Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin & The Farm Midwives

There is a new documentary about Ina May Gaskin coming out called "Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin & The Farm Midwives."  For those of you that might not be familiar with Ina May, she is one of the leaders of the midwifery movement today. 
This documentary looks enchanting, and I know Jason and I cannot wait to see it.  Although she has been interviewed and featured in many documentaries on natural and home birth, I'm honestly surprised that there hasn't been a documentary made about her before.  I don't know if my husband, child, and I would have had our beautiful home birth if it hadn't been for Ina May and her knowledge and trust in laboring mothers and the strength their bodies have.

Our babe.

After laboring for 23 hours, Jason and I welcomed our daughter to the world on Monday, July 9th.  Her name is Camille, and I'm fairly certain that she's the most lovely baby I've ever seen.  8 lbs 7 oz, 21 1/4 inches, and perfectly healthy.

With the help of our midwives Debbie and Nichole, we had the natural water birth at home like we had been planning for nine months +.  I'm so happy Camille got to pick her birthday, and come when she was ready.

Still waiting...

This is what almost 42 weeks of pregnancy looks like...in a heatwave.  The worst part of being almost two weeks late in summer, besides sweating all the time, is the swelling of my feet and ankles.  My feet hurt so badly, and my poor toes look like breakfast sausages!

Jason and I have an ultrasound on Friday to make sure the baby isn't under any stress and that she has enough fluid to keep swimming in.  Basically, just to make sure she is healthy.  If we don't have the baby over the weekend, we'll have to go in for another ultrasound on Monday, too.  It will be exciting to see her, but we would rather see her face to face!  Everything looked great at our appointment with our midwife yesterday, but we are still crossing our fingers that she will arrive ASAP!

Crafty Pregtastic.

Have I mentioned that we are still pregnant?  We are.  This baby is so happy in this belly of mine, I'm starting to think she might never want to leave!  But Jason and I both feel that we want her to choose when she is ready as long as everyone is still healthy.  We are planning a homebirth still, but we have a back-up plan in case of an emergency.

I have been listening to the podcast, Pregtastic, to help me throughout my pregnancy.  I've often felt alone since I'm the only pregnant person I know in Madison (let alone the only pregnant person I know in Madison planning a home birth), and although I don't know any of the women on the podcasts, I felt a little like a part of a community.  There is always something interesting discussed, from birth stories and breastfeeding, to prenatal exercise and cloth diapering. 
I love that there are always mom's from different backgrounds and life experiences, and never judgement when discussing any of the topics of the weekly podcasts.  It's so refreshing to get unbiased information to make safe decisions that feel right for my family.
As I've been waiting for baby, I've been listening to a few of the podcast episodes a day as I have been learning to crochet.


Oh yes, you've heard correctly, I'm learning to crochet.  I have always seen myself as being a knitter only.  I used to see crocheting as knitting-lite, and I always saw the rare people who both knit and crochet as unicorns, like they're mythical or something.  Now that I look back on it, maybe I was just afraid that I would not feel comfortable with crocheting.  The challenge of learning a new craft has become the perfect distraction from waiting around for an 11 day late baby!  Now Baby Lamb has more baby booties and hats than she will ever need in her lifetime, but it has sure been keeping me busy, and she will certainly be warm.
While I've been waiting, I've also completed Baby Lamb's quilt.  It's my first completely hand-stitched quilt, and I started it back in February!

J's first father's day.

Baby isn't here yet, but we are only days away from our due date/guess date.  (Less than a week, I can't believe it.)  This point of pregnancy is really eerie to think about because I have a babe inside of me that would live and thrive out in the real world now.  It's very much like being sandwiched between two worlds at the moment.
Since Jason has been so supportive and caring throughout my whole pregnancy, I wanted to do something especially nice for him for Father's Day.   In the afternoon we went to see Moonrise Kingdom, but before our day officially began, I surprised him with breakfast.

Nutella and banana crepes, that is.  They were a big hit, and I was even able to sit while I made them.  (Heavenly.)

Recipe!

**The crepes themselves look a bit darker than they normally would because I used whole wheat flour.**

Pierogies

Jason and I have been hard at work making freezer meals for after the baby has arrived.  We're making lots of lasagna and quiche, and today I made a Polish specialty that's very popular in North-East Pennsylvania;  Pierogies!  I've never made Pierogies from scratch before, but after seeing a recipe I thought, how hard could it possibly be?  It was very easy, but fairly time consuming.  The ooey-gooey European dumplings of joy will be well worth the work now though.  Don't I know it.

I used the recipe from momofukufor2, and it worked perfectly.  After making the dough and the potato and green onion filling, I formed the pierogies and put them right into a freezer bag.  Once I'm ready to make the pierogies for dinner, all I will have to do is quickly boil them until they float and bake them with some onion and olive oil.  Yum!

** This recipe could easily be made vegan if you don't use egg in the dough or add cheese to the filling.   Also, I added two minced cloves of garlic in the potato filling, making it ultra delectable, FYI.

Getting ready for baby.

