tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387476213952668382024-03-05T20:33:40.346-05:00Molinuevo Mania: beautiful chaosLooking in on life as a mom to three rowdy boys and a brand spanking new girl. Hang on as I figure out how to balance everything as gracefully as I can. Taking it one day at a time... I am trying to be a Proverbs 31 woman; hopefully, it's entertaining!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-51125127646141877842015-05-31T22:42:00.004-04:002015-05-31T22:42:35.392-04:00The MolinuWanderers: Announcement Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes, you get an itch. A dream gets dreamed, mulled over, pondered...and then filed away in the cabinet. Life happens. Babies occupy wombs, newborns give way in to toddlers, more babies come, school starts for bigger kids, college starts over for husbands, you become a birth worker who is on call constantly....and the dream gets shoved further and further into the bottom of the box. Life gets piled on top, things get messy, and the dream becomes squelched. Unable to breathe, what once seemed like a feasible accomplishment becomes an impossible task.<br />
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Life marches on, and years go by. With the years come good- growth as a family. Houses. Responsibilities. Pets. School. Church. Opportunities to serve. Work committees. But not unlike a garden, a family dynamic can have weeds creep in that start taking up root. Selfishness blooms. Greed. Fighting and bickering with brothers becomes incessant. Video games take over. Relationships get put on the back burner for self.<br />
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Jose and I have watched our oldest two children change significantly over the last year. We have spent time praying, seeking God and what he would have for our family, and how to best get our family back to being tight knit. We want to have a family that works as a unit- to favor each other, to work as a team, to put self last, and to serve one another in love when ever possible. What the littlest children in our family see set before them in the oldest children, they will pick up. Something has to change. And now.<br />
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So we threw out our fleeces, started asking each other and God what he would have for us, if this would even work, and what we wanted out of this ordeal. Jose literally asked for a dream, and God gave him a dream.<br />
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We want kids that give sacrificially. To do that, we have to give them opportunity to.<br />
We want kids that love unconditionally. To do that, we have to give them changes to demonstrate real love when it's hard.<br />
We want kids that know material possessions aren't a priority. To do that, we need to show them people, cultures, God's creation. The rim of the Grand Canyon. The delicateness of a monarch in the Sequoias. The tender heart of the homeless man that we break bread with. We have to give them a chance to LOVE.<br />
We want kids that are bonded together in a way that selfishness cannot tear them apart. To do that, we have to make room for serving, for adventure, for caring for each other.<br />
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We have the opportunity to foster change in our family, or sit back and watch things fester.<br />
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We have chosen to take the dream out of the box, dust it off, and hold it in our hands. We have chosen to take a leap of faith, where it seems scary and exciting and so much unknown, and release it to God, follow Him where he takes us, and see our family grow as a result.<br />
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Our family is leaving Port Saint Lucie- for a season- for a year of growth together. Our house is getting sold, and all our belongings, save a few boxes of memories, and our entire lives will become mobile. We are embarking on a 6-12 month road schooling journey. Two parents, four children, three pets, a huge rig, and a 30-something-foot trailer that houses all our ambition.<br />
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In the coming months, we will continue preparing our home to be sold, selling our belongings, and procuring gear for our endeavors. Our minivan will be traded out for an eight seater, diesel, and tow capacity of nearly 10,000 pounds. The kids have already been in on the action, helping to weed through books and stuffed animals and clothing, paring down to just the absolute necessities.<br />
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The kid's last formal day of school for the 2015-2016 school year will be the last day before Christmas break. We will spend the holidays with family, prepping last minute things and tying loose ends together, and shove off on our grand adventure across the country in mid January. Jose will be taking a leave of absence from his job, and has the ability to pick up travel nursing contracts along the way as funds necessitate.<br />
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The kids have been helping plan our journey so far. We plan to road school, and unit study the areas we are in. National Parks, monuments, National Forests, land marks, life lessons, people, foods, you name it, we will be learning it.<br />
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It's an exciting time for our family- winds of change are shifting our dynamic, and we are more than ready to see what God has in store for us this year, as we follow Him. For now, we don't feel as though we are being lead away from Florida long term, and the end goal will involve us coming back and finding a new place, unless God gives us some place we all fall in love with along the way.<br />
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Dreams are funny things. When you follow them, they can be amazing. Sometimes, though, you look back on things that you wish you did, your kids are teenagers, you are cemented in place, and life has taken over...and you always wonder, "what if..." We don't want to be in a place where we had the opportunity to foster change, and to take an adventure, and not. We understand it's not comfortable. We understand there is risk. We understand that we might HATE it. But what's the worst that happens? We hate it and bring everyone home and start fresh?! The scarier thought to us is that we would have the chance to make a real impact on our family's dynamic, learn life lessons, see the beautiful land God created, and not take it...<br />
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There has been lots of questions so far- and I know there will continue to be- so feel free to ask Jose and I if you have them. We are pretty open books!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-78110250467815121742014-12-07T23:13:00.001-05:002014-12-07T23:30:54.570-05:00What I Learned From Our First Sleep OverThis weekend, our Micah Bear turned 8. Third grade was my first sleepover I ever attended. I remember it vividly...it was an experience I will never forget, mostly because it was horrible, held in a vile house that I never went back to, the parents were out of control, and had I had access to a cell phone or their house phone and had the parents been sober, I would have left and went home. So naturally, I wanted my son to have the best possible sleep over for his birthday present.<br />
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He loves to be surprised, and had been asking to have a sleep over for a while, so we decided to throw all caution to the wind and just plan it. Because we are insane, and having 6 boys over for the night, and 4 of them spend the night, plus get your own 4 children taken care of, and then taking all 8 children aged 10 and under to church the next morning sounds like a grand idea. </div>
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So here's some things I learned as I went. </div>
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<li><b>You will clean your entire house for no reason, </b>other than to impress parents who drop their kids off. The kids could care less, and are going to just mess up your house, but no one wants to drop their kid off at your house when your couch is full of laundry and your toddler's train tracks take up the whole living room.</li>
<li><b>You will have too much pizza. </b>Your eight year old typically eats 4 slices of pizza. You plan on feeding 5 of your own people, plus 6 other roughly the same aged and sized children, you do the math, and you figure on 6 pizzas. You decide, since you have a 50% off coupon, to just go ahead and get 7, just in case, because that would be the most horrible party ever- not enough pizza?! And then, each munchkin is so excited because of the party and it being their first sleepover too, that they all only eat 1 slice and ask to start the games already. </li>
<li><b>You will plan 3 games to fit into a 30 minute period, and only do 1.</b> Because you are actually playing games with a herd of elephants, one game gets played, and then the rest of the time is spent explaining things, herding them, focusing them, and then defaulting to your husband coordinating a Fruit Ninja tournament on the Xbox360, while you nurse the baby.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marshallow Shooters will be the best. idea. ever.</td></tr>
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<li><b>You will make a cake that the kids won't want to eat.</b> The kids had so many snacks earlier in the night that when it came time to open presents and have cake, not a single one wanted a piece because they were so full from earlier. Even when it's covered in candy, they will want to watch the movie instead. So the next night, you'll be forced to eat the chocolate cake staring you in the face.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously. Staring at me. All homemade and whatnot.</td></tr>
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<li><b>They will stay up LATE... </b>Even with all the games, the running, the jumping, the slicing of the fruit on the Xbox...at 11:34 pm you'll be reminding them that they need to stop farting on each other in sleeping bags, stop whisperyelling "shut up, Miss Jay's coming," and go to sleep since I am waking them up at 7:30 for church....</li>
<li><b>...and they will wake up WAY too early. </b>Even sleeping in a sound proof, pitch black play room will prove no match to adolescents who know that video games have been bought and opened as presents, and lay neglectfully unplayed in the living room, just a mere 20 feet away. So naturally, by 6:14 am, we all need to be out of bed.</li>
<li><b>Your husband just can't hang. </b>He will be awesome all night long, Games, doling out pizza slices, monitoring the cheese puff intake...but come 6:14 am, it will be you making cereal bowls, getting kids dressed between Skylanders rounds, making sure tooth brushes are used, and making your husband coffee that he will forget to drink, out of exhaustion. Never mind that 2 of your own children slept in your bed last night since it was quiet and across the house from the herd of elephants. And never mind that you nursed the baby three times between midnight and sun up, or that your toddler peed on you in the middle of the night and you changed it all since you felt bad waking said hubby up to help. Later, you will have 2 pieces of the uneaten cake, since hubby isn't there to appreciate it, since he passed out at 9:20 pm in the toddler bed. The aftermath of a sleep over is ugly. The uneaten cake was *literally* staring at me.</li>
<li><b>You'll do a victory dance mentally </b>when all 8 children are taken to church that morning, and you overhear that it was the "best sleepover ever."</li>
<li><b>You'll tear up </b>when your child says thank you for an awesome birthday, and asks if we can do it again next year.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPUbUszElbeBI4RzCkADiAIdC5a2Yi1JnZtJjXdf7kJHeARlCKwbTHlnlsXyAgun0BBwMoofZVFVpUP3qGYjt42zBUDX46vaE4Xp9tzee0P6CtLT37J8q35SXUTLF4x8Pd39WOfZSOYE/s1600/10830844_10152857856219500_4337658232362373141_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPUbUszElbeBI4RzCkADiAIdC5a2Yi1JnZtJjXdf7kJHeARlCKwbTHlnlsXyAgun0BBwMoofZVFVpUP3qGYjt42zBUDX46vaE4Xp9tzee0P6CtLT37J8q35SXUTLF4x8Pd39WOfZSOYE/s1600/10830844_10152857856219500_4337658232362373141_o.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for making me a mom, Bear.</td></tr>
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Thank you Lord that sleep overs will be a yearly thing...and thank you Lord for my reason to celebrate....</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-71322239127240714482014-10-23T00:10:00.001-04:002014-10-23T00:17:40.137-04:00We Must Look Like Fruitcakes I think, sometimes, that when you become so comfortable as a mom, confident in your role as a parent, and a little more sure-footed as to what is best for your kids in reference to doing "you", and not trying to replicate someone else's version of parenting, you must sort of look like a fruit cake.<br />
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Or maybe you look like Super Mom (to your kids anyway, and that's all that matters...you still look like a fruit to the lady in the grocery store who does a different version of normal).<br />
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But whatever the case is, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that hubs and I have finally sort of come into our own version of normal, and embraced what our version of normal is, for our house, for our relationship, and for our kids. That doesn't look like everyone else's version of normal. And you know what? That's okay<i>. We do "us", you do "you", and we all have one common goal at the end of the day: to create an end result in our children- ultimately, that they love Jesus, and stay out of corrections facilities. </i>All joking aside, though, every family has the best interests of their child in mind.<br />
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I want to respond to some things that are said to us, after some conversations this week with individuals at the grocery store, the farmer's market, at events, and with friends, about some perceptions of my family and what I think. I get that we are different. We have 4 kids. Some people feel this is an exorbitant amount of children, which I will address later. We are a breastfeeding family, and while I am usually discreet and not usually nips to the wind, I am comfortable breastfeeding in public. Next up, we don't really use strollers. Over the last year, we have used ours a handful of times, and usually, the kids go up on us in a carrier, sling, or wrap. Another not as common sight. Same down the line with cloth diapers, or a crib side-car'd to the bed, or the fact that we are training up kids who need discipline, and we actually follow through with it.<br />
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But in spite of all the above, the thing that seems to strike people (and irk me) the most is that we <i>enjoy</i> having 4 children. That we <i>like</i> our children. It seems like there is such a societal disdain for children now. Or that having beyond the 1-2 quota means you are either Catholic, part of the quiverfull movement, ignorant to your carbon footprint, or a total sex addict.<br />
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Then there is the juicy fact that Jose and I actually like...wait, is any one listening? Shhhhh. <i>Each other.</i> We aren't big spouse bashers, we are supportive, we are a team, and we are in it to win it. Ten years later, we still smooch, just in front of kids who think it's gross. We still put on perfume or cologne when we go out, because we know it gets the other one going. Jose is a grabber, and it still happens. I personally am really digging the whole beard thing. And we hear things from people like, <i style="font-weight: bold;">"You still act like that? Doesn't it get old? You're still in to each other?" </i>Umm, yeah, we do, it doesn't, and yes, very much so. See the portion regarding knowing how the children get here. Get over it.<br />
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The other thing that gets me is the total lack of filter on people. And I don't mean just being nice and asking questions. I don't mind people asking about our kids or our family or parenting questions or birthing questions or breastfeeding questions...I get asked at least daily about something. When it's from an innocent place, and the tone isn't a condescending one, I could care less. Most people know that I am transparent and don't hide much. You can ask me just about anything, just be prepared that I may be blunt about it. Jose talks about all of us at work (that's what all his colleagues tell me, that he "gushes" about us, lol), so he is used to fielding inquiries, too. He confided to me that nearly once a shift, he has been asked if we are "like the Duggar family" by a patient, or had a staff member comment on our marriage or the kids. Don't get me wrong- the Duggars are an awesome family, but we are doing our own thing.<br />
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<b><i>So they're all yours? </i></b>Yes, they are all mine. And yes, they are all his.<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Don't you use birth control? You know how this happens, right? </i>Yeah we do, and we quite enjoy it. (I love seeing the look on people's faces when I say that back. Hello??? You just asked if I know where babies come from. Are you seriously shocked that I respond that way when you are so rude?!) Yes, we know how to turn the TV on. No, we aren't nymphos (someone actually asked me that after the birth of my third child. Right, lady, because with 3 children, most of them aged 3 and under, all we have time to do is pork each other.) We also aren't Catholic, Mormon, related to the Duggar family, on and on and on...and our contraceptive use is none of your business.<br />
