tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86464791574246807642024-02-08T03:45:36.758-08:00Motor City MamaMotor City Mamajanna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-15830597741113987062013-08-15T09:47:00.001-07:002013-08-15T09:47:13.990-07:00Pictures from the past few weeks<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d7MkFbmkLMU/Ug0GBs53ARI/AAAAAAAABV4/bh6z3DT8fgQ/s640/blogger-image--1998310528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d7MkFbmkLMU/Ug0GBs53ARI/AAAAAAAABV4/bh6z3DT8fgQ/s640/blogger-image--1998310528.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-BTENHv5Q0IY/Ug0GDBJ8P9I/AAAAAAAABWI/onIVvy4N4wc/s640/blogger-image--416522217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-BTENHv5Q0IY/Ug0GDBJ8P9I/AAAAAAAABWI/onIVvy4N4wc/s640/blogger-image--416522217.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-acDbqInzx3g/Ug0GCXM4oBI/AAAAAAAABWA/7Sq1pCllmiM/s640/blogger-image-1668933813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-acDbqInzx3g/Ug0GCXM4oBI/AAAAAAAABWA/7Sq1pCllmiM/s640/blogger-image-1668933813.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xVhGEjEIilk/Ug0GEDR7FaI/AAAAAAAABWQ/_lc4RBACRHQ/s640/blogger-image-1889480943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xVhGEjEIilk/Ug0GEDR7FaI/AAAAAAAABWQ/_lc4RBACRHQ/s640/blogger-image-1889480943.jpg"></a></div>janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-25654854876794554262013-08-12T08:46:00.001-07:002013-08-12T08:46:11.991-07:00Aha! Technology.After giving up on this blog due to technical difficulties (couldn't post photos via Blogger's online presence on the iPad), Chris found an app for it. Ideally, I should be able to post pictures easily. <div><br></div><div>Otherwise...Levi is ten months old, walking well and doing his best to run, and eating solids pretty reliably. He takes two naps a day but doesn't sleep through the night yet (except last night...!!!). And he's tall (30"...80th percentile) and skinny (17.5lbs...8th percentile). And awesome. He's exhausting o keep up with, but too much fun to be bothered by that. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MRERNXSHcLs/UgkDQhaDFHI/AAAAAAAABVo/FbnZe8UzAjo/s640/blogger-image--2088190241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MRERNXSHcLs/UgkDQhaDFHI/AAAAAAAABVo/FbnZe8UzAjo/s640/blogger-image--2088190241.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>That's an old one. We haven't been taking many pics on the iPad lately because we're out and about so much. </div>janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-52753959541741836172013-04-02T07:01:00.000-07:002013-04-02T07:01:08.330-07:00A Mother's (and Father's) Work : LaundryMy little man is sleeping next to me (on his blanket on the living room floor, exhausted from an hour of trying <i>so hard </i>to crawl), and it occurred to me that a) I forgot to change his diaper when he started looking sleepy, so he'll likely soak through it, and b) that I'd better get the rest of his dirty clothes into the wash, so I'll have something other than the lineup of 'un-favorite' onesies and pants to put on him when he wakes up. And then I paused to reflect on just how many loads of laundry I do a week.<br />
<br />
My mom had a poem one of my siblings printed out for her taped to the dryer for most of my childhood. It was called 'Hats off to mother' and began with the line "A mother's work is never done..." I gave it little thought, casually reflecting on the fact that yes, she did do a fair bit of work.<br />
<br />
Fast forward more than a decade.<br />
<br />
I had no idea just how much work she did.<br />
<br />
Nor did I know that the addition of a < 20 lb person could triple the number of loads of laundry I do a week. Granted, more than half of those are cloth diapers.<br />
<br />
The breakdown:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>5-6 loads/week of cloth diapers </li>
<li>1 load/week of Chris's work shirts</li>
<li>1 load/week of Chris's work pants</li>
<li>2 loads/week of Levi's clothing</li>
<li>1-2 loads/week of Levi's floor blankets</li>
<li>1-2 loads/week of towels and sheets</li>
<li>2-3 loads/week of Chris and my clothing</li>
</ul>
<div>
At the very least, I do 13 loads of laundry a week. At most, 17 (if not more...spring cleaning has me washing the linens and coats in storage, and Levi's recent growth spurt took more than half his onesies out of rotation AND gave him the ability to soak through his previously invincible BumGenius night diapers). </div>
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And while no one is judging me for my son's occasionally overflowing dirty clothes basket (and subsequent mis-matched outfits) I'm inevitably left with the sense that my work is, in fact, never done. And I *will not* let it turn into mommy guilt. *will not* </div>
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<br /></div>
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Because in the grand scheme of things, it's small potatoes. I have much bigger and better things to worry about!</div>
janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-58430884025057427622013-03-27T06:29:00.001-07:002013-03-27T06:29:22.011-07:00Baby-led weaningIt's messy.<br />
<br />
It's exciting.<br />
<br />
And it has begun at our house.<br />
<br />
Levi discovered last week that his hands can be used to get food to his mouth (an adorable video - I'll post it when I figure out how). Since then, he's been sampling a bit of everything...black bean burgers and tomatoes at the Emory, eggs and toast with me every morning, mango slices, bread and jam...<br />
<br />
We make food for him sometimes, but usually only if what we're eating isn't at all baby-friendly (chips and salsa, fried food, anything with dairy or gluten...we're excluding both til he's at least a year old). He wants to feed himself, so purees aren't terribly useful. BLW (baby led weaning) advocates assure parents that no teeth = no problem, and they're quite right. Levi has yet to cut a single tooth, but doesn't have any trouble taking bites of or chewing even firm foods (mango, [gluten free] bread crust, etc).<br />
<br />