Since my last update, I completed my Masters in Education!  That took a whole lot of time from blogging, but it was all worth it.  I finished my higher education career (so far) with a 3.7 GPA.  So close to my 4.0 goal, but hey, I'll take it.  It feels good to know that I'm one step closer to a career that I love and excel in, so much so that the grade I get is just the icing on the cake.  Actually learning about what I love doing is far more important to me.

I decided not to walk at my graduation because I would have been at the end of my eighth month of pregnancy, and there is no way that I would want to sit in a cap and gown for hours in the sun, sweating my butt off.  No waddling across stage for me, thanks.  I didn't walk at my undergraduate commencement either, and I never regretted it.  Instead I left straight for my third tour, then moved to Madison to be with Jason, and became closer to the life that I'm living today.  I'd say it was a good decision looking back, otherwise I might not have the life that I have today.

Now that I'm done with school, I'm busy getting ready for baby!  I'm now only two weeks from my due date, and nesting time is starting to dwindle down.  I've been doing a lot of quilting, knitting, and general sewing to finish preparing for my sweet babe.  Jason and I are so excited to meet her and those little feet that have been poking my sides all day long!

"It's my mommy badge."

Sorry I've been away for a bit.  I just arrived home from visiting family in Florida.

I just wanted to share this video with everyone.  I've recently noticed that I've started to get some stretch marks, and I didn't really know how I was feeling about them for a while.  As I've progressed with my first pregnancy, I've struggled with not being in control of what happens to my body anymore.  Now I'm at a place where I'm able to relax a little and let the small stuff fade.  I know I'm not going to look like I did before I got pregnant ever again, but I'm kind of anxious to know what I will look like after the baby.  I'm curious about what my stretch marks and skin will look like after my belly isn't round anymore.  However I look after birth, I know that I want to be positive about how my body recovers.  I know that my body is strong and healthy and I have to trust it.



How do you feel about your body after baby?

I now pronounce you Smoothie and Popsicle.

Next to barbeque sauce on everything, the only other thing I have been craving has been sweets.  The way I have been getting around eating ice cream every single moment of the day has been popsicles.  Tart popsicles, sweet popsicles, I don't care.  Let me tell you, it does the trick, and I end up getting a good serving of fruit in the process.  Can't go wrong.
Jason has been really into smoothies lately, so we have been combining our current favorite treats to make a sweet treat wonderland.

Pink Peach Mango Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup Orange juice
• 1/3 cup Whole milk (feel free to use any kind of milk you want, I have to drink whole milk, so I sneak it in where I can.)
• Frozen strawberries
• Frozen raspberries
• Frozen mango
• Frozen peaches

Directions

1. Throw an individual handfull of frozen strawberries, raspberries, mango, and peaches into the blender.
2. Add orange juice and whole milk.  Securely top blender and proceed to blend.  If you want your smoothie to be more thick, add more fruit.  If you would like your smoothie to be more liquidy, add more orange juice and milk.

Pink Peach Mango Popsicle

1. Make Pink Peach Mango Smoothie, then pour smoothie mixture into a Popsicle mold  (I got my set from a thrift store for 90 cents!)  You can also use paper cups with popsicle sticks if you do not have a popsicle mold.
2. Let freeze over night.
3. Run mold under warm water until you can remove the popsicle with ease.  Enjoy!

Dreamy Wedding Bands

I'm on the search for a new inexpensive wedding band because my fingers are becoming so swollen that my wedding band and engagement ring are becoming uncomfortable.

Here are some that I'm really loving.

 Libra Minimalist Ring -- $26

 Modern Tab Ring -- $20

Hammered Stacking Ring -- #13

Fairy Pearls Ring  -- $20

Nursery Design: What has been helping me.

Since Jason and I found out we were pregnant, I have been thinking of what we would like to do for a nursery.  We have a small budget, but I am confident that we can still pull off a great room that will be comforting for our little girl.  I knew I wanted to produce a gender nuetral environment from the start.  At this point in time, I cannot imagine having another child, but I also don't want my child to feel forced to like something that just doesn't feel right. 
Even though we are no where near the end of our journey, here is a look at what has been helping us so far.



What has been helping me:

1.)  I started off with concentrating on what I would like on Pinterest.  I know pretty much everyone is using Pinterest now, but for those of you who have yet to know the wonder:  Pinterest helps members find inspiration and find patterns from their inspiration to understand what direction to move into next.  I use Pinterest for everything from DIY idea's to classroom tools.
Using Pinterest reminded me that I love robin's egg blue, yellow, and grey as a neutral (with hints of pink and orange.)

2.)  Starting our baby registry was also helpful.  We are registered on MyRegistry.com, which is a universal registry.  It has been so easy to use.

3.)  Apartment Therapy.  It never hurts to see a fabulous room completed.  That's where I found this rug made out of carpet tiles.  You probably could use just about any rug, but carpet tiles would be easiest to work with.

 Check out the whole room here!

4.)  Chic & Cheap Nursery is a blog that has been an excellent source for ideas and inspiration.  It's more than just baby stuff, too!  It's also a great place to find ideas for your big kid, too.