<b><i>You have how many children? </i></b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Wait, didn't you just have a baby, and now you have another? </i>That baby is 2 years old. He's actually what we call a "toddler" now. But Jose grew a beard and I grew a baby, and yeah, it happened. Just not as fast as you perceived it to be.<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">You've got your girl! You must be done, right? </i>First of all, it ain't none of yah dang business. But since I don't mind being open...we actually have no idea. We are praying and asking the Lord what he has for us. Jose and I are very content with 4 children for the time being. We are both open to the fact that God may say more, or we may both get the sense that we are done. We are in total agreement that I need a break of at least a few years before any more children if we do have more. I have been physically sustaining the life of another human being (pregnant, breastfeeding, breastfeeding and pregnant, or tandem breastfeeding) now for 50 months solid. It takes a toll physically, as well as mentally and emotionally, especially with some physical conditions I deal with, like calcium deficiency. For the mean time, we are just seeking God. We have always said we will wait 6-12 months post partum, bare minimum, before making any sort of permanent decision regarding future child bearing, so we don't make a rash, sleep deprived, hormonal decision and regret it later. But Jose is awesome-sauce and totally volunteered to get a vasectomy when God confirms to both of us that we are done growing our biological family (you never know, we could adopt), and makes us both at total peace.<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">That's awesome that you were brave enough to keep trying for a girl! I got nervous after ___ children of the same sex and got my tubes tied.</i> Actually, we weren't trying. Actually, quite the opposite, but that's another story for another day, and God totally had me being pregnant a 4th time in his plans, because according to Jose and my plans, we shouldn't have been able to be pregnant. And to think that we would solely base adding the life of another human being to our family because of our preference for one sex or another is just absurd. I met a woman this week that I was talking about this to- she was the third girl and her parents were trying for a boy. When she found out, she felt like she was such a let-down to her dad, even to this day.<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">So you have an elementary school aged child, a pre-schooler, a toddler, and a newborn? How are you still functioning?</i> By taking one day at a time, not looking at the big picture but instead at the immediate needs that must be met, and by trusting my Savior for sustaining power, grace, mercy, love, and compassion.<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">You look terrible! </i> Thanks, Captain Obvious. Of course I do. I have a newborn. Over the course of four years, we have had a total of 6 nights to ourselves with no children. Child growing, child bearing, and breastfeeding are exhausting. But thanks. I know I look tired and I am getting wrinkles and that there is spit up all down my shirt and probably baby poop under a finger nail and my shoes don't match my outfit. Do we really need to talk that way?<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">You had your babies at home without an epidural? You're a warrior!</i> Yeah, I am. Childbirth is pretty gritty and powerful and reduces you to your most primal self. I got through it, and it wasn't all rosy and unicorn farts and rainbows. And just because I did it vaginally or because I had no pain meds or because I did it at home doesn't make me any more of a warrior than it does the mom who had an epidural, had her baby in a cab, had her baby in a hospital bed, had her baby in an operating room, or had her baby on her head...we are all birthing warriors. Every woman needs an enormous amount of strength to endure any type of birth- a 42 minute labor to a 10 pound baby, or a 30 hour labor to a 6 pound baby; a mom who relies on her husband, her doula, her mother, her friend; a mom who held her baby to her breast, or a mom who said goodbye to her baby on the same day she said hello...we are all warriors, no matter our journey and our battles and our different preferences, so we need to stop comparing and elevating moms we deem fit.<br />
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One lady at a baby shower asked if Lucy was my first baby. Upon telling her no, and about our other children, the response I got was so disheartening: <i style="font-weight: bold;">Oh my gosh! And you have this many by choice? I have two kids, and I can't stand them! </i>My heart just sank. I had not a clue how to address her, but this is the overwhelming attitude Jose and I are encountering, and it just shows how far as a society <b>we have been duped into believing that children are wretched, style-cramping twerps that dare impede on our Saturday morning brunches, shopping trips, movie nights, and sanity.</b><br />
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What about what God has to say about children? When your life is based around what the Bible has to say about it, it really starts changing the attitude you have about your children. Even if you aren't a believer, you should be able to identify with the Bible here. We are supposed to have compassion on our children, like God has shown compassion to us (Psalm 103:13). Psalm 113 talks about the barren woman being settled in her home as a happy mother, not a mother who can't stand to be around her kids. Psalm 127 and 128 are some of the more quoted verses regarding children, reminding us that our children are our blessings, our heritage, our rewards. Jesus himself said to let the children come to him (Matthew 19:14)- reminding us of the Father's love for children, and that we should model that ourselves. <b> </b><br />
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Sometimes, you need to decompress and forget what the world thinks. Last Saturday, we decided to do something fun as a family, just to get out together after a long week. We loaded the kids up on a gorgeous, 75 degree sunny day and headed for the farmer's market on the water. We had grain-free crepes filled with strawberries, bananas, and nutella. Jose and i sat in the grass and watched our three boys play tag with each other. Not one kid took off, bowled anyone over, or got hurt. They all ate their breakfast. No one fought, yelled, or cried. Things went amazing- and it doesn't usually happen that way. After, we walked around the crafters part of the market, eyeing beautiful art and sculptures, homemade soaps, and knick knacks. No less than four times in thirty minutes, we were stopped by booth owners or other customers walking around to comment on our family. <i style="font-weight: bold;">What a beautiful family you have... your children are so well behaved... you're handling life with a newborn so well... </i>It was a spur of the moment thing to get out, and the Lord knew we needed it. He blessed us with awesome children, and let some other people see how awesome they are just to encourage us to keep on taking things one day at a time, in His strength, stepping out and seeking His will for our family.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-90216632573577585032014-10-01T21:58:00.000-04:002014-10-19T21:11:17.337-04:00Lucy Edith's Birth Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>**In the name of full disclosure, for all the squeamish out there, if a crowning baby weirds you out, than for the love of all things peanut butter and chocolate, CLOSE this tab.**</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now that we got that over with, let all of us adults move on.</td></tr>
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Labor Day weekend was emotional for me. I was "due" that weekend, and my husband Jose had to work all weekend at the hospital- 4 days in a row- and he really wanted that good excuse of, "My wife is in labor," to call out with. Friday he worked, and I was up all night with our toddler who is getting his molars. Saturday he worked, and I was beyond exausted just starting my day out, after trying to get out of a toddler bed that I slept most of the night in at 40 weeks pregnant. I called my mother in law to see if she minded having the kids hang at her house for a bit so I could clean up around the house and get a nap in. She was free, so I took the kids over shortly before lunch, went home, and went to bed. I napped for 3 hours, which I never do, and felt so much better. I woke up having some contractions here and there, and I texted Jose about 5 pm and let him know to tell the oncoming nurses in report and his charge nurse that he might not be there in the morning.<br />
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By 6:30 pm, I was having contractions ever 5-7 minutes, and thought just in case, on the off chance that I was in early labor, I should see if the kids could just spend the night at Jose's parents, rather than go pick them up, and have to have someone come over in the wee hours of the night to sit should the kids wake up with the midwife team here. I checked with Jose at work, and he agreed, and so did his mom. The kids would spend the night, I would rest up, and he told the charge nurse that he was sure he wouldn't be there in the morning (I wasn't convinced I was in early labor, but he knew I was). </div>
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Saturday night once he was off and home from work, we realized we needed to get a different hose or an adapter for the pool, so we headed to get that and some grub. We saw some friends at Panera, I ate a lovely salad, and kept on contracting every 5 minutes. We were home about 11 pm, and I continued to contract but it was slowing down enough that I could rest in between. I was very emotional, crying, and kept thinking, "what if this is not it?" My whole pregnancy was spent with irritable uterus, and I was having a hard time judging if I was in labor or not. Jose wanted to call out of work and have a baby already; I was worrying that if he called out of work and I wasn't really in labor or it quit, that he was going to get in trouble. I was feeling bad about him missing work, feeling bad about my mother in law watching the kids, just an emotional wreck about everything. Jose was about delirious from being up at 5 am for work, so I sent him to bed with the promise I would wake him if it was real, and I tried to calm down and lay down and rest with him. (He totally knew I was going to have a baby and there was no denying it, so he went ahead and called out of work and went around me being ridiculous. He had good intuition when I didn't. Thank God somebody did.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning, bleary eyed couch laboring</td></tr>
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We both headed for bed. I was able to rest fairly well- it's crazy how much sleep you can get waking up every 4-10 minutes. Around 3 am, things started picking back up again, and by 4 am, I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes and had been for a while. At 4:30 I woke up Jose, who sprang into action. He started filling up the birth pool, and I called our midwife Jyl to let her know that things were real. With my last labors, once I started contracting every 2-3 minutes, I had a baby within a few hours, so I felt like I had to call her and warn her, since she almost didn't make it here for Jordi. She asked Jose on the phone if I thought she should come, and I told her not yet- and she made me laugh- "Well, why the hell are you calling me then?!" Looking back, I should have let the poor woman sleep!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keeping busy during early labor</td></tr>
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We kept in touch via text as I labored and started getting the house set up. At 5:45 am, I started making coffee cake for my birth team and I to have for breakfast. Then, I texted my friend Rachael, who was going to be a support and take pictures for us. Excitement started building. By about 6:30 am, Jyl had her coffee and came over to check on me. She asked if I wanted checked, and I was insanely nervous but wanted to know at the same time. I told her that if I had been laboring all that time and was 2 cm, I was going to be ticked. Turns out I was actually 6 cm, with a nice bulgy bag of water, but baby remained sky high in my womb. Rather than break my water, we continued laboring for a bit. I let Rachael know to come on down whenever, and Jyl caught Hailey (her assistant for the day who is also a student midwife) up to speed.<br />
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Jose and I ventured out for a walk up and down our street to get things going. We watched the sun rise, and were excited because Lucy, our baby's name, meant "bringer of light." By 7:30 am, everyone was present.<br />
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We moved inside. I ate breakfast, labored in the pool, on the couch, and in our room. Contractions were slower once every one arrived. I was coping fine, and hubby was being an absolute gem. Around 8:30 am, I asked Jyl to check me again so I could see what kind of progress was happening. I was toying with her breaking my water and just getting the show on the road. She informed me I was 7-8 cm, quite stretchy, and I told her to go ahead and break my water. Lucy still stayed sky high after my water was broken. I put on my Depends (awesome for laboring with your water broken) and we kept on.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jose was such an amazing support.</td></tr>
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My labor continued to slow, rather than pick up, after my water was broken. I labored in the pool, in the shower some, tried being on the ball in the living room (which I hated- I couldn't sit at all during this labor), on the couch, walked around the house (it was too humid and hot to go outside, I would have keeled over), and I was starting to get annoyed. My contractions were maybe every 10 minutes, and not consistent at all. We thought I may be having the post-transition "pause" of labor, where you catch your breath before pushing. I was starting to get tired and annoyed, so we decided to lay down and take a nap. The birth team retreated to the kitchen table to hang, while hubby and I snuggled in our bed and cranked the music. Jose jokes that it's the first time he has fallen asleep during a labor that I didn't get mad.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nap time</td></tr>
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After waking up a half hour or so later, my contractions were doing nothing. Diddly squat, in spite of charging around the house, stomping like a sumo wrestler, doing squats, bouncing on the ball...every 10-15 minutes I would have one that wouldn't even stop my talking. We decided to try the breast pump for a bit to try and stimulate some contractions...<br />
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...and that worked like a bleeping charm. After 5 minutes on it, it was as if I started contracting and didn't stop. One, after another, after another, and STRONG. Finally! It was about 10:30 or 11 am by that time, and I was hoping for a baby by lunch time. Jose and I walked across the house from the kids room to our room, and I announced I was hopping in the pool to labor again because my contractions were much stronger and I wanted the relief.<br />
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After some time of laboring in the pool, I thought I might feel pushy. I asked Jyl if that was okay, and she said to listen to my body. I tried a few positions pushing in the pool- squatting, reclined, hands and knees, and no matter what I did- it was like this baby was so high she was in my throat and was not going anywhere! I was pushing with all my might, and it was just not budging her. We decided to have Jyl check and see if I had some cervical lip.<br />
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I did, and quite a bit, so it was time to start blowing through contractions and see if the lip would let up. She couldn't get a handle on how big the lip was since I was in the pool when she checked me and couldn't get a good feel. I moaned and blew and cried through contractions. I felt like I was doing something wrong. I felt so annoyed by my labor. The pain was increasing quite a bit and I couldn't get a handle on it. I had called out my birth team and they had been there for almost 5 hours and we didn't have a baby yet (last time, Jyl walked in the door and I was crowning, so this was a huge difference for me), and I felt like I was letting everyone down. I kept feeling like there must have been something I could do, or something I could try...I could not mentally let go and just accept the labor I had. I had been assisting Jyl at too many births; I was trying to manage my own labor, and getting bent out of shape when it was not going how I expected or desired it to, instead of trusting my midwife, my body, and God. I needed to get out of my head, and just deal with the labor I was given, not the labor I wanted!<br />
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My birth team continued being amazing. In spite of my whining and moaning way too loudly, they treated me like a queen. They massaged me. They held my hand. They brought cool cloths for my face. A cup would magically appear in front of my face to drink out of with wonderful ice cold water. Warm water would pour down my back during contractions. Jose was exceptionally amazing. Never in my life would I have dreamed that he could have been so good at anticipating my needs. He prayed over me, held me, kissed me, and made me feel so safe.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWnLd5gVDhuom9YXuPn_2W1EZZE1TYcAhZxfw8549O1hRsbxs8ixX6XzxO0u9jRe9RRyDLssee2wBN0nzAcCHNbnSkeq2xP_boT2Tf1VBmk7IVWhc9gYzvmuWd0hVK2LUDOO1tIPAWbI/s1600/+blogfb02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWnLd5gVDhuom9YXuPn_2W1EZZE1TYcAhZxfw8549O1hRsbxs8ixX6XzxO0u9jRe9RRyDLssee2wBN0nzAcCHNbnSkeq2xP_boT2Tf1VBmk7IVWhc9gYzvmuWd0hVK2LUDOO1tIPAWbI/s1600/+blogfb02.JPG" height="241" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hailey, checking on Lucy</td></tr>
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Jyl did something that was so vivid in my mind. I was in the pool, crying with Jose, and she came over and held my hand through a contraction, massaging it. It was so comforting. Then she prayed for me, that I would have the stamina I needed and that my body would line up and do what it was supposed to do. It was just what I needed, when I needed it. We decided after that to have me get out of the pool and check and see what was happening with this lip.<br />
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By this time, it was coming up on about 12:15 pm. I was still having wicked contractions every 2 or 3 minutes. I laid back on my bed, Jyl checked me, and low and behold- still 7-8 cm. Baby had come down a smidgen, but was still sky high. NO! And now, the baby had moved from being in an good position, to occiput transverse (OT), which was fine, but baby was shifting from being anterior to OT, which could mean she was headed for a posterior position (face up), and we really didn't want that. We decided that I needed to do the "pancake flip," which is a method of laying down through contractions to try and get her to move into an optimal position in the birth canal. I was so discouraged at this point. I needed to pee before I laid in bed for this, and I sat up, and then promptly got sick. Thank God for a trash can close. My birth team held the trash, held my hair, rubbed my back, and gave me wet cloths to wipe my mouth out. I heaved and heaved and heaved into the trash. Every time I heaved I felt a gush of fluid. Finally, when I was done, I was able to get up and head to the potty.<br />