In other news, we're days from six months (Saturday) and also probably days from crawling. He's been sitting unassisted for about a month now, and gets from point A to point B by rolling, flopping, and scooting backwards on all fours. Time has flown...janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-21133478854106955062013-02-11T18:55:00.001-08:002013-02-11T18:59:09.862-08:00February, already?I can't believe it's February.<br />
<br />
Seriously. Where is the time going? I keep posting, resolving to post regularly, and then coming back a month later.<br />
<br />
Levi is four and a half months old, sitting up for short stretches, and sampling tidbits of food. He loves playing on the iPad, and strawberries make him bounce up and down excitedly. He's just beginning to catch on to all the games we've been playing with him since he could hold his head up reliably. He plays peek a boo, hiding his face in the arm of the couch or the chest of whoever is holding him, giggling the entire time. And while his thirteen and a half pound body doesn't reflect his voracious appetite for, well, everything (boobie, fruit, his fingers, etc), oh boy can he eat.
I love Levi so much though. Life as a working, pumping at work mama is ok, but I miss him every minute I'm away. It's entirely possible my customers are getting sick of hearing about him. And I could care less.<br />
<br />
I have plenty of adorable pictures, but the iPad won't let me upload them. Soon, friends, soon.janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-2495083507973325922013-01-09T11:23:00.001-08:002013-01-14T18:23:26.039-08:00Butternut yam soupI'm still on a soup kick...this one's my recipe. <br />
<br />
<b><i>Ingredients</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
1 large butternut squash<br />
1 yam<br />
1/2 medium onion<br />
2 redskin potatoes<br />
1 Tb butter or earth balance<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
cumin<br />
enough veggie broth to cover veggies<br />
<br />
Peel and cube squash and yam, and add to pan with butter. Chop onion and potato, and add to the pan. When veggies are mostly cooked, add enough broth to cover them and season to taste. Simmer on low heat til all chopped veggies are soft, and puree (I use a Bamix, but a blender or food processor will work as well). <br />
<br />
It's easy...I promise! Also cheap. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-53933061524328252252013-01-09T11:13:00.001-08:002013-01-09T11:13:32.838-08:002013I wish I could say something like "new year, new life" or even "new year, new haircut" or something equally pivotal. I can't though. 2012 turned into 2013 quite uneventfully, amongst friends and family (with Levi asleep in the other room). I doubt he's going to hold letting him sleep through his first New Year against us though. <br />
<br />
Levi, though...he's getting so big! Sunday marked 14 weeks, which he celebrated by sleeping in and eating/napping the rest of the day. I think we're in the midst of yet another growth spurt. He's outgrown almost all of his 0-3 month clothing (though I admit, I still have a few articles in rotation because I like them!). He's been holding up his head reliably since November, and is terribly frustrated that he can't sit up yet. And he babbles, coos, and as of late, shrieks and giggles. We have a great video of him laughing, but I'm technologically challenged and don't know how to post it to the blog. <br />
<br />
I'm still running a few times a week, though it's (surprisingly) been tougher to make it to the gym with Chris between jobs. It has yet to get me back in my smaller pairs of prepregnancy jeans, but I'm seeing small and gradual improvements. I'm running three miles about four times a week, and doing planks about five, and am hoping to start doing yoga and crunches more regularly once both Chris and I are back to work and life settles into a schedule. Overall I'm pretty happy with my postpartum body, though there's definitely room for improvement as I have more time and more outdoor activity-friendly weather. <br />
<br />
I'll be starting back to work on the 18th after a quick trip to Kansas City to introduce Levi to his great grandparents and visit my family, and we have friends from Chicago in town this weekend. It's going to be February before we know it! janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-46994508872234948192012-12-20T11:44:00.002-08:002012-12-20T11:44:38.715-08:00Roadtrip!Now that Levi's almost twelve weeks old (Sunday!), I figured he was old enough to tackle a quick jaunt to Chicago. 'Jaunt' doesn't quite convey the circumstances under which the trip was taken (a funeral), but it was certainly a whirlwind of a 24-hour trip. <div>
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<div>
I got to catch up with a lot of people; Levi got to meet a lot of people. And he did so well! He was exhausted from missing a few of his naps both Tuesday and Wednesday, and I'm amazed he managed to hold himself together after realizing just how tiring the trip was for me! I could barely get out of bed this morning, and I didn't even miss out on a significant amount of sleep like Levi did in missing some naps! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yes. I have an amazing son who, at almost three months of age, entirely possibly may be more easygoing than I am. The lack of a schedule and the seemingly endless parade of new faces and places didn't really seem to faze him. I, on the other hand...I was relaxed by Janna standards, but still a bit stressed about the timing of everything. Levi agreeably took naps anytime I put him in his carseat, and woke up cheerful when I got him out. He sat quietly on my lap through the funeral and looked around. (note to self...take him to see live music as often as possible...he loved the music at the church). </div>
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Yep. We have one rockin' little dude for a son. </div>
janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-60828321818743436092012-11-29T14:23:00.001-08:002012-11-29T14:25:20.323-08:00Maternity LeaveOnce upon a time, there was a girl named Janna who was only going to take six weeks off after the birth of her first child. In fact, she was willing to go back to work after only three or four weeks if circumstances necessitated it. <br />
