The Maiden Metallurgist

I woke up around 3 with contractions 10 minutes apart. Before long they were 5 minutes apart then 3. When they were 3 minutes apart for a half an hour (we were planning a med free birth and laboring at home as long as possible was part of our plan) we called my mother in law to come over, knowing it would take her about an hour to get to us, and then us an hour to get to the hospital.

I packed my hospital bag and waxed my eyebrows (priorities!) and took a shower and shit was getting real so we decided not to wait for MIL, we woke up our neighbor to come stay with Hen and got on the road.

It took us an hour to get there, and the first 45 minutes was brutal, contractions were 3 minutes apart and sitting wasn’t a great position for me, but you know, what can you do? But then the last 15 minutes of the drive I didn’t have any contractions and I was super worried that we were the parents who cried labor. That we’d be sent home and have to do this all over again.

It turns out I was in transition i just didn’t know it. As soon as we got tot he hospital the contractions started up again with a vengeance.  We got to the hospital at 6:30 am (Friday, June 14). Got to the room, and our planned med free birth be damned I pretty much begged for an epidural. They checked me and I was at 5cm, got my IV in and fluids started and said they’d do the epi as soon as the bag of fluids was in.

Meanwhile contractions were getting ridiculous. They called my midwife up “just in case” and asked if I wanted to get in the tub while we waited in the epi. I totally get now that they were humoring me- we were way too late for the epi. They started filling the tub, I did hands and knees through the next few contractions and when the tub was about half full I decided to go to the bathroom and get in.

But then another wicked contraction had me on my knees on the bathroom floor and I started to feel like I needed to push. The nurses asked me if I felt like pushing and I totally lied and said no because I was super focused on getting the epi. But those nurses are no dummies, they knew what was up. My midwife asked me to get in the bed but I couldn’t move, so she called for a bunch of towels and spread them on the floor around me. Josh was incredible, he crouched on the floor in front of me and held me and I pushed Cop out in 2 pushes on my hands and knees. I delivered our baby on the bathroom floor. I think I bit Josh. Felt like I was shitting a softball. He was born in the caul. I shit in my midwifes hand. I was fast and furious. He was born at 7:21, less than an hour after we got to the hospital.

6 pounds 4 ounces, 18 inches. Breastfeeding great. Named for Copley square in Boston. It does not look like he has club foot at all, obviously he has DS, but that’s not a surprise. We love him. Hen is besotted.

As of July 1 Google Reader will be no more. Wah wah. I have used google reader for years, but it’s not the only game in town. A month or so I switched over to Bloglovin and never looked back!

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Easy!

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Last week we had several big appointments, and they were all pretty good.

First the great news! Baby flipped, no EV needed, at 35 weeks and 5 days. I never felt it, I just went in for my appointment and where yesterday there was a head, there was no head. An ultrasound confirmed that this guy did the work and is now head down. I’m so incredibly relieved that we aren’t looking at a c section anymore.

Baby’s kidneys are looking good. The fast growing kidney has stopped growing at such a high rate and the normal kidney is catching up.

We had our first NST (non-stress test) yesterday and the nurse said baby couldn’t have done better.

Now we’re on twice weekly NST’s for the duration of the pregnancy, once weekly BPP’s, and weekly appointments with the midwife.

Pfew. That is to say, I’m spending a lot of my time at the hospital, and I have some feelings about it.

First of all. It’s fine. I’ve shelved any expectations I’ve had about this pregnancy.

I had a plan going into this, to be as low intervention as possible. Midwife. One ultrasound. No NST’s. Low key, low tech.

And then I had my hat handed to me by circumstances out of my control. I eat some crow, some humble pie. everything is out of my hands. I can do the work, I can make the decisions, but when it comes to the safety and health of my kid, I’ll do what I need to do.

So instead of just having one midwife, I have one midwife, an MFM, and three specialists taking care of me and baby. Instead of just one ultrasound we’ve had a half dozen. It is what it is. And I’m grateful that we are able to keep a good eye on him, and get him here safe.

I know it’s terribly bad form to disappear for a week at this stage of the pregnancy and come back without a baby! But I’m still pregnant, just very busy. I had a ton of doctors appointments last week, and from this point forward I’m looking at 4 appointments a week for the duration.