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I peed, and after I stood with Jose in the bathroom and wept. It was 12:30 pm. I was 7-8 cm. I had been since about 8 am. I was tired, frustrated, and so emotional. We prayed again. Jyl came in to the bathroom with us and we talked about our options. I was so defeated in spirit. I felt like my labor was completely ineffective, I wasn't going anywhere dilation-wise, my baby was turning from a good position to a not so good one, and I was going to surely end up at the hospital having a cesarean or something ridiculous. I let my mind take over, instead of focusing on my prize at the end. I decided to head to bed with Jose and try and get Lucy to shift into a better position, and Jyl went back to the kitchen table with Rachael and Hailey. I think she was debating leaving me because my labor had stalled, and coming back when there was more action.<br />
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Jose and I knelt beside the bed and I asked him to pray for me first. After he was done, I laid down on my right side at about 12:45 pm. Jose was right behind me, rubbing my back. I had tears in my eyes, the music played, and I prayed to God. I didn't know what else to do, so the Holy Spirit took over. I didn't have much left to give, I was spent, and just completely OVER being in labor. I blew and moaned through one contraction (contraction #1)<br />
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The next contraction (#2) came about 3 minutes later. I blewandmoanedandblewandmoaned and then suddenly I felt my self grunting. I was trying so hard not to let my self push because 15 minutes before that I was not anywhere near being ready to push. I couldn't help it. I groaned to Jose that I either needed him to help me get to the bathroom to poop, or I was going to have a baby right then. Jyl, Hailey, and Rachael could all hear me go from moaning to grunting and pushing and then yelling and came right in. I was on my side previously, and roared myself up onto my hands and knees on the bed.<br />
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I had my trusty Depends on still from my water being broken, and Jyl was trying to help slide them off so she could get a peek and see what in tarnation was I bellowing about. I swatted her hand away and yelled, "NO!" at her. I grunted to Jose to just rip them off since I couldn't move. Trauma nurse training pays off- he had those suckers ripped off in 2 seconds. Jyl asked if I wanted to jump into the pool and have my water birth. I retorted that I was staying on the bed, since I was physically not capable of moving at that point.<br />
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Another contraction (#3) came and I could feel Lucy literally thunk into my birth canal. Total fetal ejection reflex; I was not able to control any of it. It was just happening. I was bellowing like a crazy woman, and Jyl was yelling at me to slow down pushing because I was going to tear, and I told her I couldn't slow down, because I couldn't control it. Pushing was completely involuntary. By the end of that contraction, Lucy's head was out, and I remained on my hands and knees.<br />
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Jyl let me know her head was delivered and to let her restitute and turn. Jose was at my head, helping me stay calm, so he couldn't see what was going on. Afterwards, Jose was looking at the pictures, and had his mouth hanging open. He said it looked intense, and that was after him seeing a ton of births. I can agree- it was an intense way to deliver.<br />
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The next contraction (#4), Jyl caught Lucy at 1:02 pm. The first thing out of my mouth was, "Is she really a girl?!" Since I was on hands and knees, she slide Lucy between my knees up towards me so I could see for myself. I was beyond excited. I laid on my side on the bed, and said, "Give me my baby!"<br />
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I went to pull her up and put her on my chest, and all of the sudden, Jyl and Hailey were saying not to pull her too far- she had a true knot in her cord, and we didn't want to have it pull tight. All through labor, her heart rate was consistently great- we never knew her cord was knotted! Praise God that He protected her. Jyl, Hailey, and Jose made quick work of cutting the cord since my placenta was already delivering itself after a few minutes. Daddy had the honor of setting her free.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A true cord knot</td></tr>
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Jose was handed Lucy so I could get maneuvered up to the head of the bed, and he did some skin to skin time with her to keep her warm until he could hand her back to me. I was almost going to delete the photo below, but Jose loves it, because it shows all the reality of what a home birth looks like. Birth pool in the back, messy bed, chucks pads, and a daddy in love with his baby girl.<br />
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So in case you weren't keeping track, in 32 minutes I went from the complete bottom of the valley, to the top of the mountain. I only pushed for 3 contractions- and even then, *I* didn't really even push, it was my body. God was so good in hearing our prayers and getting me to finally dilate and have Lucy come meet us, because I was not able to hang on much longer! We did skin to skin immediately after while Jyl checked if I needed any sutures.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skin to skin </td></tr>
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No stitches were needed. Daddy snapped a quick picture and texted our families to let them know Lucy was here safe and sound. My birth team fixed me hot tea and honey, and then Jose fixed me lunch and fed me in bed while I nursed Lucy for the first time- she latched at about 30 minutes old and has never looked back. I got to spend some time getting to know my first girl.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGLBJoAWQ9aoB9ovwQ4SZr4DkFQGNy46PzYqawvbWDquziSIXBdYLNSgR3kBSo9VW2ZNZrg3T3d-zMgbEDuhjZnmxtJGzCSxNRSQKmGQA8O9hL4e5kR0e8EoqFkrZkaZS4ZMpmMtavvc/s1600/CAM00369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGLBJoAWQ9aoB9ovwQ4SZr4DkFQGNy46PzYqawvbWDquziSIXBdYLNSgR3kBSo9VW2ZNZrg3T3d-zMgbEDuhjZnmxtJGzCSxNRSQKmGQA8O9hL4e5kR0e8EoqFkrZkaZS4ZMpmMtavvc/s1600/CAM00369.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Letting everyone know Lucy's here!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First latch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting to know our girl</td></tr>
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Jose had some skin to skin time with Lucy while I got showered up. Then, it was time for Lucy to get examined.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-tpwDrhI5ohaH-lC6ioTAOvTZmToLItalQHU49aCovCChyS-BGkDkNwgT7PcygVgCPL-X7P_jGDnI2Aq7LklEdw9e0Kmwps7DmQ1f66zZ6BTE0GGD7E-V0N5MeECAAmxUGnAqwIFmK4/s1600/blogfb13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-tpwDrhI5ohaH-lC6ioTAOvTZmToLItalQHU49aCovCChyS-BGkDkNwgT7PcygVgCPL-X7P_jGDnI2Aq7LklEdw9e0Kmwps7DmQ1f66zZ6BTE0GGD7E-V0N5MeECAAmxUGnAqwIFmK4/s1600/blogfb13.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture makes me fall in love with him all over again</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up, up, and away! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newborn exam </td></tr>
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Lucy Edith Molinuevo was born at 1:02 pm on Sunday, August 31st. She weighed 8 lbs 6 oz and was 21" long. We are so, so grateful for her, for our amazing birth team, and for the Lord's provision and answer to prayer in bringing our first daughter Earthside.<br />
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I have to admit, Monday marks 6 weeks since I gave birth, and I am in a bit of a frenzy. I am not sure if I have a touch of the baby blues, or if I am just insanely on edge from being home all day with three kids under 6, only leaving the house to drive Micah to school or to go to church on Sunday, or once a week to the grocery store and the fruit stand.<br />
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It's not post-postpartum depression, it's more like post-postpartum rage. Or postpartum disgusted-with-everything. Or postpartum I-need-a-break.<br />
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After my first birth, I was frankly too exhausted after a 30+hour labor and having half the blood supply of a normal, healthy adult to have the baby blues. I went back to work after about 4 weeks, and back to nursing school at about 9 weeks. I went back to school originally at 3 weeks, but decided that it was too much to handle and too another 6 off for my sanity.<br />
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I didn't have the baby blues much after having Levi. I had a great 9 weeks off of work after delivery, and only went back 1 day a week for 2 months before deciding to stay home permanently. Breastfeeding was a great victory for me after my horrible experience with Micah, and I got to stay at home with my babies.<br />
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Fast forward to now. I have a boy turning 6 next month, a boy who is a 21 month bolt of lightening, and a boy who is almost 6 weeks old that wants to be nursing constantly and requires a lot of attention. <br />
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But so does the 21 monther. He needs me to be just as attentive (for his own safety and for our house to not be destroyed!), he needs me to be more loving then ever because he is dealing with jealousy and feeling like he has been put on the back burner, and he still wants to nurse for that comfort.<br />
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And the 6 year old needs me, too. Not as much as he used to- he is starting to flap his wings and fly a little further from mommy all the time. But he needs to know that he is not forgotten. And he needs to know that he is not mommy's constant helper; he needs to know that it's okay to just be a kid. And not to have to worry about what mommy needs help with, or have his little brother wanting every single thing that he touches. He needs to know that he is important to our family and that he is loved.<br />
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Not only do all of them need me, but my husband needs me, too. He has been working like a dog to provide for us. He was blessed with starting a new job last week at a cardiology office. It's a Monday-Friday, office hours kind of job. No weekends, no holidays, one week of being on call a year. But he is still working at the hospital, too. And he is trying to take some of the load off me when he gets home for work by taking the baby or letting me shower. But I know he is anxious to get his wife back. And not just in a sexual way, but to be able to spend time with me and have me be coherent.<br />
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So there is the baby stress, the exhaustion stress, one car, throw in a little bill and bank stress... top it off with spit up in my hair, not showering in 4 days, driving Jose and Micah everywhere, breastfeeding someone every half hour it seems, and opening the fridge and figuring out what to make for dinner or bathing two kids while nursing the baby on a stool next to the tub... it's just a little taxing.<br />
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So when the kids start acting up, I have been tending to fly of the handle. It's bringing out the worst in me. Exhaustion has shortened my temper and taken away my grace, my mercy, and my patience. It has made me into a bear! I don't like yelling, much less bellowing, at my kids. I don't want my children to remember me as a person who disciplined out of anger; that's not a way to teach them respect, and I want children who respect who I am and how I raised them. That's not to say I don't discipline- they get spanked, but when they've earned it. It's become far to easy for me lately to lose my cool because of the circumstances around me and treat them unfairly because I am not handling things how I should be.<br />
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Jose's mom and dad came by and picked up Micah and Levi yesterday. By 4:00 pm, Levi had still never had a nap, Jordi was madder than a mosquito in a mannequin factory, I had only slept about 3 hours, and Micah was asking every 5 minutes to go on the computer, the xbox, or tell me a Ninjago fact. I was at my wits end, so I called Jose at work. I started crying on the phone because he wasn't taking me seriously that I was stressed out, and I hung up on him. He proceeded to, instead of call me back, call his mom and arrange them spending the night to give me a break.<br />
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I must have looked like a raging hormonal woman when I answered the door. The kids were all ready to go, but the dog was going bonkers and not listening to me call her when I tried to put her away. I had Jordi in my arms and a bag on the table that I was putting their things into. In my arms was also a zip-up wetbag. That's what we put our dirty diapers in- it's a waterproof cloth bag that you zip up until wash time so there is no smell. Everyone else is chatting and laughing. My father-in-law laughs and says, "these kids can't give you a hard time. What are you, tired?" My mother-in-law took one look at me, and in all seriousness, said to me with a straight face, "You're not going to put the baby in the bag, are you?"<br />
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Right. Like I am going to put your grandson in a plastic bag and zip him up. In front of you. HOW STRESSED DO YOU THINK I AM?! DO I REALLY LOOK THAT BAD?!<br />
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I laughed it off and explained I was putting diapers in it for Levi. When they left, I started bawling like a baby. Finally alone, I laid Jordi on our bed, laid on my side next to him so I could nurse, and slept for the next hour.<br />
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Jose and I ordered take out for dinner (for the first time in almost 4 weeks- we have been really tight on spending), and watched some of our favorite shows. When we hit the sack early for Jose to go to work the next morning, Jordi slept for 4 1/2 hours before waking again. I have napped off and on all day knowing that the kids are safe and taken care of, and all I have to care for is myself and Jordi.<br />
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And I know it's all going to get better. These days don't last forever. I also just got off the phone with my sister's father-in-law; they are gifting us a Suburban that we get to pick up in two weeks. It's such an amazing answer to prayer. Jose's job is changing where he won't be away from the house from before dawn til after bedtime. I am constantly reminded that God has us in the palm of his hand. Today has been one of those Psalm 23 days, where He literally, thanks to my husband and mother-in-law, MAKES me lie down in green pastures to rest. I am going to go take another nap now, eat a piece of chocolate, smell my delicious baby's new baby smell, and just enjoy the quiet for a few more hours til the banshees come home.<br />
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And when they get home, I am going to kiss them, because I have so missed them.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-23846749615553146532012-11-03T13:54:00.000-04:002012-11-03T13:54:19.306-04:00October Tidbits<br />
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<b>tid·bit</b> (noun) \ˈtid-ˌbit\</div>
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1. a choice morsel of food</div>
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2. a choice or pleasing bit (as of information)</div>
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Today is Saturday. One of those gorgeous Florida-fall Saturdays, decorated with windows open, 72 degrees of sunshine blowing in, festivals and green markets and picnics galore. Saturday for me usually means the kiddos watching Saturday morning cartoons on the one channel that comes in with them- Micah adores them because it's Sonic the Hedgehog followed by Power Rangers, followed by the classy WWE "wrestling." It means baking, Jose at work, and one more day until seeing my church family. Today, it also means giving you the tidbits of my last few weeks. Life being changed by <a href="http://molinuevomania.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-redeeming-birth-of-jordi-david.html" target="_blank">birth of Jordi</a> means everyone has had to shift and accommodate to accept our newest family member. Here are a few of the tidbits of the last few weeks- enjoy the choice bits!</div>
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<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/c0.61.403.403/p403x403/311229_10151128338270687_1243131888_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/c0.61.403.403/p403x403/311229_10151128338270687_1243131888_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>Micah and Levi participated in Halloween. </b>We are not a huge Halloween family. As a child, my family didn't do a ton with Halloween, but Jose really enjoys it, so we let the kids participate. We have talked to Micah about the origins of Halloween and how it differs from the way people treat it today. Not that I am going to get into a huge pro- or con- dissertation here, but we do allow our kids to take part. Micah was the red Power Ranger Samurai, which he hinted for months that he wanted to be and Jose and I saved up and the put it up to surprise him. He was so beyond excited! I love little moments like that. Levi was a soccer player for the Spain national squad, and Jordi was the token pumpkin that stayed in my Moby wrap the whole time- gotta love that thing! We took them to a Trunk-or-Treat event at our old church the Sunday prior, and it was great to catch up with some friends we hadn't seen in a while, as well as show Jordi off. Jordi was circumcised the afternoon of actual Halloween, so their Aunt Tata and Uncle Dru took them trick or treating in a friend's neighborhood for a little while. She sent me this picture that had me tearing up- I love seeing Micah and Levi grow up together. </div>
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<b>On that note, we carved awesome pumpkins...</b> Micah, with the help of Jose, carved a batman pumpkin and I did a Despicable Me rendition. Micah's pumpkin turned out to be a giant gourd that had to be carved with hammers, chisels, Dremmel tools, a saw, and of course, Jose's brut force. We toasted the seeds from 5 pumpkins (cajun, cinnamon spice, and sea salt), and I will be roasting and making pies from the last 2 later this week. </div>