<br />
It's been eight, almost nine weeks now. <br />
<br />
And she still doesn't really *want* to go back. <br />
<br />
-----------------------<br />
<br />
It's not that I don't want to go back to work per se. It's more that our original plan - for me to work just enough to keep my benefits - is incompatible with Chris's work schedule (new as of mid-October). He's gone from 6am - 8pm, Monday through Saturday. Ergo, we'd have to get a babysitter for two of my three requisite (to keep benefits) shifts, and that's assuming I want to work on Chris's one day off. Which I don't. <br />
<br />
We went back and forth on what to do about this dilemma. It's not necessary financially or insurance-ly for me to be working, since Chris has benefits through his job and works more hours than both of us used to work combined. However, it's costruction. Getting laid off, even temporarily, isn't a matter of "if" so much as it is "when." Trader Joe's doesn't pay enough for us to live on long-term, but it's absolutely enough to put gas in the cars and groceries in the fridge for a few weeks or a month at a time. So I'm going back at twelve weeks part-time. <br />
<br />
Extreeeemely part time, Like, one shift a week part time. I'll probably go back up to three shifts once Chris is working forty hours (as opposed to seventy) a week, but for now I'm going to be a few hours a week from being a stay at home mom. <br />
<br />
Crazy, right? <br />
<br />
I'm typing this with Levi sleeping next to me, and I can honestly say that while my social life is pretty limited these days, I have a hard time being away from him for more than a few hours. One shift a week should be just enough to keep me from vanishing down the rabbit hole of home life...and honestly, I miss my coworkers! I don't miss every day and certainly don't miss working full time, but it will be fun to catch up with all the customers who got to watch my belly grow from January through the end of September. And now I have baby pictures to show off!janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-64313247327015913572012-11-29T14:02:00.000-08:002012-11-29T14:35:24.025-08:00Broccoli SoupNow that I'm starting to get the hang of parenting (and that Levi's starting to nap during the day), I'm starting to cook again. I made great strides in the kitchen while pregnant and not working much, and they were put on hold for the first month and a half of parenthood. I was lucky if I managed to keep edible things in the house (as opposed to just getting carryout) and there was much re-wearing of previously worn clothing. ANYWAY...<br />
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Broccoli soup, so easy that even I can make it from this 'recipe'</div>
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(copied verbatim from Momfilter)</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ariel’s Broccoli Soup</strong></div>
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Sauté 1 chopped onion and 1 large carrot in butter and a bit of olive oil</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Add peeled potatoes that are quartered or eighthed depending on size of potato, resulting in 2 cups of chopped potatoes</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Add broccoli florets and cauliflower if you like, loads of them</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Add good quality vegetable stock </div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Top up with water so all ingredients are submerged</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Add salt, pepper and a touch of cumin</div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Simmer for 20 minutes</div>
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Puree in food processor</div>
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Serve with grated parmesan or cheddar on top</div>
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janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-13256754371736887652012-11-02T15:34:00.000-07:002012-11-02T15:36:31.960-07:00I'm back!It's been awhile.<br />
<br />
Levi turned a month old on Tuesday (or Sunday, if you consider 'four weeks' a month). It's been good...not easy, but good. My mom was here for the first two weeks, and Chris went back to work after a month and a half off a few days later. I may or may not have cried for about four days straight (placental encapsulation sort of saved the day...perhaps I'll blog about that someday!). But we got through it.<br />
<br />
Breastfeeding (yes, I'm breastfeeding, and doing so happily) is going incredibly well - Levi gained 2.5lbs and grew 2" in his first month of life. He's still a little munchkin, but he's outgrown his NB - sized clothing and is about to outgrow his NB diaper wraps too. A trip to <a href="http://www.nopinsrequired.com/">Modern Natural Baby</a> is in order in the next few days, so we can continue to cloth diaper successfully. We've been using entirely too many disposable diapers lately (errands, combined with the inconvenience of stuffing a bulky cloth prefold into an almost-too-small wrap). And while I'm not getting as much sleep as I'd like, he wakes up consistently at 2:30 and 4:30 to eat if we put him to bed between 11pm and midnight. I can't really complain...he's just shy of five weeks old, and he gets hungry/poopy/lonely often and easily. <br />
<br />
Levi's about to wake up, but I'll leave you with one thought (to be expounded upon later). It seems like a lot of women on the BabyCenter October 2012 birth forum are asking "when do things get easier?" or something along those lines. The first month of life is frustrating, exhausting, and sometimes miserable. I don't claim to have had a rough run of it by any means, but I've had my struggles.<br />
<br />
