. Check out the hospitals birthing unit. If your OB has privlidges at mroe than one hospital, see if one of the hospitals has a birthing room. These are much larger and mimic the home environment.
12. If you are adamant about having a natural birth, discuss this with your doctor beforehand. When you get to the hospital and meet your nurse, tell her your plan as well. I instructed my nurse not to even offer me an epidural so the temptation was not even there. If you’re undecided, but don’t want an epidural pushed on you, per say, request that an epidural only be given upon your own request. In other words, don’t offer it, instead, I’ll let you know when and if i need it.
13. Ask if they have a shower chair. Sometimes it is nice to sit under the warm water. It beats having to get up to pee and it beats having the bloody show run all down your leg. Am I getting too graphic now? My apologies.
14. Have a rough copy of your birth plan printed and in addition to discussing it with your nurse upon admission, give them a copy. I’m hesitant to advice to plan too much. There is only so much that is in your control as your baby will dictate much of the course of labor. Having a birth plan kind of gives you a false sense of control. At some point in labor, you’re just going with it… riding the wave. All the more reason why it is important to educate your partner to advocate for you and your desires as predetermined and discussed prior to labor. In any case, for those who like lists and find comfort in planning, writing down a birth plan may be helpful but you ought to keep in mind it’s a plan, not a contract.
15. If you plan on breastfeeding, research kangaroo care. Unless it is discussed beforehand, many newborns are taken immediately post birth and weighed, bathed, wrapped, etc. The skin to skin contact immediately after delivery, with the amniotic fluid still on the baby, is shown to increase breastfeeding success. It’s also great bonding time. Newborns are wide awake for something like 2 hours and then they conk out and are sleeping beauties for the next 24 hours. I remember spending this awake, alert time with some of the newborns during my OB rounds in nursing school. It felt wrong, like I was stealing some special time away from their mother. And I was. The newborn should be with their mother, as long as possible. Request for newborn procedures to be delayed, on your terms, if this bonding time and breastfeeding initiation is important to you as well. Hooper was taken from me immediately and I didn’t see him for 4 hours. And though they were initially worried about him before he actually arrived, don’t forget I delivered vaginally on the operating room table, in the end nothing above and beyond the standard care was needed. They watched him in the nursery for their own security, but really they could have monitored him on me all the same. Regret isn’t the right word, because it’s nearly impossible to look back on the birth of your child and say you regret any part of it, but I will say Willy and I should have discussed the possibility of a transfer to the hospital and discussed further what we would want and not want under those circumstances.
16. If all of this sounds as overwhelming to you as it does to me and what you are seeking is a low-intervention natural birth, look into a birth at home. Much of the things mentioned in this post are not up for debate. Whereas lots of different things can go in a hospital, a home birth comes sort of pre-packaged. No meds, no continuous monitoring, no bed (unless you chose), no foley catheter, you get the idea. It just depends what you want and what you’re comfortable with. It’s an individual decision, but I urge those who frown upon home birth solely due to fear of what could happen to research further. Feel free to drop me a message too, I would love to discuss home birth further with anyone trying to conquer those fears. And that’s my two cents. Down from my pedestal I will now step.

22 Weeks

by Ashley filed under Uncategorized
I was in a public restroom today and walked past a long mirror and did a double take. You know, that pass quickly, pause, lean your head back to take a second look cuz’ something doesn’t look quite right. It’s that belly of mine. It looked huge. I say that in past tense because I look at the photo above and think maybe it’s the angle that flatters me a little more than that complete side view. In any case, I stopped, I stared, I examined that low and round thing jetting out of me like a bullet waiting to explode out of my abdomen. And then I thought I’m only half way there? In case you’re wondering, I base my pregnancy on a 42 week gestation based on my first pregnancy which grew more and more emotionally grueling the longer I waited for something, anything, to happen. To alleviate that emotional turmoil, I now count on going past my due date. Back to that belly o’ mine, I mean that little bee only weighs a pound, why such a big fort for such a small villager?!
I had my first and hopefully last appointment with my back-up OB this week, Dr.C. While I’m incredibly grateful to be in the hands of someone who supports my decision to birth my baby at home, I miss the spirit and familiarity of Dr.Kline who some of you may know from my previous post passed away unexpectedly. Setting those emotions aside, I have complete confidence in my ability to deliver this baby at home. I know deep down I will not be needing Dr.C’s services anyway. But in any case, I met him, he supports me, I had an ultrasound, and left his office with a little secret. A secret only for a short while because I’ll be sharing my little secret here soon. Stay tuned!