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<b>Micah got his first report card of the first grade- </b>and it was great! He only has actual letter grades in two subjects- spelling and math- and he had a high B and a low A, respectively. The remarks from his teacher were so positive, telling us that Micah "generally does very nice work in all subjects." We were SO proud of our oldest boy!</div>
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<b>Levi and Micah are now sharing a room. </b>This has happened over the last 2 weeks, and the first week was total insanity. Now we are down to maybe 3-4 minutes of crying at night by Levi. He absolutely hates the idea of bunk beds, preferring instead to stay in his crib. So Micah sleeps on the top or bottom bunk, depending on the night, and Levi lays in his bed, yelling, "Micah! Miiiiicah! MICAH!," until he gets some sort of response. Levi's pacifier was also taken away two days ago. He thinks it has just disappeared, and I am waiting for the day that he quits asking for it. </div>
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Speaking of quitting asking for it, <b>no, Levi has not weaned yet. </b>I am asked almost daily by a friend, someone from church, or a family member if Levi has given up breastfeeding, if I have weaned him (which to answer that, I am not weaning him, he is weaning himself slowly), or the best one lately, "Have you taken his boob away yet?". The answer, though it's not anyone's business, is no! It's so crazy that the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, and the Center for Disease Control, and many other organizations recommend breastfeeding until <a href="http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/exclusive_breastfeeding/en/" target="_blank">at least two years of age</a>, and then as long as mom and child are mutually okay with the breastfeeding relationship. Please don't think that is Levi's sole source of food or drink (any one around him knows he eats almost anything in sight), or that I just give in to him at his constant beck and call. We have established nursing manners (he has to ask please and say thank you), and he knows he has to wait sometimes for Jordi. It's not like I had a toddler dumped in my lap who strangely wants to nurse out of nowhere; he has been doing it every day of his 21-month life. There is nothing strange about it! The only thing strange, at times, is figuring out positions to tandem nurse in. To answer every one else's questions about if Jose cares: no, he doesn't. If he did, he probably wouldn't have taken this picture while I was nursing! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extreme multi-tasking: Breastfeeding two while reading The Hungry Hungry Caterpillar </td></tr>
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<b>Jose and I are laughing almost every day about the "gross" factor that comes with having an all boy household... in the past week, we have witnessed (and this is just the highlights):</b><br />
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<li>Levi throwing dog poop at Micah in the backyard</li>
<li>Levi licking Jordi's face after he spit up</li>
<li>Levi "washed" his hands in the toilet</li>
<li>Levi pooped in his potty (yay for potty training early!), and then took his potty to the dog...and, yeah... you can imagine...</li>
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Wait, there is a common theme here... LEVI! We joke that one child got all the gross-boy-genes for him and Micah, because Micah hates being dirty. He is such a little booger, my little worm, but he is such a lover, too. </div>
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<b>We had our first cold days of the year, </b>and the boys are loving it. The only hard part about having one car, though, is that it has no heat- so that means bundling up for school in the morning!</div>
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Things are moving at warp speed over here in the Moli house. Being a mom of three is certainly crazy most of the time, but I am learning to steal those moments where I can catch a snooze in or throw a load of clothes in, and not get too worked up about the chaos the rest of the time. It's all a balancing act, and I thank God every day for Jose helping me balance it all- he is the only way I am making it through all this sanely! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-81606927661199814642012-10-19T14:23:00.000-04:002012-10-19T14:23:50.285-04:00The Redeeming Birth of Jordi DavidEleven days after the birth of Jordi, I am sitting here grinning about how amazing the actual event of having a baby can be. I have had a totally redeeming experience.<br />
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After <a href="http://molinuevomania.blogspot.com/2011/02/birth-storyfor-those-of-you-who-know-i.html" target="_blank">horribly traumatic experience birthing Levi,</a> I knew that I would not be having our next child in the hospital. The birth story for him was painful for me to write; I was in physical agony for a few weeks after receiving 45 minutes+ and three packets of suturing material to my most tender of areas (which was started without any lidocaine- I had to ask for it, and the physician laughed), but I was also emotionally exhausted. You see, Jose and I had to be on the defense the whole entire time of labor. From the office wanting to admit me hours before I was in real, active labor, to me refusing pitocin multiple times so the MD could "get me delivered" and head home, to the insanely rude nursing staff whom I had to ask multiple times to nurse my baby, it was all a complete nightmare.<br />
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We tossed around the idea of a home birth with Levi, and Jose was just not comfortable with it. But after our experience last time, Jose said he would never again question my judgement when it came to where/how/with whom to birth our future kids. So when we found out we were pregnant with Jordi, we made a few phone calls and forged ahead into home birth territory- something neither of us will ever regret!<br />
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It's hard for me to pinpoint when actual labor began. With Micah, I woke up at 3 am on a Tuesday morning with contractions every 5 minutes apart, and they never ceased until he was born at 11:30 am on Thursday. That made for more than 2 days of laboring, and close to 32 hours of active, 2 minutes apart contractions. Everything was very definite. Levi was the same deal- woke up at 5 am in labor, had him at 1:58 the next morning. Labor never really stopped, and was about 20 hours total.<br />
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Jordi decided to make things very, very different for me. I shouldn't have every questioned that things would be different; after all, Jose and I bathed this whole birth in prayer during the pregnancy. I had contractions off and on a few days before "the day," but they would last around 6 hours and taper off. And they were never the real deal, breathe-and-focus contractions. But on Sunday the 7th, I knew I was done being pregnant and that Monday, October 8th, I would meet my baby. I even joked about it to Jose's mom. She was going to clean a house with my brother-in-law early in the day, and she had asked him if he was "ready for tomorrow"- I laughed and said to her "no, the question is are YOU ready for tomorrow, because I am having a baby!" We all laughed about it, and then she said please don't go into labor until after she finished.<br />
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I woke up at 5 am contracting every 7 minutes. They were those giddy, excited, easy contractions- early labor stuff. I finally got out of bed about 6 am and started my day baking and getting things ready for Micah to head to school. I decided to wake Jose up at 6:30 am the best way I knew how- letting him know that I was in labor, and that if he wanted to get frisky, now was the last time he could for the next 4 weeks or so (hah!). Besides, I needed a little help to get labor moving along faster :) We woke Micah up at 7 for school, then made some phone calls and let everyone know that today would be the day, we just didn't know when.<br />
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Contractions "piddled" as my midwife Jyl would say until around 10:30 am, when I got a break. They dropped off to every 15-20 minutes, and I decided to get some rest in since I knew they would pick back up later. I lost my plug the night before, but hadn't had my water break or had any other signs that things were speeding up. I had Jose check me because I was getting a little on the discouraged side. I was only 2-3 cm, so I just took the cue to take a nap, and told Jyl I would call her later when things were speeding up. Jose helped me set up the birthing pool and fill it with water, because I knew I wouldn't want to be doing it later when things were rockin' and rollin'. I kept my birth playlist on all day, keeping myself focused on the promises of God and knowing that we had committed this day to prayer for nine months.<br />
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Contractions eventually pretty much came to a grinding halt. Jon Foreman's song, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoXWIK1lfyo" target="_blank"> House of God Forever,</a> rang through the house. It quotes Psalm 23, and put my heart at ease. I put Levi down for a nap, made 2 loaves of wheat bread and a batch of cran-raisin-oatmeal cookies, and Jose, Micah, and our brother-in-laws Ian and Paul went on a hike after Micah got out of school. They left the house around 2 pm with not a blip on the horizon of labor. I laid down, and about half an hour after they left, contractions started back up again. Of course. While the house was so quiet I decided to pray, <a href="http://molinuevomania.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-pages-are-turning.html" target="_blank">clear my head by writing my last pregnant thoughts,</a> and prep for dinner.<br />
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The guys got back around 4:30 pm, and I contracted about ever 5-7 minutes, but nothing exciting. I was up making dinner, talking, walking around, folding laundry... still convinces that it was all the prelabor show and that I was probably only 2-3 cm. We ate dinner, bathed the kids, and they were in bed as though nothing was out of the norm by about 8 pm.<br />
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My only clue that things were happening was that the contractions were slightly more intense over the last few hours. One of my best friend's mom and Micah's teacher, Pam, called at 8 pm to see how things were going. I told her it was a little early to tell, but that "we'll probably have a baby by morning." I was convinced that this was going to be another days-long process, and because my contractions were so easy, that I wasn't into the real thick of things yet.<br />
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At 8:30, I had Jose call his mom and have her come over to spend the night. I didn't want to have to yank anyone out of bed to drive to our house in the wee hours of the night (since I thought it would take that long), and she was designated to be in charge of the kids. I tried to watch 30 Rock with Jose, but I couldn't sit still. I HAD to be standing up, rocking my hips during contractions. No exercise ball, no lying on my side, just had to be standing. She arrived at our house shortly after 9 pm, and we decided to go on a walk. I had still been talking to our midwife, Jyl, off and on during this whole time. I had also been talking to my sisters, Michaela and Christa, all day, as they wanted to be there for the birth as well.<br />
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In the time we walked from our house to the end of the block (about 6 houses down), my contractions changed from every 4-5 minutes, to 3 good, solid, moan-your-way-through contractions, then every 2-3 minutes. We turned around because it was insanely humid, and I was getting nauseated. I got in the shower to rinse off, and the contractions stayed every 2-3 minutes apart. I rocked and moaned, Jose either standing in front of me rubbing my head, or behind pressing on my hips and putting counter pressure on my sacrum. He was amazing. I didn't need to tell him what I needed, he just did it. He was my total rock through all of this.<br />
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I called Jyl after I got out of the shower and asked if it was alright if I get in the tub. My labor was really kicking in from about 9 pm when we went on the walk, and I was afraid that it would stall if I got in the tub. Only about 45 minutes had passed- it was about 9:45 Jose's mom sat on the couch watching Dancing With The Stars, and doing a word search book. She was completely oblivious to what was going on. I talked to Jyl on the phone, and she told me not to worry about it, to go ahead and get in, and that she would start getting ready to come on over. It was about Jyl only lives about 10 minutes from our house, and her assistants would be en route, too.<br />
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I went to the bathroom, and while sitting on the toilet, got SUPER nauseated. I should have known I was in transition (those last few centimeters)- looking back, I know! I was handling the contractions so well, and I didn't have one tiny bit of bloody show yet, so I had my self convinced that it would be hours yet until we would start seeing any baby progress. Jose was also so supportive that I wasn't questioning anything that was going on, just making it through each contraction and then focusing on what to do next.<br />
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I got into the birthing tub about 10 pm, and WOW, was it relaxing. I should have spent more time in there! The warm water felt amazing. I had Jose turn the jets on, but it was just too much stimulus for me. We turned them off, and I knelt in the tub, leaning on the side wall. Coldplay "Fix You" was on. Jose sat directly in front of me on our bed, pouring warm water on my back during contractions and telling me really reaffirming things... "You're beautiful," "you're doing great, baby," "the baby is coming," things like that. He really kept my head in the game. I had Jose call my sisters and tell them to come on. We were going to wait for Jyl to get there and let me know how far I was, but I felt like they should just come.<br />
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Fast forward (literally, it was really fast!) fifteen minutes. We had only talked to Jyl about 25 minutes previous. I started getting the urge to push. That uncontrollable, my body won't take no for an answer, "I <i>need</i> to push <i>now</i>" kind of feeling. I told Jose, "call Jyl NOW." He says "what should I tell her?" I could only grunt out, "just call," and he figured it out. Jose goes to the white board outside our room and gets the emergency sheet of what to do in case she can't make it. Jyl picked up and Jose asked where she was in relation to our house. One street over.<br />
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I started to push again with the next contraction, and my water broke. He told Jyl I was feeling pushy and my water broke. He hung up and came back to me to keep me focused. I wasn't speaking a whole lot at that point, just doing what I had to do. I was panting between contractions, trying to wait for Jyl to come in the door. I reached back and felt everything bulging. The head was not quite there yet, but coming. After the next push, I had Jose feel if the head was descending or not. I was kneeling, arms grabbing the side of the pool, and I was biting the side of the pool to keep from pushing. He actually felt a little too firmly- the head had descended, and Jose pushed him back up. That was the one time I got a little testy- I yelped and told him not to touch me.<br />
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I heard the doorbell ring- Jose had locked the door when we came in from the walk! Jose ran from our bedroom to the front door, let Jyl in, and they both came rushing back into our room. Jose's mom was still on the couch, completely engrossed in the word puzzle book, and NO clue what was going on because I was so quiet. Jyl came to my side, gloved up, and let me know that his head was pretty much crowning; she had me breathe and let his head rotate. Then she basically says to Jose, "well, put your hands back here dad, get in here!" Jose was so excited at the chance to catch his baby. He jumped in the pool with me, and at 10:32 pm, Jordi David Molinuevo was born into Jose and Jyl's hands.<br />
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I yelled for Jose's mom to come, and she came running in, saying "what happened?!" I just held up Jordi, and she was in shock that it was over so quickly. She had only been at our house just over an hour! I heard the front door open, and Jyl's assistants, Danielle and Jen, walked in the door. I apologized that they had missed it, but I couldn't wait! Just another minute passed, and Christa and Michaela walked in the door with my brother-in-laws. Ian, Michaela's husband, is a photographer- he walked in with his camera (after getting my permission, of course) and just started snapping. <a href="http://molinuevomania.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-birth-album.html" target="_blank">The pictures are beyond words</a>, and you can see them here. My labor playlist had been playing the whole time, and the song that came on was perfect- "para, para, paradise..." Coldplay always comes through.<br />
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<a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/397294_10151169158749500_273152100_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/397294_10151169158749500_273152100_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Micah woke up at the same time as this to use the restroom, and Jose's mom asked if he could come in. We let him, and after the cord stopped pulsating, he got to cut the cord with Jose's help. It was a magical moment. The next song that came through was by Ascend The Hill, their take on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZOq4QksoME" target="_blank">"How Great Thou Art"</a>- probably my favorite version ever. What a witness to everything that had happened!<br />
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Some more family came in unexpectedly, and after a few minutes, Jyl kicked everyone out and helped me get out of the pool, cleaned up, and settled into bed. Jordi was happy to nurse away. We had a good hour or so of just family time and letting him settle in. Jyl's assistants took my vitals as well as Jordi's, and Christa brought me gatorade and clam chowder to get my strength back up.<br />