I realized today as I was putting the third load of laundry of the day in the washer (after cleaning the bathroom for the first time since Levi's birth) that the answer to the above question is "Today!" And "Yesterday!" Also, "Tomorrow!" I may not have realized that yesterday was the day that things started getting easier yesterday, and may not realize that things got easier today until next month, but every day is progress in the right direction at this point. Today is the day that I was able to take Levi out for three hours without a peep from him. Yesterday was the day we figured out that cloth diapers are easier on his skin (after a few days of mostly disposables). They're small things, but they add up.<br />
<br />
Maybe your kiddo's been screaming for three days straight, but today you figured out that he only likes Soothies pacifiers. Perhaps yesterday was the day you got up the courage to tell your MIL that you, not she, is the mother of your daughter. Tomorrow might be the day you and your son figure out a latch that works for breastfeeding comfortably and successfully - or it might be the day you decide that formula would be best for your sanity and your baby's growth. I don't know what's going on in your house - my point is that progress is a continual parade of tiny, tiny steps.<br />
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But hey - I'll take it!<br />
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Pictures, for those who are interested.<br />
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Levi and Chris<br />
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Sometimes, a screaming baby can be absolutely adorable <br />
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And the first smile caught on film (er, 'imaginary film'). He was awake for this, but his eyes were closed at the moment I managed to snap the picture. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-47860918775808298062012-10-16T12:28:00.001-07:002012-10-16T16:39:33.098-07:00The obligatory 'birth story' postBy Friday the 28th, a mere three days before my due date, I'd given up hope on having a baby by October 1st. I posted a status to this effect on Facebook that afternoon. While I'd been having symptoms of early labor all day (and had actually left work early on Wednesday because of cramping), none of this was anything new - I'd felt fairly cruddy for the previous two weeks. Thursday night, I'd given castor oil a second try. It didn't work, and I was good and thoroughly frustrated by Friday evening.<br />
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To make matters worse, by dinnertime on Friday, I was feeling quite possibly worse - or at least stranger - than I had at any point in the past few weeks. I started talking about calling in sick for my Saturday 5:30am shift around 6, though it took me til 8pm to actually do it. I felt massively guilty, lazy, etc, but settled in for the night and decided to simply enjoy another day of getting to stay up late and sleep in late with Chris while it was just the two of us.<br />
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I was bouncing on my exercise ball and meandering aimlessly around the internet around 11pm when the first contraction hit. It was, quite obviously, different from the intense Braxton Hicks (false contractions) I'd been having for months, though I timed a few of them before I said anything to Chris. They were about 8 minutes apart, and at that point, moderately painful. We sat up timing them til about 1am, and decided to go to bed since they weren't getting any closer together. I curled up with the heating pad, and actually managed to fall asleep.
They didn't stop that night (though I woke up twice to time them, just to make sure they weren't going to stop!). By morning, they'd slowed to slightly irregular 9-10 minute intervals but increased in intensity. I emailed my doctor to let her know that labor had started, called work to let them know the same, took a shower, and set to work tidying up the apartment and packing my bag for the birth center.<br />
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While the contractions weren't as consistent as I'd expected them to be, they were painful enough by lunchtime Saturday that I had to stop what I was doing to get through them. This continued all day - me cleaning like a madwoman, texting periodic updates to my family, and trying to decide what clothing to take for me and for the baby - all in 6-10 minute intervals.
Contractions were nearing a minute long and 7 minutes apart when I finally called my doctor about 4:30 that afternoon. She gave me the go-ahead to labor at home as long as I saw fit, or til contractions were 4-5 minutes apart. Chris and I decided to go for a walk around 7pm in hopes of getting labor to progress (I couldn't quite stay upright or walk through contractions, but they weren't budging past 6-7 minute intervals). Apparently, walking works wonders when the body is ready for labor! About a block from our house, the first contraction of the walk hit - a mere four minutes after its predecessor! This continued for the rest of the walk, with me leaning helplessly on Chris through most of them.
Chris was pretty set on to the birth center as soon as we got home from walking, though I dragged my feet til 9:30. While I met the usual criteria (<5 mins apart, >1 minute long, for over an hour), I felt good/normal enough in between contractions that I was afraid of being sent back home. Since I refused to go in just yet, Chris busied himself with changing table assembly while I sat on the floor and focused on getting through each contraction.<br />
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He finally succeeded at getting me out the door after 9pm. We were met at the door of the hospital by the oh so lovely hospital policy of sending women in labor up to the third floor (Labor&Delivery + the alternative birth care unit) in a wheelchair. I felt thoroughly ridiculous, since my contractions had magically vanished in the ride to the hospital. "Oh well," I told myself, since it was too late to turn around.<br />
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Upon arriving at the ABC, we found out that I was actually 5-6cm dilated and 100% effaced, rather than the 3cm I thought I was. Excited to be over halfway to having a baby in my arms, I hopped in the birthing tub armed with grapes, a Luna Bar, and my water bottle.