The good news is this is my last week at work! In fact, Thursday is my last day! I wasn’t planning on leaving work before my due date, but at this point I feel like I’m off for appointments more than I am working, and the past few weeks I’ve been busting my butt to get everything ready *just in case* so I’m really comfortable leaving now.

This is the 37 week belly in all its glory. I’m stuck by two things when I look a this picture… although the bump is huge, compared to my first pregnancy I am not as big. Man, I looked in the mirror the other day and thought I’d really blown up… and then I looked back at this old blog from 37 weeks with Hen, and man I was huge! I gained a lot more weight (started heavier too) and had a lot more swelling. I guess I can attribute my better condition this time to running around after Henry.

I did a lot of yoga and walking last time, but this time I’m wearing Hen, running around, and picking him up. And then I collapse after he goes to bed!

The second thing I notice is how much older I look. These two years have not been so kind. But I’m healthy, and I’m happy and I feel good. And that’s important. More important than the legendary jowls the women of my family sport after a certain age (apparently for me, that age is 33).

When I’m not at the doctor we are trying to squeeze every single thing about summer we can in before we are out of commission for a little while.  Summer in Eisenbergia revolves around the back yard. We’ve been the lucky recipients of some great hand me down toys from our neighbors this season, and now I look at our patio and think “yeah, we are parents!”

But it really is a fantastic place to relax and hang out, and Henry stays busy playing out here too, and if Henry is having fun, we’re all having fun.

Look at my big boy in his flip flops! Couldn’t you just die! And humble brag on my strawberry bed, we planted last year, and the first year of a strawberry crop is basically a wash because they don’t really produce fruit and need time to get established and send out their runners, but the patience you exercise that first year is well worth it! We are looking at a great harvest for year two! Henry knows they are strawberries but doesn’t totally understand that they will turn into STRAWBERRIES soon. He’s going to love it!

I’ll write more about this in another post, but I have a couple friends weaving now and one of them (Vandeloo Woven) sent me home with this short wrap she wove to try it out. It’s beautiful, comfortable, and Henry, Mr. Wrap Strike himself, was all about it. We did a lot of great wearing to and from and waiting on all those doctors appointments last week. I’m sad to let it go.

Last night Josh took me to see Indigo Girls at Ravinia. It was a great night, fun concert, and best part we were flying solo! Henry enjoyed his first sleepover at Grandma’s house and Josh and I had a long overdue date.

Josh was out of town this weekend so my pictures today are mostly iPhone selfies.

I have reached the fat muppet stage of pregnancy. It’s OK, just a few weeks to go. We did some good wrapping this weekend to walk the dogs.

This wrap is pretty special, and I should write about it a little more some day. My friend Marcia wove it herself. It’s really cool.

Sunday morning we walked the dogs, made pancakes and watched Super Why. I really, really enjoyed the low key snuggles. We don’t do a ton of TV, but lately when we do Hen gets snuggled right in a nook. It’s bliss.

Josh took this last picture with my phone in the grocery store parking lot. Hen was being so snuggly all weekend I had a hunch he might go up for our quick trip to the store. I tied up my rebozo and asked if he wanted to go in, and somewhat to my surprise he very cheerily

I’ve had amazing hair lately. I’m going to tell you how I am achieving this glorious mane.

Step 1) Get pregnant. Your hair will stop falling out and become thick and luxurious.
Step 2) Get super sick with HG so you are unable to get a haircut for 7 months. Your hair will grow a ton because you are pregnant and it will be super healthy because if you are always puking, you won’t be blow drying it.

Step 3) Go no poo
Step 4) Enjoy your BondGirl hair

So maybe you can’t or don’t want to do anything about steps 1 and 2. And who can blame you. Pregnancy is awful. Worst 9 months of my life, both times. Seriously. Yes, yes, yes, I’m beyond grateful to be pregnant not once but twice, but dang if it isn’t a rough road for me.

But pregnancy hair is fleeting.  In a few months time all this glorious extra hair will fall out. And I’ll be left with my original head of hair.

Doesn’t matter, because I really credit Step 3, going no poo with the biggest change in my hairs texture and appearance. See the picture right above? I was pregnant, had the extra pregnancy hair thing going on, but it was still very flat and lifeless.