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Our family members left shortly afterwards, and Micah got put to bed. I took a quick shower under Jose's watch. Then, Jose got to weigh Jordi and Jyl did his newborn exam. Once Jyl was sure both Jordi and I were recovering well, she and her assistants packed up and headed home. By 1 am, we were all alone, tucked into our bed, our first night as a family.<br />
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Levi slept through everything. In the morning, Micah and Levi came into our bed with Jose, Jordi, and I, and we introduced him.<br />
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As long as I never have a risky pregnancy or anything of concern with baby, I will most likely never deliver in a hospital again. It was so magical delivering at home. Such an atmosphere of love, quiet, peace, and respect. Jordi is so different, and was right from the start- and I believe it's because his birth was so surrounded with love, patience, respect, and reverence. There was no being whisked away, cord cut, scrubbed, blinded from ointments and poked for vaccinations, then given back thoroughly exhausted and discombobulated. Jose says he wishes that we would have had this opportunity to do it with all our kids. But hey- you live, you learn, you make adjustments, and once you know about something so great- you cherish it.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-48564915273385742822012-10-19T14:14:00.000-04:002012-10-19T14:14:16.672-04:00The Birth AlbumPhotography done by Ian Riley (my brother in law) who just happened to walk in minutes after delivery with his camera in tow. Used with permission. If you ever need a photographer in the Nashville area, please check him out <a href="http://www.ianriley.com/" target="_blank">here. </a><br />
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One of my favorite shots of Jose ever.</div>
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Micah was wide-eyed at everything going on!</div>
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Micah and daddy cut the cord</div>
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My sisters, Michaela and Christa, and Micah. He totally photobombed us!</div>
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Micah was so excited to stay up!</div>
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Jyl charted away after the birth</div>
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Mommy nursing the first time while Tia and big brother look on</div>
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We had the placenta lesson after. Shiny Schultz- the baby's side</div>
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And the dirty Duncan side- mommy's side</div>
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Christa hiding during the placenta pics</div>
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Jose was so giddy after!</div>
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Lots of skin to skin time </div>
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And now to the last few pictures after all the family left. These were taken by us :) </div>
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Jose and Jyl during the newborn assessment, prepping to weigh Jordi</div>
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Jose doing the deed!</div>
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8 lbs even, 20" long</div>
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The team afterwards.</div>
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Huge thank you's to Ian Riley for taking pictures, and to Jyl Krentz, CNM, for her excellent care.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-52906760786461130042012-10-08T16:04:00.000-04:002012-10-08T16:04:00.250-04:00The pages are turningI am sitting here in a nearly empty house. The dog on the floor, the cat on the bed, and Levi in his crib napping.<br />
<br />
This may be the last time, for a long time, that I am surrounded by tranquility without a bustling house of children, husband, animals, new baby, homework, laundry, and the works. I have my my worship music cranked. The birthing pool is filled and heated in the corner. The floors are vacuumed. Oatmeal-cranberry-raisin cookies are baked; fresh bread is cooling on the butcher block.<br />
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At 4:30 am I awoke to my belly tightening rhythmically. After ignoring the first few attempts of it to wake me, I decided to start timing and start my day. They continued steadily until around 10:30 am, when they decided to peter off and give me a break. Jose picked Micah up from school and let me rest a while, and now they are off hiking in the woods with my two brother-in-laws who are helping Micah have a "manly" day. Levi is sleeping, and I am back to contractions picking up again.<br />
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Little one, I have been in anticipation of this day for nearly nine months now. Not necessarily the day you will come into the world, I know, but the day when you start preparing to make your arrival. Your father and I have prayed for the last nine months that your birth would be supernatural, that you would arrive safely, healthily, and peacefully, into the welcome arms of a loving family at home. That my labor with you would be amazing. That your father and I would work as a team, because we both know that the adventure of birth is not one to be had alone. That you would be healthy and strong, that you and I would tolerate labor and birth well, and that you would be accepted by your brothers. Your dad and I want this whole event to glorify God and be a testament to how prayer and preparation work.<br />
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Philippians 4:6-7 have been in my head since last night- "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."<br />
<br />
I feel you hiccuping away between contractions. Your brother is awake from his nap now and eating a cookie, and I am wondering when your dad and oldest brother are making their way home from adventures of swashbuckling, imaginary wild attacking animals, and awesome uncles that are probably helping him have the time of his life.<br />
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I can't wait to meet you, to smell your sweet skin, to see your face and figure out who you look like. To become a whole family of five, to add our pumpkin to the patch, and start our next chapter in our crazy Moli-mania life.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-91972855686527834572012-10-06T10:21:00.000-04:002012-10-06T10:21:26.398-04:00Baby Names!Jose and I finally decided on names for the baby. Well, I should actually say that I left it up to Jose and he made the final call on a boy name; we worked together on a back-up girl name just in case <br />
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For some odd reason, I am strangely indifferent this time around when proposing names for our soon-coming child. It's not that I haven' bonded with his baby, or that I don't want to meet him (possibly her); I just for the life of me haven't been able to nail anything down and say "yes, this is the name for our boy." Thank God Jose feels solid about this, and I am comfortable taking his lead! If we left it up to Micah, the name of the week would be "Hero Molinuevo," because Hero's are important, save people, and get cool suits. He was a little bummed we wouldn't pick Hero as a middle name, either.<br />
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Now that all is said and done, here are the names we have picked out!<br />
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<b>If the baby is a boy (which we are fairly sure it is), he will be named...</b><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Jordi Davíd Molinuevo</span></i></b></div>
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Jordi is pronounced "jor-dee," and his middle name will be the Spanish pronunciation, following suit after his brothers Micah Ari and Levi Mateo. Jordi is a Spanish variation of Jordan. The name means "descending," and holds great significance in the Bible. It was the place that Jesus was baptized...the place John baptized...the place that feeds the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea...where Joshua crossed to Jericho... and so much more. It is an cherished resource for those living near it. We also thought it was fitting because our midwife Jyl's practice is Descending Dove Midwifery Services. We thought we would honor our first home birth with her, as well as pray for a baby that descends supernaturally, quickly, and with relative ease. Also, Jose would have you know, Jordi Alba was instrumental in Spain's winning the Euro Cup this year. As to his middle name, David traditionally means "beloved" in Hebrew. He would be named with a nod to King David, a man with faults, but still a man after God's own heart. He would also bear the same middle name as one of our dear friends, Jon. We cherish his friendship like a brother, admire his walk with the Lord, and we probably wouldn't be where we are in our marriage had it not been for him and his wife (one of my closest friends in the world, Kerry).<br />
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<b>If we have a surprise girl, she will be named...</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Nora Providence Molinuevo</i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://celebritynouveau.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Fernando-Torres-Olalla-Dominguez-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://celebritynouveau.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Fernando-Torres-Olalla-Dominguez-2.jpg" width="184" /></a>Regarding the first name, Nora is a fairly common name is English and Spanish. It's name meaning is a few-fold: in Greek, it is a short form of Elanora, meaning "light". In Latin, it's a shorter derivative of Honora and Leonora, meaning "woman of honor" or "compassion". We had been tossing the name around for quite a while, wondering if Jose's family had heard of the name, and deciding between a few other girl names. It was at the top of the list, out of maybe 3 or 4 names. We were at Jose's parent's house to watch the Euro Cup this summer, and after they won, the player's kids were running on to the field to congratulate their fathers. Fernando Torres, Spain's striker, had his two little cuties running up to him, and when he scooped up his super adorable daughter, we saw that she was wearing her daddy's number, with her name over the top: Nora. We were enamored, and Jose mom started saying (in Spanish), "Nora! That is so beautiful! I love that name!" We knew Nora was our choice. </div>
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The middle name, Providence, has basically been the whole theme of this pregnancy: God's amazing providence over and over again. As a name, the meaning is "direction from God," and the actual meaning of the word <i>providence</i> is as follows: </div>
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<b>prov·i·dence: noun</b><br />1. the foreseeing care and guidance of God or nature over the creatures of the earth.<br />2. God, especially when conceived as omnisciently directing the universe and the affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.<br />3.a manifestation of divine care or direction.<br />4.provident or prudent management of resources; prudence.<br />5.foresight; provident care.</blockquote>
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Our lives over the last nine months have been such a whirlwind, and over and over again we have watched God provide answers to specific prayers- jobs, finances, baby provisions, situations with our children, home birth, and so much more- and we would want that same direction and care over a little girl's life as well.<br />
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It's crazy to think that any time now we will be introducing you to our newest pumpkin in the Molinuevo patch, Jordi or Norah!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-16100264643562924872012-09-25T17:26:00.001-04:002012-09-25T17:26:49.851-04:00Any Time Now: In the Final Stretch!<br />
<b>How Far Am I: </b>Tomorrow marks 38 weeks. I am 15 days away from being "due" if you go by my dates( 10/10) . If you go by the ultrasound, it said somewhere closer to the 15th, but we all know babies come when they want to!<br />
<b>Baby's Gender:</b> We are anticipating a boy, based on what we were able to (not very clearly) see...there is still that small chance it could be a girl if God decides to surprise us!<br />
<b>How Much Weight Have I Gained: </b>As of today at the midwife, 21 lbs total for pregnancy. I am guessing a pound of two of that is fluid retention from this weekend of my sister's wedding shower...I am beat, but it was worth it!<br />
<b>Cravings: </b>Chocolate. Currently eating a Lindt chocolate mousse truffle. I think I earned it, hah!<br />
<b>Baby Movement: </b>At this point, baby is getting more and more cramped. I get lots of bumps and wiggles, but for the most part, baby keeps their head down and just lets me know when I am squishing him.<br />
<b>S</b><b>leep Habits: </b>Back to getting up every 3-4 hours to empty my bladder or rearrange pillows. God is rewiring my clock to get up every few hours to nurse!<br />
<b>Body Changes: </b>Two things to praise God for this week: first, my labs came back with no signs of anemia, which is great! Also, my GBS culture came back negative, which means no antibiotics/ alternative therapies during labor. Woo hoo! It looks like smooth sailing towards an uneventful, natural birth. Nothing much new to report here aside from a little swelling in my feet by the end of the day.<br />
<b>What Micah (5) /Levi (18 mos) Think of the Baby: </b>Not much new to report here, either. Micah has announced that while he did want to be woken up to see the baby be born, he does not any more, and would rather see the baby after he eats breakfast- LOL! We told him that he and Levi may be spending a night or two at Jose's parents house while in labor and the first days of having the baby, and he is SUPER stoked about that. It all depends on how things go here. Ideally I would love for our whole family (us and our kids, plus someone to be in charge of the kids) to be present for the birth, but I don't think that's going to end up being the reality. Right now, Jose's mom is our designated "kid corral-er," and I don't think she has any interest in being here when the baby is born. She can get really nervous about things like this. Last time I was in labor, she knitted an entire blanket and brought it to the hospital afterwards.<br />
<b>Baby Prep So Far: </b>Most everything that we can control has been prepped for. We are still in need of a few items for the baby coming- namely a few diaper covers, and car seats. We are still unsure about our current vehicle situation. We have one car (a very compact 1998 Ford Escort), and it also has no heat, which will become an issue for that short period when Florida becomes cold and I have to take Jose to work at 6 am with all the kids. Selling our SUV was great for paying for the rest of our home birth and a few outstanding debts, but it has definitely been and adjustment for our family in planning, and carrying sleeping children to the car the days Jose works, and then picking him up at bedtime. With our current vehicle and current car seats, we cannot fit three children in the back seat (49 inches total means 16.3 inches per car seat, which is pretty much unheard of), unless we special order two special seats and get a different booster for Micah. That being said, buying seats will be cheaper than getting a new vehicle. Be praying that we could get a vehicle that could accommodate all of us, that would run good, and be on the lower end of the price range, and that God would provide for us to get the seats for our children to be safe. We are currently saving but it's going to be a few months down the road until we can get a vehicle, unless God decides to bless us otherwise!<br />
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<b>All in all, Jose and I are extremely blessed right now that he has a new job, that Micah is doing well in school, that the kids and I are healthy, and that we have a new addition coming. We are so looking forward to cherishing each of these last days until our new little bundle's arrival! Keep us in your prayers. We are seeking God's amazing provision for our family... a quick, easy, safe, and natural delivery... that God would bless our midwife, Jyl, and her team of nurses and assistants... and that God would totally unite us as a family unit of 5 with as minimal stress as possible. Psalm 133:1- Look at how good and pleasing it is when brothers and sisters (families!!) live together as one!</b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-22004909608067827562012-09-19T16:38:00.000-04:002012-09-19T16:38:15.208-04:00Tidbits As Of Late...So much has gone on the last month or so... I really feel that life is flying by at warp speed. I don't know what comes after warp speed (maybe hyper speed?) but I know it's approaching so quickly! Here's a little peek into our lives the last few weeks, and what has been going on.<br />
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<b>As of today, I am basically considered "good to go"</b> for our home birth. It's the 37 week mark. We had our home visit last week with our midwife Jyl and her two assistants to make sure we have every thing in order, and that went well. I still have white-coat syndrome with her- it's ridiculous!- so my BP goes up about 20 points every time I have a visit, but other than that, things are doing fine. Baby is head down, I am taking it easy as I have started to feel uber pregnant, and Jose and I are about as prepared for birth as we can be.<br />
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<b>Micah has finished his first two weeks of first grade,</b> and is enjoying every second of it! He has three teachers this year, depending on the subject and day: Mrs. Pam, Mrs. Tara, and Mrs. Tiffany. He adores every one of them. He is also excited because one of his closest friends is going to school with him now, and he gets to see him so often! He did great on his first spelling test, and actually looks forward to more tests because it was so "fun."<br />
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<b>My baby sister is getting married the same week I am due, and I am so excited for her! </b> We are having her wedding shower this weekend, and my other sister, my mom, and I are all working together on an afternoon of surprises for her. It's going to be a blast, and I am so excited to be celebrating her and her fiance Paul's upcoming wedding. He is so good to her, and it's so amazing to see her being treated so well. I got to see her gown last weekend, and it brought all the memories of Jose and my wedding flooding back. I am going to be an emotional wreck if I can make it to the wedding!<br />