Time gets pretty hazy after this point. Contractions started back up, though the water made them far more bearable (barely noticeable for the first, say, two hours in the tub). As soon as I got out of the tub for the first time though, I realized they'd gotten far, far more intense - I hobbled to the bathroom doubled over and clutching my belly. Chris had fallen asleep by this point, and I decided to get out and stay out of the tub a few hours later. This lasted about an hour, before I abandoned my resolution to labor quietly and woke up Chris! The pain was almost unmanageable, it was a bit after 1am, and I was hoping I was nearing the end of labor. My doctor, who was sleeping in the next room (she was on her third delivery in 24 hours, and hadn't gotten any sleep the night before) came in to check on me, and we found that I hadn't progressed at all in terms of dilation.<br />
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Discouragement set in - I couldn't imagine labor getting much worse, and I still had a long way to go. One of the nurses suggested leaning on the birthing ball with the shower on my back, which did help. Chris sat next to me, rubbing my head sleepily. I stayed there for probably an hour before crawling back into the tub. The nurse checked me again around 3am, and I still hadn't progressed. The baby's head was slightly twisted in the birth canal, preventing my cervix from dilating fully (pressure from the baby's head is the primary cause of dilation). The nurse suggested trying a hip release technique (from the 'Spinning Babies' site, as I later found out), and while I wasn't feeling very optimistic, I was up for anything since labor hadn't progressed in the six hours I'd been there.<br />
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I didn't feel any different afterwards - if anything, I felt worse in the hour or so between the hip release and when I decided a bit before 5am that I needed some sort of break from the pain. Contractions had, unbeknownst to me, become 1-2 minutes apart and I was too exhausted to handle them anymore. The nurse put in a hep lock and ordered a short - acting muscle relaxant. My doctor, having noticed the frequency of the contractions, decided to check my progress before giving me anything that might slow down labor. I was at 8-9cm! As much as I wanted even a half hour break, she said I was so close that pain meds probably wouldn't help.<br />
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30 minutes later (about 6:30 at this point), she deemed me "fully dilated and ready to push when I felt like it." I don't know when I actually started pushing, but I do remember thinking the urge felt less obvious than I'd expected. I do know I felt like I was much closer to actually delivering a baby than I actually was - while it felt like I was crowning for most of it, I really wasn't sure how far I was til the nurse told me to reach down and feel the baby's head. It was so tiny! While I'd been terrified of not being able to deliver a baby, I realized that this was going to be a very manageably - sized baby and decided to do everything in my power to get the kiddo out as quickly as possible.
And so it came to be at 7:18am Sunday the 30th of September that Levi was born. He was so tiny! I'd been expecting a somewhat larger baby, and I was rather overwhelmed by just how tiny his 6lb 4oz body was. And he was so warm, slippery...it felt so right to have him lying atop the belly in which he'd resided for so many months. The nurse tucked a blanket around him to keep him from getting chilly, and he opened his eyes for the first time, squinting in the bright sunlight coming in the window. His stare was so intense, broken up only by the wobbling motion of his head as he struggled to lift it off my chest. It was unbelievable, really - I couldn't shake the thought "this is him - this is my baby boy!"<br />
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Once the umbilical cord stopped pulsating, it was clamped - Chris got to cut it. I was far too busy nursing Levi for the first time to notice by the time the placenta made an appearance. In retrospect, I wish we'd had the presence of mind to take pictures of his first hour of life - of the first time I held him, of the first time Chris held him, etc. I doubt I'll ever forget that first hour though, tired as I was.
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<!--5-->janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-13536988100227505912012-10-05T03:34:00.002-07:002012-10-05T03:34:39.522-07:00Levi William WellsLevi joined us September 30th at 7:18am. 6lbs,4oz, blonde hair, blue eyes. Labor was rough, but he's absolutely perfect and stolen our hearts already.