Now I’ve given up shampoo, opting instead for a wash solution of 1 Tbsp Baking Soda in 1 cup water and a rinse solution of 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar in 1 cup water my hair is incredible.  Thick, tons of volume, and on the rare occasions I do blow dry it takes half the time to dry, if not less. I don’t need a lot of product to make it smooth and shiny and I love not washing as often.

The best thing I did for my no poo routine was pick up 2 of these condiment squirt bottles from the dollar store. Put in my baking soda or apple cider vinegar and a cup of water, mark a fill line and now mixing up my solutions is a snap before my shower.

It took a couple of weeks detoxing to get my hair on board with the no poo plan, and during that time I was a right mess. But now, I go a week between washing and never look greasy. Most days I just rinse my hair with water, and I only wash my hair once a week.

Yes, it’s cheap and healthy and all that good stuff, but for me, I’d still use shampoo if it meant prettier hair. Since it doesn’t I can embrace both my crunchy side and my vain side.

We had lots of action and didn’t take nearly enough pictures this weekend.

Henry, our water baby, finally got to go in the pool for the first time this weekend! It completely blew his mind! He couldn’t believe there was that much water for him to play in. He loves “swimming,” was lukewarm on floating, and really got a kick out of jumping. He and Josh are doing swim lessons this summer and I’m so excited for him!

Um, have you ever seen anything so cute as a couple of two year olds holding hands at the zoo? Killing me with cuteness!

Speaking of the zoo! 35 weeks pregnant, 4 hours on my feet, a couple of them with the chump ion my back, I felt like a rock star! Don’t get me wrong, the next day I woke up and felt like I’d run a marathon… but I’m pretty proud of my body and the work it did on Saturday.

Sorry! Couldn’t resist one more! Look at these guys!

Josh and I finally got motivated to do a few things for the new baby this weekend. I made some freezer meals, Josh dug old baby gear out of the basement. Henry is very excited about the infant car seat.  He keeps chanting “baby chair! baby chair!” and climbed into it immediately. We needed to buy an extra base now that we have 2 cars, and are hoping that putting it in the car will help him grasp the idea that a baby is coming. Poor kid still doesn’t have a clue.

I am currently obsessed with making pizza on the grill. Pizza dough is about the easiest thing ever to whip up, and grilling pizza takes no time at all.

Speaking of grilling! Our old trusty grill bit the dust a few weeks ago and Josh and I decided to get a new one for each other for Mother’s Day/ Father’s Day this year.

Finally on Monday, in the midst of the drizzling rain I decided to take the family out for ice cream. This is the first time Hen got his own treat, normally we share… I think we’re going back to sharing for a while! He was so hopped up on sugar, his sugar high was actually kind of funny, he was laughing and clapping and shouting “ice cream chocolate!”  Good thing this is a rare treat, or it might not be so cute!

This is my friend Jac.

Jac is a total babe.  She has enviable style. I love her look. And the most amazing thing about it, is that she pulls it off effortlessly.  I love her pompadour and bright colors.

Not to mention, the woman knows the power of a great pair of sunglasses!

I’m such a neutral girl, oddly enough, I was walking on the wild side myself when we met up last weeeknd.

My bold fashion stylings were born more from desperation than creativity, at this point I’m just trying to make it through the next 5 weeks without buying any new clothes. But she has me feeling inspired to add some color and flair to my wardrobe.

Think I’ll give it a shot this weekend!  I’ve got plans both Saturday and Sunday, I’ll have to see how creative I can get, without going shopping of course!

How do you liven up your look on the cheap?

If you aren’t already reading Emily’s beautiful blog A Denver Home Companion, let my guest post today be your introduction.

Go here and enjoy. http://www.adenverhomecompanion.com/for-the-love-of-shrub/

I need a nap or at least a rest almost every afternoon these days.

But at the end of a long day with Hen Josh needs a little break too. I try to wrangle Hen upstairs with me but you know, he’s 2. He’s not really into laying down with mommy for too long.

I’ll take what I can get though, before daddy comes to save the day.

He reminds me that I have a third trimester “pregnancy pass” and if I need a rest, I need a rest. That’s a good partner right there.