 Click here for the DIY tutorial!

5.)  Color Splash!  I love this HGTV show.  It's hosted by David Bromstad, who won the first HGTV Design Star, and his prize was having his own design program on HGTV.  He's so talented, and not to mention a total sweetie pie.  It's a great place to find inspiration for the whole home, including a nursery.  You can visit the HGTV website to find full episodes for free.

The truth about pregnancy.

Pregnancy is completely glamorized.  When Jason and I found out we were pregnant, I thought I would feel like a beautiful earth mother for an entire nine months.  I mean, yeah, it is amazing to create life, but it's also incredibly disgusting.
I have never felt so repulsed and amazed by my body in my entire life.  Don't get me wrong, I love my new rounding belly and the fact that I'm actually getting something that most people call their butt (I've always called it lower back number 2.)
NO ONE, and I mean no one, talks about how crumby being pregnant is, but I'm going to.
Somebody has to do it.


The pro's of pregnancy:

1. You get a really sweet babe in return, after suffering for nine months straight.
2. Your boobs get huge.  (This can be a pro, and it can also be a con.)
3. Your belly is really cute once it starts to round out.
4. Your hair gets really shiny and strong, and it grows really quickly.
5. Everyone treats you like royalty.  (Not too shabby.)

The con's of pregnancy:

1. You burp all the time.  (Watch out if you're a gal who burps a lot anyway.)
2. You pass gas all the time.  (Ditto on number one.)
3. Most people feel like they are going to vomit for three months straight, if not longer.  (If you are the exception, you can suck my toe.)
4. Sometimes when you sneeze, you pee yourself a little.
5. Back pain.
6. Weird, vivid dreams.
7. Bloody noses.
8. You have to purchase a brand new wardrobe. (For yourself, and then your babe's.)
9. You can't drink coffee or alcohol anymore.  (Again, this can be seen as a pro or con.  For me, I miss my morning latte.)
10. You can't even eat Wisconsin Fish Fry OR a spicy tuna roll.
11. You are tired, pretty much all the time.
12. Your breasts hurt half the time.
13. Swollen feet.
14. Heart Burn  (did I mention that this also can lead to vomiting, even if you're not nauseous?  Oh yeah.  It does.)
15. Killer leg cramps. 
16. Excessive sweating.
17. Your skin gets weird like a teenager's.
18. Your balance is off.  (Say goodbye to your stiletto's, sister.)
19. One minute you are elated, and the next you are scream-crying.

Here I am basking in the sunlight of my glorious pregnancy, sipping a virgin bloody mary.  

Yes, they are glorious too.

But they actually are.

It's a...

....girl!
Jason and I are really excited to be parents, and we cannot wait to just meet our sweet baby girl.  I can't believe she's already so big!  I don't really look all that pregnant, just kind of bloated, so it was a surprise to see a baby looking back at us that already has a profile. 
Yesterday I spent all day on our registry, looking up stroller and car seat safety reviews.  It's boring AND exciting all at the same time.  Can you believe it?

Vintage Children's Books

Have you ever noticed how there are not many options for gender neutral items for babies lately?  It could be because so many people find out the sex of their babies before they are born, so there is more time to prepare.  This has been a problem for me so far.  I am normally a planner by nature, but my need to plan has been heightened by my pregnancy.  The planning feels urgent now!
Jason and I get to find out tomorrow what we're having, but in the meantime, we have been trying to collect items that our baby will benefit from, no matter what reproductive organs it has.  One of those things has been books.
We have been going to thrift stores to find the classics (like Dr. Suess, Corduroy, Have you seen my mother, etc...) and we've made out really well doing that.  Thrifting for children's books is also a great option because you come across some reals gems that you wouldn't find normally, too.

On one thrifting visit a few weeks ago, Jason and I found three books from the 1930's.  Pretty cool!
My favorite is Petite Suzanne, about a French Canadian girl who learns to hunt and weave, all by Christmas!  That Suzanne...she really knows where it's at.

So, where have you been all this time?

I just finished student teaching this past Friday, and I'm starting to get things together to begin subbing.  It's so bitter-sweet to be done.  In some ways, I feel as though I have just climbed a mountain, and on the other hand, I know that I will really miss my students. 
I have had a really different student teaching experience than the average student.  First of all, I'm not an undergrad, so that gave me a boost in the right direction from life experience.  The second thing that made my student teaching experience different from most was that I'm pregnant.  That's right!  Jason and I are having our first baby.  That's kind of why I have been so absent from blogging.
I know there are plenty of expecting/mom bloggers who can keep up with their blog, even with being so exhausted all the time (like the lovely Meg!  I don't know how she does it.)  During my first trimester, I would work all day, and go to bed as soon as I finished dinner at 5:30 or 6.  As of this week, I am 19 weeks pregnant, so I'm thrilled to be out of that position and to have more energy!

So that's the update!  Jason and I get to find out on Friday what the gender of the baby is.  We're so excited!