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<b>We scored a glider for $25 off craigslist. </b>And it was made for a short person like me! I know, it sounds trivial, but my feet are always dangling because I can't reach the ground. It's in the corner in our room, along with a boppy pillow that was handed down from a friend, and the Moses basket made by my grandmother that all our kids have slept in.<br />
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<b>I am getting asked by total random strangers about childbirth. </b>Take, for instance, these questions from the medical assistant at my endocrinologist's office:<br />
"So, do you have to ride a scooter when you are pregnant or are you allowed to walk?"<br />
"Are you in pain? Like right now?"<br />
"Oh my gosh, you had your kids NATURAL? Oh, not uhhh...."<br />
"So you just, like, hard cored it, shot them out?"<br />
"Did you look in the mirror down there when their face was all like this?"<br />
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She proceeded to put her hands to her face like the picture below, acting like she was a crowning baby. I have never had to keep a laugh in so bad!<br />
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<b>God is providing for Jose and I, and it's continually blowing us away. </b>We have had so many answers to prayer over the last few weeks. Friends randomly dropped off groceries to us because they felt led to by God. They just showed up at our house after Jose and I had payed all our bills on payday, and came to $91 left over for the following 2 weeks to cover all our expenses for 4 people (gas, food, etc). We had a friend give us extra sheet sets for our bed, which was a need for our birth. We got a gift card that was just enough for me to get a few diaper covers that we needed for the newbie. Also, someone is going to buy our car seat for us. So while we may not have an abundance, God is meeting our needs for the moment we are in! It really is Psalm 23:1 being lived out- "I lack nothing." Jose also may have an opportunity to pick up some home care patients, which would be a little extra income here and there. We still have needs, but since giving them over to God, our stress has gone way down, and we have gotten to witness God do some cool stuff. Keep praying that God provides enough for a few more baby items, and makes a way for us to obtain a second vehicle.<br />
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<b>Jose and I went out on a real, bonafide date </b>for the first time in ages. We went for Thai and sushi (a first for Jose), and he actually enjoyed the sushi! I was so surprised when he ordered a spicy tuna roll (which is raw), and I was completely floored when he ate it and LIKED it. It was even more delicious to just be out and enjoy each others company, uninterrupted, no kiddos to corral, just the sound of rain on the restaurant roof and us in our own private world... er, booth.<br />
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That's a nutshell of what has happened these last few weeks.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-38600329708550260082012-09-11T16:19:00.001-04:002012-09-11T16:19:46.636-04:00Rethinking Birth- and Life's Situations in General- Through ScriptureThis weekend, I set out to compile a list of biblical scripture to meditate on in the coming weeks before our newest addition makes his (possibly her) time of arrival known.<b> So much of going through the labor and birth experience is purely staying focused</b> - mental preparation (and for me, meditating on the Bible's principles) is key to keeping your sanity through it all, whether you deliver au naturel or in an emergency cesarean.<div>
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One of my favorite quotes from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ina-Mays-Guide-Childbirth-Gaskin/dp/0553381156" target="_blank">probably my favorite childbirth book ever by Ina May Gaskin</a> goes like this: </div>
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“Remember this, for it is as true and true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is not a careless mechanic. Human female bodies have the same potential to give birth well as aardvarks, lions, rhinoceri, elephants, moose, and water buffalo. Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body.” </blockquote>
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I have been taking that quote quite seriously ever since I read it. And in my quest to change my thinking about my birth and my body, as well as educate others, I thought I would post the words that have been speaking to me as of late. God's people were commanded in Deuteronomy 6 to take God's word in a serious, respectful, reverent manner, to think on it continually, and to have it in plain view. Check it out:<div>
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“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." <span style="font-size: x-small;">Deuteronomy 6: 4-9, NLT</span></blockquote>
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And why? So that they would "be careful not to forget the Lord, who rescued [them] from slavery in the land of Egypt" (Deut. 6:12, NLT). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That glorious tub is going to come in handy!</td></tr>
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In preparing to embark on another journey through childbirth, I was looking to relaxation therapy CD's, suggested by others to try hypnobirthing techniques, and searching for what I could settle in and meditate on. The reoccurring thought that I can keep coming back to is that the<b> God has provided for us all along this pregnancy, so why should I have to turn anywhere else but Him for that sustaining power? that peace? that tranquility? that safety and security?</b> In order not to forget the promises of God, I now have all of these scriptures taped to the walls and mirrors in my bathroom and in our room, since that will most likely be my birthing venue of choice.<br /><br />Here are the words, inspired by God, transcribed by man, that are so influencing me lately. I am not capable of doing this on my own- of doing anything on my own!- but with Him, and the husband He gave me, it will be amazing. Think on these words and they will give you peace- whether you are birthing a baby, or just in one of life's stressful valleys. <br />
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Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. <span style="font-size: x-small;">Philippians 4:6-7</span> </blockquote>
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Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. <span style="font-size: x-small;">2 Corinthians 12:9</span></blockquote>
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Children are a heritage from the Lord,offspring a reward from him. <span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalm 127:3</span> </blockquote>
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For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. <span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalm 139:13-14</span> </blockquote>
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You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. <span style="font-size: x-small;">Isaiah 26:3</span> </blockquote>
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I waited patiently for the Lord;<br />he turned to me and heard my cry.<br />He lifted me out of the slimy pit,<br />out of the mud and mire;<br />he set my feet on a rock<br />and gave me a firm place to stand.<br />He put a new song in my mouth,<br />a hymn of praise to our God.<br />Many will see and fear the Lord<br />and put their trust in him.<br />Many, Lord my God,<br />are the wonders you have done,<br />the things you planned for us.<br />None can compare with you;<br />were I to speak and tell of your deeds,<br /> they would be too many to declare.<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalm 40: 1-3, 5</span> </blockquote>
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but those who hope in the Lord<br />will renew their strength.<br />They will soar on wings like eagles;<br />they will run and not grow weary,<br />they will walk and not be faint.<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Isaiah 40:31</span> </blockquote>
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Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. <span style="font-size: x-small;">Joshua 1:9</span> </blockquote>
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Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. <span style="font-size: x-small;">Matthew 11:28</span> </blockquote>
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I sought the Lord, and he answered me;<br />he delivered me from all my fears.<br />Taste and see that the Lord is good;<br />blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalm 34: 4, 8</span> </blockquote>
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So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. <span style="font-size: x-small;">Hebrews 4:16</span> </blockquote>
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For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. <span style="font-size: x-small;">2 Timothy 1:7</span> </blockquote>
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Trust in the Lord and do good;<br />dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.<br />Take delight in the Lord,<br />and he will give you the desires of your heart.<br />Commit your way to the Lord;<br />trust in him and he will do this:<br />He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,<br />your vindication like the noonday sun.<br />Be still before the Lord<br />and wait patiently for him.<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalm 37: 7a</span> </blockquote>
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You are my hiding place;<br />you will protect me from trouble<br />and surround me with songs of deliverance.<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalm 32:7</span></blockquote>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-82262656555316724272012-09-07T14:04:00.000-04:002012-09-07T14:04:33.143-04:00Pumpkin Update: 35 Weeks and Counting!I realized this is my 3rd pregnancy, and I have always been too embarrassed of the way I look to ever take a picture of my actual bare belly. Yeah, there is extra skin, and stripes, and flab, but it's still beautiful. I am a real mom. I don't have a trainer. I have never been thin. I have always been jealous of friends that have had 2,3,4,5,6 kids and have beautiful bodies...but my pregnancy is no less cute, no less of a miracle growing in me, nothing to be ashamed of! I have struggled forever with this issue, and in thinking about things today- I have realized that a pregnancy, a life forming- is beautiful, no matter where that pregnancy is being housed. Embracing myself, the victories of two pregnancies, and this new life inside.<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
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<b>How Far Am I: </b>According to my dates, about 35 weeks, 3 days. Winding down! It's more of a due "month", so our newest pumpkin will be arriving some time in the next 3-7 weeks. I am not stressing about the date at all.<br />
<b>Baby's Gender:</b> Anticipating a boy but the ultrasound was a tad iffy...<br />
<b>How Much Weight Have I Gained: </b>Roughly 20lbs. We will see next week at our midwife visit. I was being a real stickler about my weight gain...and then last month, our dog had explosive diarrhea in our bathroom, all over the scale...needless to say, I haven't weighed my self at home since then because the scale got pitched!<br />
<b>Cravings: </b>None whatsoever as of late. A piece of chocolate would be nice every once in a while, but since I never buy it, it's never here to tempt me!<br />
<b>Baby Movement: </b>Those big swirly flips are a thing of the past at this point. Baby was head down at our appointment for 33 weeks, and hasn't gone anywhere! I get lots of little wiggles and such, and baby their rump up under the right side of my rib cage almost always. All my babies have been right-side-of-the-belly kiddos, probably due to where my placenta has attached.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that belly! Not much room for stretching out!</td></tr>
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<b>Body Changes: </b>So many lately! I think the baby is dropping into my pelvis- which has it's pros and cons. I can breathe a little easier and I don't get so much heartburn, but my feet have started swelling up as the day goes on and I have to pee constantly now. My ring has always fit on the snug side, and I usually have to remove it about the time I hit the 3rd trimester...the good news is, I haven't had much swelling in my feet or hands until the last week or so, compared with starting around 28 weeks or sooner. I think it is due to me being at home, not on a nursing floor for 12+ hours at work.<br />
<b>Sleep Habits: </b>I am sleeping less and less. We aim for 8 hours a night, but with getting up to pee every few hours, and rearrange pillows, it amounts to much less :) It's God's way of preparing me to be up every 2 hours after our little one arrives!<br />
<b>What Micah (5) /Levi (18 mos) Think of the Baby: </b>Micah surprised Jose and I last week when we were asking him if he wanted to be here when the baby came. We were talking about how the baby gets his food (a cord goes from mommy to the baby, so he gets all he needs), and Micah asked if he could cut the cord after the baby came out. I looked at Jose, who looked at me, and we said that would be okay as long as he was there. TOTALLY threw me that he would think about the cord getting cut. We asked if he was sleeping, would he want to wake up for the baby to come, or just meet the baby in the morning, and he wanted to be woken up.<br />
<b>Baby Prep So Far: </b>My mom and dad bought us some new diapering supplies as their new baby gift, as well as some cloth nursing pads. All of those have been washed and prepped. We got the Moses basket set up in our room, along with the playpen where we change diapers and keep supplies. All the teeny tiny clothes have been washed and folded, and are in bins in our room, since that is where baby will be sleeping for the first few months. We are slowly trying to move Levi over to Micah's room, but it hasn't been going well so far, so we aren't pushing it. He absolutely loves his crib, and though he thinks the big boy bed in Micah's room is cool to read on, he wants nothing to do with it come sleepy time. Oh well, we'll get there! This week, I am starting to cook some meals larger, and freez<span style="font-family: inherit;">e half so we have some easy meals for after baby comes and Jose is helping out. So far we have sloppy joes, and pulled pork... I have to be honest, I had a few moments this week where I s</span>tarted letting things get to me. My best friend is throwing me a "shower on the go," for people that want to send us things for the baby, and it's been so hard to just trust that God has every aspect of this baby under control, and to settle in and see what we get. We all know that babies come when they are ready...but I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that it's happening so fast! I feel like there is so much to "do", or to "get," or to "take care of," before then... then I remember- does he have a place to sleep? Check. Milk to eat? Check. Clothes to wear? Check. Diapers to dirty? Check. Reminding my self that everything else on my to do/get/finish lists can wait.<br /><b>Birth Prep:</b> We were able to order our birth kit thanks to my sister Michaela, which has all kinds of supplies that our midwife uses, like gloves, a cord clamp, chux pads, and the like. We also got a mattress bag (basically a king-sized ziplock bag to protect your mattress during birth, if that's where you decide to have your baby), and a friend of ours gave us some hand me down sheets- which is awesome, since I don't want to have to ruin nice pretty sheets.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of our birth kit included this awesome prayer (which is taped to my computer screen), and a beautiful footprint card.</td></tr>
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<b>Name Ideas:</b> We have some names picked out for a boy and a girl just in case, but I have a really hard time with telling people what they are because I am so afraid that baby will arrive, and we will go, "No, wait, that's not your name!" Micah and Levi were so easy to name, and this time around it's much harder.<br />
<b>Plus Sized, Nursing, and Pregnant:</b> Big mistake last week counting Levi as having weaned. He didn't nurse or ask to for 4 days...then out of the blue, has picked it back up again. I have started making colostrum, and I think him nursing again is the combo that he is finally getting something after the tap being dry for the last few months, combined with 2 teeth coming in right now. I am just taking it all in stride. He is just barely 19 months, and I figured at the beginning of my pregnancy that I would end up tandem nursing because he has always been a boob child. He will give it up on his own. For now, he has learned nursing manners- he asks "please," and knows that he has to wait. I really only let him at bed time or nap time, so he knows not to ask if we are out and about. Last night, after nursing him, I clipped up my nursing top and he said "night night, -urse." He either calls it "nu-nu's" or says nurse without the "n." I am cherishing every last little minute with him and Micah as a mommy of two, as well as my time with Jose, since I know things are going to get very interesting in a few short weeks!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-21598563459483014572012-08-14T23:46:00.000-04:002012-08-17T09:07:33.973-04:00I Am Not A Sparrow...I Am Cherished!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have to preface this post with a story. We are going to the past, then to the present, then to the future...Hang on! Several friends and family have asked our needs for our current situation with a new baby coming. This is my attempt to gracefully lay aside my embarrassment, and trust that God will provide for us like He has <b>always</b> been so faithful to do. </div>
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The above picture was taken in March, 2009. This morning will be forever cemented in my memory. Jose and I had been searching for a house to buy for nearly 6 months. We had made close to 10 offers on houses, all with problems in the contracts or with inspections. Our landlord decided 3 weeks before our year contract was up, after saying we could go month-to-month while we searched for a house, that she didn't like that idea any more. March 15th we had to be out and that was that. We were totally stressing- nowhere to live, Jay leaving on a mission trip in 10 days, and ultimately having to give everything over to prayer and trust.<br />