We're stuck in the hospital sorting out jaundice issues til the end of the week, but pictures and details will follow as soon as we're home for good. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-38543810373907358102012-09-28T17:13:00.001-07:002012-09-28T17:13:51.898-07:00Baby moccasins! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Too bad we don't have a baby to wear them yet...janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-74925055092250958682012-09-26T16:28:00.003-07:002012-09-26T16:34:46.025-07:00Interesting study regarding average length of gestationAs I'm now a mere four days from my due date and seemingly stalled in terms of progress, it seemed reasonable to start googling things such as "average length of pregnancy." Said quest yielded <a href="http://spacefem.com/pregnant/charts/duedate6.php">this study,</a> which, based on a survey of 1412 first - time moms, concluded that the average length of gestation for a woman with no previous pregnancies was 39 weeks, 5 days. 56.3% of these women delivered on or before the due date estimated by their health care provider, which indicates that the majority of first time moms don't go past 40 weeks.<br />
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Further, the average length of gestation for women birthing a second child was found to be 39 weeks, 6 days. The statistics for this category indicate that this results in 56.1% of women having delivered said younger sibling on or before their estimated due date.<br />
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In other words, my chances of going past due as a first - timer are no better and no worse than they would be with a second (or even a third child - round three arrived, on average, at 39+4). If 'average' is my goal, I still have two days to go. And if 'on or before my estimated due date' is the only thing for which I'm striving, I still have five days. <br />
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It seems positively cushy til I remember that I've been experiencing prodromal labor (contractions + cramping) for so long now that I no longer remember to time them even if I try. Twelve days, to be exact. And in twelve days of discomfort of varying degrees, I've added a whopping one centimeter, snapped at two absolutely well - intentioned and concerned coworkers, and and eaten more chocolate than I did in the two stabby weeks between conception and finding out I was pregnant. <br />
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Please, universe? Is it really too much to ask that I go into labor at no later than 40.0 weeks?janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-76825964801248700632012-09-25T14:04:00.001-07:002012-09-25T14:04:08.591-07:00BoredomIt's hard to explain just how boring life can be even in the midst of relatively oppressive exhaustion and nine-months-pregnant determination to work as close to full time as possible. I'm staying busy, yes...work, and trying to get in enough naps to keep my body relatively prepared for labor at any time keep me occupied for most of the day. There's also a seemingly never-ending supply of dirty dishes and carpets in need of vacuuming and laundry in need of washing, to fill in the spare minutes and hours between work and sleep. <br />
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I've spent the past eight and a half months trying to emotionally and physically prepare for parenthood, and I've come a long way. Almost all the baby laundry is done; we have the vast majority of the baby gear we will need for the first few months. And I'm really, genuinely thrilled to meet this little person. It's hard not to be impatient when he or she has been my constant companion for going on nine months. <br />
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It's also hard not to be unbearably bored with this whole business of still being pregnant a week and a half after the start of early labor. I've gone on with my life despite the increasing exhaustion and discomfort, but it's really getting hard to care about much anything other than delivering this baby at long last. It would be lovely to be able to carry on as before, but that's easier said than done while contracting! I've given up on vacuuming the carpets and sweeping the kitchen floor; even showering has taken the back seat to lying in bed idly playing on my phone. The dishes still get washed, but I lost interest in behaving civilly a week or two ago, when the symptoms of early labor started. I've timed my contractions so many times over the past week and a half that I no longer consistently remember to do so (though I try to time them at least once or twice a day). And with the rate at which my attitude towards labor's imminence is going south, I'll most likely end up delivering this baby on our living room floor because it would take transition - esque intensity to convince me that it's the real deal and not just another false alarm. <br />
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I spent so much time trying to be prepared to meet our child that I never bothered to prepare for the reality that my due date might come and go without yielding a baby. It's still five days away, but I'm no longer holding my breath. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-12582800378951896762012-09-22T18:56:00.000-07:002012-09-22T18:56:18.033-07:00Attempts at starting laborTwo days ago, I tried taking castor oil. I can't say it was an absolutely awful experience, though it's not one I'd soon repeat without good reason (seeing as I'm still pregnant forty - eight hours later). <br />
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Yesterday I went to the gym. I ran a mile on the treadmill and two on the elliptical, and used the thigh adductor/abductor machine. And then I made spicy jambalaya rice for dinner (with extra red pepper). It felt good to work out, and the rice was delicious. However, I'm still pregnant. <br />
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Today I worked a full shift, ate the leftover jambalaya rice, went to the gym (1 mile on the treadmill, 2 on the elliptical), and am two slices from finishing off an entire pineapple. While I've been having a great deal of pressure and a great many contractions all day, I'm still (you guessed it!) pregnant. <br />
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And something tells me I'm still going to have to go to work tomorrow. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-81246655426836042672012-09-21T09:19:00.002-07:002012-09-21T09:19:40.478-07:00I'd be lying if I said I wasn't frustrated to still be pregnant. Thirty eight weeks, five days along (34+4 after finding out this tiny person was going to be joining our family), I can honestly say I thought I'd have delivered by now. <br />