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We had a huge blessing from the Lord- a friend had a rental house that she had just renovated, was empty, and would charge us $300 less a month while we looked for a house. We moved in those 3 weeks, and stayed there for 6 weeks. We lived out of boxes, eating off paper plates and plastic silverware, never knowing when the day would come that we would find the house and get to move. I took all that stress on the mission trip to Smyrna, TN with me; Jose stayed home with Micah and had to deal with nursing school finals.<br />
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Thursday morning, I awoke to the sun at close to 5:30 am. Since my students would not be up for an hour and a half, I bundled up for the 30 degree weather, grabbed and mp3 player and my camera, and set off. I walked and prayed and snapped pictures that morning, listening to worship music and really just soaking in...when I felt the Lord speaking to me. At first, it was strange to me that I was being followed by birds. I would go to take a picture of a barren tree, covered in frost, when a robin or a sparrow would fly into my viewfinder the moment I would snap the picture. They were singing, frolicking around in the glistening frozen wonderland, having a ball. I kept walking near a stream bed, and the robins were constantly coming in to my field of vision. Over my head. Chasing each other. I went to tie my shoe on a bench, bent over, and a sparrow landed on the arm of the bench and just sat, looking at me, cocking her head and wondering what on Earth I was doing up so early.<br />
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I<b> began to feel God speaking</b> the words of Jesus to me:<br />
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That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. <b>And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are</b>? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? <br />
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And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, <b>he will certainly care for you</b>. Why do you have so little faith?<br />
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So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’<b> These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. </b><br />
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So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:25-34, NLT, emphasis mine)</blockquote>
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It all began to make sense to me. I decided that crisp morning to quit worrying about it. To give over to God what was rightly His, and make it no more of my concern. The perfect house would come along. And if the robins and sparrows could enjoy their beautiful sunrise, despite the cold, and be fed and clothed, wouldn't God provide for Jose and I?<br />
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I got back, work my girls up, and started setting up for breakfast while talking to our leader and close friend. I told him of my walk that morning, what I felt God speak to me, and told him I was giving it up. It felt good to share with someone what God was doing. And then, at 9:30 am as we were rolling out to head to a medical mission site, things got interesting.<br />
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I got a call from Jose, and the first words of the conversation were, "Hey baby. Just wondering, how much do you trust me?" "Why?" "Because I found the house for us. Can I put in an offer?" Our leader could hear our conversation, and his mouth was hanging open. So was mine. I stammered that he could do whatever he felt led to do, provided that he pray about it. I got a call the next morning that closing was in 4 weeks, the bank accepted our offer, and it was ours.<br />
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Fast forward to the present. We have gone from two salaries to one; and are going from a family of three to a family of five. Jose had no paycheck this summer for nearly 6 weeks as he went from one job to the next. Then orientation was pushed back two weeks for the new job; and we went again for 2 more weeks without any income. We have been down to $8.00 at one point, both credit cards maxed, and no food in the cupboards. And I have been asked by family, <i>why didn't you ask for help?</i> My answer is this: God has always, always provided for us. I have never doubted that He would. Yes, it's been a little tight-rope-walker intense at times, but God has never not come through. At the right time, we have been given groceries. A friend gave me a huge tote of maternity clothing; I haven't bought new clothing in years, and it was SO awesome! We have had last minute invites for dinner at someone's house. We had a garage sale that may have been horrid by society's standards- a total of $82- but it was the exact amount to the DOLLAR we needed to put gas in our car, buy groceries, and tithe. Our needs have been met, and that's what was promised to us from God's word. We are seeking to live righteously, train up our kids and give them examples of God's provision, trying to be servants to other people when we can, and trusting that everything is going to come through okay.<br />
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And one interesting side note: we went through a period in the last year where we stopped tithing because we were just too tight. And you know what? Our needs stopped being met. We couldn't make ends meet; our bills became delinquent; and we became more stressed than ever. I just can't believe in coincidence! My God is one of purpose and faithfulness! So yes, when told that not asking for help can be because of pride (which is sin), I agree- but my motive to keep things to my self has often not been pride. It's been that we are giving God room to actually <i>be God</i>. <br />
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Fast forward to today's needs. I don't believe that I am having a shower for this baby. At 32 weeks pregnant, I am sure that someone would have said something by now if I were going to. So, at the request of a few family and friends, I am putting our family's needs out there for this next baby coming and for the near future. The biggest of them are prayer needs, others are tangible; what ever comes our way we are truly thankful and grateful for. We desperately desire your prayers first and foremost! Here are some practical ways that you could help if you feel so led to:<br />
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<li><b>Pray with us that our vehicle sells. </b>This will help us catch back up on a few bills that we are in need of, as well as help finish paying for our home birth fees.</li>
<li><b>Pray with us that we can find a vehicle that will fit all 5 of us</b> for a decent (and by that I mean CHEAP!) price. We will probably resort to saving up and purchasing a new vehicle a few months after the baby comes. We are looking for a van, but in the mean time we will be driving our Escort as a one car family until that opportunity can come along.</li>
<li><b>Meals after the baby comes.</b> Whether that be boxes of mac 'n cheese or other easy cook items that I can put in my pantry ahead of time, or a hot meal that someone drops off, it would be a blessing. Jose can't hardly cook anything other than microwave popcorn, and I know with me being down a week or so after having the baby and him chasing a toddler and a 5 year old, dinner will be the last thing on our list.</li>
<li><b>Cloth diapering supplies</b>. We have a gift registry of sorts set up at one of the sites where we purchase our diapering supplies from. You can find the registry <a href="http://www.kellyscloset.com/giftregistry_home.asp?action=view&id=31726%20" target="_blank">here, through cloth supply retailer Kelly's Closet.</a>. Search by our last name, Molinuevo, and it should come up: <i>"Jay and Jose's New Pumpkin." </i>The passcode is <i>holimoli,</i> if you are prompted. Feel free to wander the site; our registry should have anything we would ever need or want, but there are some COOL diapering supplies out there and we will use anything!</li>
<li><b>Cloth nursing pads</b> would be a life saver. The best ever are Bamboobies (haha!!), and you can find them on our registry, or purchase them wherever you like.</li>
<li><b>Gift cards to Publix, Walmart, or Amazon</b> for picking up groceries or baby supplies that we are forgetting now but will need later... Things like food, pacifiers, breast milk storage bags, etc. The gift cards to Amazon would go towards <b>a new infant car seat </b>that we have had our eye on. It's a specially made narrow version for compact cars :) Wow, two in car seats and one in a booster- how crazy!</li>
<li>We have several <b>supplies</b> that we need for our birth coming up (we are having a planned home birth with an amazing midwife). These include the following: our birth kit (medical supplies, ordered from our midwife's supplier, about $45), extra sheet sets (king sized- I would gladly take hand me downs!), a few extra pillows, and a plastic drop cloth or king sized mattress protector for the bed. There is also a chunk of the actual birth expenses that need paid, but if our Santa Fe sells, it will all be paid for. </li>
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Things that we don't need much of are disposable diapers, formula (we are a breastfeeding family), and baby shoes. For some odd reason, every one buys us baby shoes, but our kids tend to have fat feet, and HATE having shoes on until they are walking, so I have literally 2 boxes of baby shoes that I have given to friends or CareNet. <br />
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Hopefully this update has done a few things. First, I hope you see a little in to my windows as to why I have keep quiet about our needs and our financial situation over the last few months. Second, I hope it serves as a testimony to what God is able to do when you put your trust in Him. Thirdly, I hope you will pray for us and with us that our needs are met. And as always, please let Jose and I know if you have any prayer or other needs that we can help you out with. It's great to have other people bless you, but it is such a blessing to be able help our family and friends too! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-50646287332697750242012-08-05T23:21:00.000-04:002012-08-05T23:21:46.928-04:0030 Week Update<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.askamum.co.uk/upload/2510/images/30weekspregnant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.askamum.co.uk/upload/2510/images/30weekspregnant.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that bladder! No wonder I have to go all the time!</td></tr>
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<b>How Far Am I: </b>As of today, 30 weeks, 5 days. Three quarters of the way done!<br />
<b>Baby's Gender:</b> Again, looks like another niño on the horizon, but we would be stoked if there was a surprise that we weren't expecting.<br />
<b>How Much Weight Have I Gained: +12 at last count I think.</b> I am a little unnerved about this- it's my first pregnancy where I haven't lost 15+lbs throwing up, and slowly gained it back. Needless to say, at this point in the pregnancy I am carrying more weight . <br />
<b>Cravings: </b>Water. I am noticing that running around after two little ones and keeping the house somewhat under control means that I forget to drink half the day...then when it's after their bedtime, and I notice my feet are a little swollen and I haven't peed in 4 hours, I remember to drink. The bad thing about this is that then I am up all night going to the bathroom.<br />
<b>Baby Movement: </b>This baby is either going to be a VERY relaxed baby, or is a girl. Micah and Levi had nunchucks in the womb, and I was constantly sucking in my breath because out of nowhere, I would get a jab in the ribs that H. U. R. T. With this pregnancy, I am feeling lots of movement, just in a much more subdued way. <br />
<b>Body Changes: </b>Nothing major lately. A little itchy on the belly so I am lotioning up. Braxton Hicks every once in a while, usually induced by nursing. My only other complaint is from me not drinking enough, or if I eat something that is too salty- I notice a little swelling in my hands/feet. But so far, if that happens, I drink a bunch and put my feet up for a little bit or lay on my side. I am avoiding heartburn pretty well by paying attention to what and when I eat. Jose and I have started a prenatal pilates video that kicks our butts, and I am really praying that it helps with my concentration, breathing, endurance, and flexibility. <b> </b><br />
<b>Sleep Habits: </b>Sleep becomes a little more interesting at this time. I am exhausted by the end of the day, so I am sleeping pretty well, just having to get up probably twice to use the bathroom. The interesting part is coming from these bizarre pregnancy dreams.<b> </b><br />
<b>What Micah (5) /Levi (18 mos) Think of the Baby: </b>Levi pats my belly and says "bebe," but I doubt he really connects that there is going to be a baby around at this point. He is a little perturbed that mommy's milk is "ah gone" for now, but I think he will pick back up with the new baby. Micah helped us settle on a name for the baby, and is getting excited. He is also realizing that he is the "biggest big brother" now, and that holds a lot of responsibility.<b> </b><br />
<b>Baby Prep So Far: </b>I made about 60+ more cloth baby wipes this week, and Jose and I went through our room and are getting rid of TONS of clothing, junk, etc that we have been hanging on to. It's pretty much happening to the whole house- I just can't take the "stuff" we have held on to being around the house forever, so we are purging a lot and donating or having a garage sale with lots of it. I don't know if that's considered baby prep, but it sure is the beginning of nesting. On the list for the next few weeks is deep cleaning bathrooms, floors, getting rid of Jose and I's bedroom set, getting our room situated for a home birth, and generally making sure we have what we need for the next baby. There's not a lot we need, just a few things, but it's hard when you're on a tight budget, so we are trying to just pick up a few little things here and there on sale, or make what ever we can. <br />
<b>Birth Prep: </b>More reading, positive thinking, relaxation exercises, pilates, and healthy eating. We are getting ready to purchase our home birth supply kit in the next few weeks, and get the house ready with every thing on hand for our birth. It's starting to become real!<br />
<b>Name Ideas: </b>We have settled on a name for a boy, and have picked out a girl name as a back up just in case we have any surprises. Jose has a feeling that a few members of his family won't like the name (they are weird about some things), so he has said that we are not officially announcing the name until the baby is here, because he doesn't want to deal with hearing all of their opinions for the next 2-3 months. If you really want to know, I could probably sneak it to you, but out of respect for his wishes... mums the word :)<br />
<b>Plus Sized, Nursing, and Pregnant:</b> Some days I end up exhausted. Others, discouraged that I couldn't manage to get it all done. But I am starting to realize that I am 7 months pregnant with a 5 and 1 1/2 year old. At the end of the day, if my kids are fed, clean, have teeth brushed, and are tucked into their beds, I just have to call it success and ignore the floors that need vacuumed...the pile of dishes...the grass that needs mowed...and on and on. If I continue to dwell on every little thing that I as one person can not accomplish, it will eat me alive. Instead, I am focusing on the small victories. And if that means making the dishes wait until morning while I hit the sack half an hour early, than so be it. With just over 2 months to go in my pregnancy, nursing, and being a stay at home mom to two rowdy munchkins already, I just have to pace my self.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-72455841134348845332012-07-11T08:38:00.001-04:002012-10-06T12:12:43.145-04:00Last Week of the Second Trimester!<b> </b><br />
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<b>How Far Am I:</b> 27 weeks pregnant today! Our baby is roughly the size of a cauliflower. I, on the other hand, am not.<br />
<br />
<b>Baby's Gender: </b>Most likely a boy, but surprises have happened before :) We are anticipating a boy based on the last ultrasound, not looking again because we don't want to expose our little one to too much radiation unnecessarily, and if we have a surprise...wahoo for that too! <br />
<br />
<b>How Much Weight Have I Gained: +7 lbs total. </b>I gained 2 lbs in the last 4 weeks. So far, my weight gain has been on target. My previous pregnancies I gained a total of 12 and 15 lbs respectively, and I am being extra careful not to go overboard this time around either. <br />
<br />
<b>Cravings: </b>None whatsoever. Other than a piece of chocolate now and then...but isn't that most women, regardless of their womb status?! That, and fresh fruits/veggies. It's summer, so snap peas, cherries, and peaches are on the counter frequently to snack on.<br />
<br />
<b>Baby Movement: </b>This baby is not as active in an, "I emulate a ninja" sort of way. Micah and Levi were both killer to my bladder and rib cage. Maybe I am just not far enough for this baby to be really wreaking havoc, but he (possibly she) seems much more mellow. Plenty of movement, just not so, how should I say, rambunctious.<br />
<br />
<b>Body Changes:</b> My belly is starting to itch once in a while from the skin stretching, but I am combating that with coconut oil and lotion pretty often. I use face and eye cream, so after my shower at night, the rest of me just gets slathered up. I am having less round ligament pain, but am having to shift more at night while sleeping. I have had one or two little twinges of sciatic pain, which happened in the latter segments with both of our other kiddos, but both times it was from lifting things. Other than that, the only real complaint that I have is I am HOT! I have never been in the tail end of my pregnancy when it has been so hot (December and January kiddos), and I swear- I have never sweat so much in my life. By the way- I passed my OGTT with flying colors (my glucose was 87 at
the one hour mark), and my hemoglobin was great- not anemic- so things
are going well! My endocrinologist is monitoring my synthetic thyroid medication well, and I am currently taking prenatal vitamins, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, probiotics, and occasional iron supplements. Hopefully my nutritional work will pay off and keep any harm from coming our way. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">26 1/2 week bump</td></tr>