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I've been telling myself since the braxton - hicks contractions started at 21 weeks that my body would be well - prepared for labor by the time I hit full term at 37 weeks, and that the fact that I 'dropped' and started dilating at 31 weeks would leave us lucky to make it to 35. 35 weeks came and went, and then 36, and then 37. We're about to watch 38 do the same, and I'm no closer to labor than I was a week ago. I'm having contractions every 5-10 minutes, cramping, and frequent nausea - but this has been the case for the past week. And I'm still only 2 centimeters dilated. <br />
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I get that the 'average' pregnancy is 40 weeks long. I also get that there are definite benefits to keeping the baby in the toaster til at least 39 weeks. However, it doesn't seem fair, given that most women aren't experiencing the symptoms of preterm and prodromal labor for the last three months of pregnancy like I have been. And most women aren't working a physically demanding job til they go into labor. I might have more patience for this baby arriving on his or her schedule if it weren't for the fact that I have to drag my crampy, heavy, pregnant self out of bed to go break down pallets at 5am, five days a week. I might have more patience if it weren't for the fact that it's not financially doable for me to quit working until labor starts. The physically taxing eight - hour shifts on my feet, dealing with people who don't think I should still be working...these won't and can't end til my body decides it's baby time. I'm miserable, cranky, achy, and...stuck, til this baby decides to come un-stuck. Try running a cash register cheerfully with contractions every seven minutes. People want to touch my belly, and it's getting embarrassing because it so often feels like shrink - wrapped coconuts stuffed up my shirt. <br />
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At least it's proof that hard physical labor won't induce labor, I guess. My coworkers and customers alike seemed so sure breaking down pallets of produce cases was dangerous during pregnancy. Well, then. I almost wish carrying fifty - pound bags of carrots across the store would induce labor, because walking, running, sex, castor oil, and pineapple haven't done a darn thing. I now have legs as toned as they were before pregnancy, a less...frustrated...husband, a squeaky clean digestive system, and a baby who is as comfy and squirmy within my belly as ever. And seriously - it's been almost 24 hours since the castor oil adventure, and I think I'm having fewer contractions and less nausea now than I was before (but no fewer baby wiggles). Maybe that's not a bad thing...<br />
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Seriously though. Someone needs to tell this kid it's time to make like a migratory bird and head south. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-52547586280052705172012-09-17T12:59:00.001-07:002012-09-17T12:59:47.576-07:0038 Weeks (or, "a week into 'full term' and still pregnant")Not much else to report. I'm dilating, slowly but steadily and have had one round of false labor (two nights ago). It's to be expected, given that this is my first pregnancy - dilation can begin weeks before actual labor starts, and neither I nor my body know exactly what the experience of going into labor is like. I'm still working four or five days a week, still running occasionally, and doing my best to get things ready for a baby in the meantime. <br />
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Most of the baby laundry is done, and our second baby shower was yesterday. We're about as ready as we're going to be now aside from ordering a pump and a few 4oz bottles to use at first. Oh, and finishing all the remodeling in the apartment... That almost certainly won't happen before we are three though. On the bright side, I'll be around all the time to take care of the kiddo while Chris guts the kitchen, moves it into the bedroom, lays a new floor in the now-kitchen, and makes it into a bedroom. It's going to be a lot of work, but worth it because we'll be able to fit a crib in the bedroom once the switch happens. He's currently working on re-routing the wiring in both rooms, which is interfering with my need to clean but moving towards something worthwhile in the long run! <br />
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Updates to come as there are updates to be made. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-5129354750863011982012-09-11T20:13:00.000-07:002012-09-11T20:13:05.698-07:00Still here, still pregnant. Thirty - seven weeks and two days pregnant, to be exact...we've not only made it past the requisite thirty - six week mark to deliver at the ABC, but have even made it to full term! It's exciting, and I wish I was energetic enough to fully appreciate it. <br />
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Despite being back to full time employment at TJ's (thanks to the fickle nature of construction) I have been keeping busy. I'm working on upcycled flannel wipes (cut from old pillowcases), running load after load of baby laundry, collecting odds and ends of baby gear, and helping Chris rearrange the apartment in preparation for switching the bedroom and the kitchen (because no matter how close to my due date it is, it may be awhile before he has this much time off work to focus on home improvement). I love the new layout of the living room - it's much cozier and more inviting, and it honestly feels bigger since the couch isn't obscuring a third of the window. <br />
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So yes...it's down to the 'waiting' part of the game now. It doesn't feel like it though, doesn't feel like we could be leaving for the birth center any day now as a two - person family and returning home as a family of three. This third little person has, for all intents and purposes, moved in already - his or her clothing is washed, folded, put away in the dresser. A tiny tub sits in the closet, a crib and carseat in the basement. The freshly - washed sheets for the crib are neatly folded in the bottom drawer of the dresser, to keep them clean while we're moving furniture and uprooting cabinets. I still need to find an appropriate jar for storing cloth wipes, and I don't know if we're ever truly going to have enough diapers but...we have most everything we're going to need to bring a baby home from the hospital but the baby! <br />
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Sometime soon, when the changes to the apartment are complete, I'll post pictures. And, obviously, I will post pictures when our family goes from two people to three as well! janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-80637663501344320182012-09-04T11:01:00.000-07:002012-09-04T11:01:33.785-07:00I'm 36 weeks pregnant, and today I'm scrubbing the plastic window blinds in the bathtub. With shower gel, no less...my entire apartment smells delightful and 'Moonlit Path-y.' <br />
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This mad sort of nesting impulse is, apparently, a precursor to labor in many instances. I'm not too sure it means anything at all for me though...I've been having similar bursts of energy to power similar compulsions for months now. I've stood at work, mentally going through my closet and deciding what clothing to get rid of, fantasized about organizing the cabinets while at Target, imagined sorting and re-allocating my dresser drawers while trying to decide what to make for dinner. It's madness, but once an idea plants itself in my head, RoundUp wouldn't kill it. Two nights ago, I patched all of Chris's holey pants. I now wish he had more semi - destroyed clothing so I could continue sewing productively. <br />
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Know what's funny though? None - or at least most - of this productivity is going to make any difference in the long run. While clean window blinds and un-greasy refrigerator tops and sparkling kitchen floors are nice, a) they'll never stay that way, and b) we won't likely be living in this apartment for more than six months or so. It's a lovely little place for two people, but it would be a bit of a nightmare with an ambulatory third person. There simply isn't enough storage to keep everything out of reach of small hands, and there's no room for toy clutter of any kind. There isn't a corner we can designate a play area, and sharing a bedroom with a toddler might get old. <br />
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Oh well. Knowing that almost nothing about our current living situation is permanent (or even indefinitely workable) diminishes my sense of accomplishment somewhat, but not enough to stop me from prying the other two windows' worth of blinds out of their brackets and throwing them in the bathtub. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-14500160120071960982012-08-31T07:43:00.000-07:002012-08-31T07:43:27.208-07:00A full - term pregnancy is, quite literally, right around the corner. It's hard to believe I've already been pregnant for eight months (though I know this year hasn't necessarily passed any more quickly than last year or the year before that - time flies these days). I guess I just expected pregnancy to slow down the clock and the calendar for some reason. <br />
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People with children of all ages tell me that this doesn't change once the kids escape the womb, and that the teeny, bleating baby they brought home yesterday is now in kindergarten, in high school, starting a family, etc. I can't wrap my head around having an actual baby yet, much less looking back on his or her infancy with nostalgia. <br />
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We're nearing ready to bring this baby home, at the very least. I know nothing will prepare us emotionally for the experience, but we're slowly accumulating the things required to sustain the life of an infant! Our travel system sits in the basement waiting for the day we (hopefully remember to) grab the carseat and base on our way to the birth center. Two large boxes of baby clothes+bedding (in need of sorting and washing) should get us through the first month or so in terms of not having a naked baby. We have a few bottles, which won't see the light of day for a few weeks if all goes as planned. A crib, dresser, and changing table await assembly; we still need to get a mattress for the crib. I bought nursing pads and baby wipes at Target yesterday. (nursing pads, incidentally, are massive - like, 'half an overnight menstrual pad' massive. no wonder nursing bras are so huge and bulky!) <br />
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The only thing outstanding is the diaper situation. We've been planning on cloth diapering all along, but it may be the last thing to fall into place before or after this baby is born. While I have several dozen pre-folds, I'm honestly not crazy about the idea of using those as our primary diaper. They're not particularly easy to use, and they won't fit a newborn. And the cost of starting out with all - in - one cloth diapers is imposing at $17 apiece. Assuming this kiddo goes through as many NB diapers as I did, we'd be looking at $30-35 a week (at Target prices) if we were to use disposable diapers. It doesn't sound like much, but that becomes $120-$135 a month. Most cloth diapers advertise that they pay for themselves in less than six months, which I don't doubt. It's just the start-up cost...we don't, and won't, have an entire paycheck to throw at a cloth diaper stash between now and October 1st. I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world if we gradually acquired cloth diapers and used *some* disposable ones in the meantime. I've been stalking the interwebz for gently used cloth diapers as well...hopefully I come across some good deals. The cost of disposable diapering for well over a year is enough to justify continuing to acquire cloth diapers whenever possible - especially since this kiddo probably won't be an only child! <br />
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Craigslist + Amazon may end up being this mother's best friend as far as raising an affordable child goes. I'm driving out to Livonia today to look at some cloth diapers, and picking up a Moby wrap for $10 tomorrow. It's driving, yes, but hey - it's cheaper to run the AC in the car than it is to run it at home! And it's supposed to be 90 today and tomorrow. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-58964114411386146032012-08-29T17:45:00.002-07:002012-08-29T17:46:23.277-07:00Pregnancy hormones......they're like the voices in your head.<br />
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When they tell you that you should mop the kitchen floor with a scrubbing pad, you don't bother to question whether or not spending thirty minutes scrubbing linoleum on your hands and knees at thirty - five weeks pregnant is a good idea. You just do it.<br />
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But hey - my kitchen floor's now way cleaner than the Swiffer would have left it. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-59767138173628951172012-08-28T15:06:00.000-07:002012-08-28T15:06:00.707-07:00Thirty - five weeks, two daysWe're 1cm dilated and 50% effaced! <br />
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This may or may not mean anything, either to you or to the pregnancy. While effacement is a marginally more accurate indicator of the imminence of labor, it's hardly an exact science. I might deliver next week, or in six weeks (I'm hoping for something between 37 and 39 weeks). Either way, everything looks good, and my body (and my baby) has/have begun the descent towards labor! janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646479157424680764.post-14302809665094249102012-08-26T19:07:00.000-07:002012-08-26T19:07:02.750-07:00If this baby arrived on the sort of timetable that Chris did, we'd have our very own small human in a week and a half. Madness. <br />
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And while I am, obviously, still pregnant with #1 and thus have yet to complete a pregnancy, I can say this much : how you carry a baby is almost 100% genetic. How you take care of yourself is all on you. janna bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00841942587283088112noreply@blogger.com0