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<b>Sleep Habits: </b>I am tired quite a bit lately. Keeping up with everything at home, two rugrats, being pregnant, and breastfeeding still definitely wears me out. I am mentally ready to hit the sack around 10 or earlier, but my body being so hot...tossing and turning...it seems I can't fall asleep until close to midnight. Jose is moving to day shift starting the week of July 24th, so hopefully having him home consistently at night will help me sleep a little deeper.<br />
<br />
<b> What Micah (5) /Levi (16 mos) Think of the Baby: </b>Micah has been given the job (if he is present during the birth) of announcing the sex of the baby, and telling me what color the baby's hair is when they are descending. I figured that giving him a job to do would help take any "scariness" out of it, and make him feel important and included in the event if he is here. He is quite excited about that.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bump is definitely more pronounced with Levi perched on top!</td></tr>
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<b>Baby Prep So Far: </b>I started today on sewing more baby wipes (I got a good deal on flannel at Target). It's the first step of MANY that need to take place. I don't think it's quite set in that in 10-14 weeks or so we will be adding a family member. We also need to order new car seats that will fit in to the back seat of our Escort. The SUV is in the process of being sold (please pray it sells!), and if we don't have a bigger vehicle by the time baby comes, we will all be cramming in the little blue car. We were able to find great steel-framed car seats (VERY durable) that are much skinnier than average car seats, so our back seat will accommodate them. It's just a matter of deciding if we want to do the whole infant seat thing again, or just go with the one that is rear or forward facing for long term use. Decisions, decisions.<br />
<br />
<b>Birth Prep: </b>More reading, more praying, more stocking my head full of positive birth stories/ scriptures/ affirmations to remember during labor. I have the exercise ball blown up and I am sitting on it and stretching every day. I ordered a new pregnancy Pilates video that will be here next week- I am SO excited about it. I really want my core, back, and pelvis to be in the best shape possible to aid in natural delivery. I have yet to clean our room out and rearrange things, but I am sure that will come in time. We are almost half way on paying down our home birth sum, which is exciting for us. We are having to cut a lot of expenses in order to come up with the money for our birth choice, but we really feel it's worth it. You put your money, time, and efforts towards things that are important to you. And this is something truly important to me.<br />
<br />
<b>Name Ideas: </b>We are flip flopping. I have a friend who delivered her baby today, and he is still not named. I have a feeling that will be our situation in the near future. Jose and I are currently on the following trend, and it's likely to change by tomorrow:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Jordi David- </b><i>Jordi</i> is a Spanish variation of Jordan. The name means "descending," and is significant in the Bible as being the place that Jesus was baptized...that John baptized...that feeds the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea...where Joshua crossed to Jericho... and so much more. It is an cherished resource for those living near it. We also thought it was fitting because our midwife Jyl's practice is Descending Dove Midwifery Services. We thought we could honor our first home birth with her, as well as pray for a baby that descends supernaturally, quickly, and with relative ease. (Jose's input- Jordi Alba was instrumental in Spain's winning the Euro Cup last month too). <i>David</i> traditionally means "beloved" in Hebrew. It would be a nod to King David, a man with faults, but still a man after God's own heart, as well as after a dear friend of ours- we cherish his friendship like he is a brother, and look up to his walk with the Lord.</li>
<li><b>Jordi Iker: </b>Again, Jordi for the above reasons, and Iker (pronounced "eeek-air" in Spanish)... well, because Jose has always loved the name, and because Iker Casillas is Spain's one-of-a-kind keeper. </li>
<li><b>Luka Cristiano- </b><i>Luka </i>means "bringer of light," and <i>Cristiano</i> means "bearer of Christ". Enough said- we want our child to emulate both of those things</li>
<li><b>Noah Declan- </b><i>Noah </i>means "peaceful; restful one," (who WOULDN'T want that in a child?!) and <i>Declan </i>is an Irish name meaning <i>"</i>man of prayer." Again, pretty self-explanatory.</li>
</ul>
We have a girl name picked out just as a back up: Nora Celeste Molinuevo. My dad made fun of Celeste because it rhymes with incest and molest, but Mom and Dad had the chance to name us weird names, and now we have ours. I mean, the only other Janece's I have ever met are black. I give the other Janece's props, because they are the only people who ever say my name right on the first time without me pronouncing it.<br />
<br />
<i></i><br />
<b>
Plus Sized, Nursing, and Pregnant: </b>I have never been one to wear dresses. Or shave my legs very often because of the above reason. But because it's SO darn hot (like over 90 every day), and I have only 2 pairs of shorts that I can wear, I am wearing dresses more. The shorts are too hideous to really wear anywhere other than the grocery store, so when I put on the dresses, Jose is always telling me how cute I look with the belly, and that he feels bad that he's not dressed up. I don't want to be dressed up, and I don't feel like I look cute- I feel like an overheating walrus- but it's so nice to hear from him. As for nursing, Levi is pretty much weaning him self. He nurses anywhere from 0-3 times a day, and not always for nap or bed time. For the most part, he lets me know when he needs it, and it's not ever for more than a few minutes (sometimes 30 seconds or less) and he is done. I think at this point it's more for security and checking in with me than anything. He just wants reassured that if he wants to he can, and that mommy is not going to leave him. I have a feeling that when the new baby brings him the gift of milk again, he will pick right back up. But again, I am letting him go at his own pace, and not pushing him to wean or to nurse more frequently. One day at a time, friends.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-29947157546154847552012-06-24T09:00:00.000-04:002012-06-24T13:08:00.410-04:00Tidbits: Oh, the things they do...and say...The last 10 days have been a whirlwind, yet I count every day as a blessing. In doing discipleship with a friend this week, we got to talking about <b>John 21:11-13</b>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="text John-21-11" id="en-TNIV-26899"><sup class="versenum"> </sup></span>Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.<b> </b></blockquote>
<b>So many times, we miss the little miracles</b>. Yeah, we get the big ones all around these verses- Jesus raises from the dead, appears to the disciples (this is the 3rd time), Peter walks on water, the nets were full of fish... But...Dd you see it? The nets- not broken, not torn, no repair needed. Let's completely low ball it- a good friend's husband says 5 lbs per fish, think 450 lbs. And John tells us they are "large fish, 153," to be exact- no small feat! But do we see a parable attached? Do we see the disciples falling on their faces, in adoration for their Lord, and that the nets didn't tear? Nope. We look over the little things so often. Jesus simply made them breakfast in their awe.<br />
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I am making it a point to recognize the little things. To know that, while my kids are young, boisterous, and rebellious at times, it will pass. That yeah, we can't always pay bills on time, but we have each other. We are healthy. We have a roof over our heads. We believe in God that is so many things to us- Creator, Redeemer, Provider, Counselor, and so much more!<br />
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<b>So here are the tidbits from the last 10 days or so...Enjoy!</b></div>
<br />
<b>Levi is fascinated with what makes him a boy, and that his brother has one too. </b>Tonight, the kids were in the bath together...Micah is trying to have "relaxation"
and is basically meditating. He has decided that the bath tub is the perfect place to lay down, close his eyes, sink in, and forget he has a mom to listen to. While he was under with his eyes closed, Levi was trying to rip Micah's floating,
um, goods off. I tell Levi that "pee pees are not for touching" and try to distract him. I tell Micah to sit up unless he wants to end up in pain. I pop out to get towels, and then I turn around and Micah has a set of stacking cups
in the most appropriate of areas for "ultimate protection" and Levi is
laughing hysterically. Oh, my boys...<br />
<br />
<b>I am really starting to notice my body changing. </b> We are really trying to avoid using our dryer much, and Jose's mom gave us a dryer cleaning kit to help our old machine along. I got all gun-ho about using it, started taking the dryer apart, and got in WAY over my head. I
tried to move the dryer (what was I thinking?!) to get behind it and
just started laughing at my self. Like I could fit back there and bend
over, hah! I had to call Jose in for back up, who was just shaking his head at me the whole time. Wait until I start nesting...<br />
<br />
<b>I think the dog is going into heat, and she took it out on our bathroom floor. </b>Oh my goodness...that one was a huge mess. When she goes in heat (this is the second time), she gets diarrhea before hand. We went out all morning running errands, and when we came home it was like a war zone in our bathroom. Jose has bowel issues since having his gall bladder out, and he was in the boys bathroom probably 5 times doing his thing. At the same time, I was up to my elbows in bleach, towels, and black trash bags trying to contain the Hazmat situation on our floor. Thank God it was on tile, not the carpet! <br />
<br />
<b>God provided Jose with a new job! </b> In case you didn't hear, Jose accepted a position as a
Medical/Peds/Onc nurse at St. Lucie Medical Center. He starts his orientation on July 10. And it's DAYS! I am so excited to have a husband that is able to sleep in the same bed as me again, and not have to keep the kids corralled on one side of the house and shushed up. God is so good!<br />
<br />
<b>And last but not least, I'll throw in a funny breastfeeding joke for kicks: </b><br />
The night before, Jose had woken Levi up while checking on him, and I had to nurse him back to sleep forever. The next night went like this:<br />
<i><br /> Me</i>: If you wake Levi up, I am going to make you pay with YOUR boobs.<br />
<i>Jose</i>: I can't pay. I have insufficient funds. Buahahahaha.<br />
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Oh, baby. You're lucky you're suave. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-18629383390235552022012-06-23T21:20:00.001-04:002012-06-23T21:21:16.008-04:00Creating Your Birth Plan<br />
<b><u>
</u></b>A few weeks ago, I was asked to help teach a class at our local CareNet, which is a Christ-centered crisis pregnancy center. There was two topics for me to teach that night: Creating Your Birth Plan, and Coping Measures During Labor. Tonight, I give you the first section that I wrote. SO much to think about!<br />
<br />
<b><u></u></b><b><u></u></b><br />
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<b><u>Creating Your Birth Plan</u></b></div>
<b>
What is a birth plan? </b>Put plain and simple, a birth plan is a
way to communicate your wishes to the doctors, nurses, and midwives who
will care for you during labor and delivery. <i>It is not something that is set in stone</i>;
it simply lets them know your preferences. Remember that things can
(and sometimes do) go wrong, and it is important to try and be flexible
when that happens in order to best protect your wellbeing and your
baby’s. It is something that is optional, not required, for you to bring
with you to the hospital. It is best to start writing your plan and
have your preferences figured out BEFORE you go in to labor! If you are
unsure about a certain procedure during labor and delivery, be sure to
ask your midwife or doctor.<br />
<br />
<b>
</b><br />
<b>How do I prepare to write one? </b><br />
The best way is to do your
research before you write one. Ask questions to women you know and trust
will give you good advice about child birth. Stay away from seeking
opinions from women you know who will only give you horror stories about
their birth. Research what interventions are commonly done at hospitals
or birthing centers in your area (epidurals, episiotomies, C-sections,
forceps, IV accesses, external fetal monitoring, and the like). An
intervention is anything that does not occur during natural, healthy
delivery. For example, Lawnwood Regional Medical Center has a <a href="http://www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2010/3/21/florida-cesarean-rates-by-hospital-2008.html" target="_blank">44% cesarean section rate,</a> and most area hospitals are close to 100% on the intervention rate: you can't even get away without an IV unless you sign an "Against Medical Advice" (AMA) waiver. Again, if you don’t
understand much about a procedure, then ask! Once you understand what an
intervention is, what it’s risks or benefits are, and how they affect
your labor, you can make a better decision about if it’s right for you
and your baby. Also remember to talk with the people you plan on having
with you during labor. Your husband or support partner may have opinions
about how he or she thinks labor should go. It’s a team effort to have a
baby!<br />
<br />
<b>
</b><br />
<b>What should I include in my plan?</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>First, decide where you want to have your baby. A birthing center, a
hospital, or a homebirth with a midwife? There are many options to
choose from. Take in to consideration your health during pregnancy, as
well as the baby’s health. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<dir>
<dir>
</dir></dir><dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Next, you may wish to discuss who you want to be with you for support
during your labor. Most hospitals will not limit you as to who you want
present during labor and delivery, unless you are in an operating room
for a C-section (then it’s one person). Words to the wise- don’t invite
more than a couple of people to be with you. It can turn in to a
competition for your attention, and take your focus off what you need to
accomplish. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Talk about positions for labor and birth with your midwife or doctor.
Would you prefer to be on your side? Walking? Upright with pillows
behind you? On a birth ball? Rocking chair? In the shower or tub (my
personal favorite)? The possibilities are endless, provided your care
provider is on board with you. Your preferences may change depending on
how the baby is positioned in the birth canal. Talk with your provider
about what options are open to you.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Discuss the atmosphere you want during labor. Did you know you can
bring music with you? Have the lights dim? Do you want to bring your own
pillows or blanket for comfort? Do you want to wear your own clothes or
a hospital gown? Are you allowed to be mobile, to help speed along
delivery? Will you want to incorporate a certain childbirth technique
(Bradley, Lamaze, hypnobirth, etc)? Do you wish to be allowed to eat
lightly or drink?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Pain relief is a huge topic. Would you like to have your baby without
any pain medication? Do you want to consider IV pain medication, or do
you want an epidural? Remember- there are many things to take into
consideration regarding the baby and your health if you want to have
pain medication. Any pain medication you have WILL be passed to your
baby through the placenta. If you plan on breastfeeding, it may affect
how awake your baby is and his or her ability to breastfeed during the
first few hours. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Speeding up labor is sometimes necessary if the baby is in distress,
but often times used much more casually. Many times a mom will be given
Pitocin to speed up her contractions. This can also make labor much more
painful, and can cause unnecessary complications due to a doctor being
impatient. Be sure to discuss with your doctor or midwife when they
would use Pitocin, what the risks and benefits are, and that they are
not just using it so they can get home to their families. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>You will most likely have you and your baby’s heart rate monitored
during labor. Discuss how you feel about external fetal monitoring,
internal fetal monitoring, or Doppler monitoring. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Discuss how you feel about assistance during pushing- this includes
having a forceps delivery (basically using tongs to help pull the head
out), an episiotomy (an incision made to the surrounding skin to make it
wider for the head), a vacuum delivery (having a vacuum suck the baby’s
head out), and other interventions. Research the risks, benefits, and
why you would need to have any of these included in birth. Decide
whether you would rather allow your self to tear if need be, or to have
an episiotomy done. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Discuss with your provider what positions you will be able to push
in. Depending on the provider and the baby's position in the birth
canal, having the freedom to push in a position that is not what you see
on TV can greatly ease your pushing. Pushing in the water, using a
birthing stool, being on your hands and knees, or being
upright/semi-squatting with someone to support behind you can all be
effective in pushing your baby out.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Talk about skin to skin contact after birth, whether you have a
C-section or vaginal birth. Some providers encourage it, and some you
have to ask. It greatly helps to regulate the baby’s body temperature,
helps to promote bonding between you and baby, helps to regulate the
baby's heart beat after birth, and also helps to stimulate breast milk
production.<i> Side note: After my first birth, I was actually chastised by a nurse at the local hospital for skin to skin contact after birth, being told that my baby would end up "sick" if I didn't put some clothes on him. His temperature was perfect (imagine that!) from my body heat and the fuzzy blanket on top of him. Sometimes you do have to educate the health care professionals around you- of course, in a non -confrontational way. </i></li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>If you have a C-section, discuss where you would like to have the
baby after birth. If the baby is recovering well, would you like to have
the baby with you? Or would you prefer to have a family member go with
the baby to the nursery? </li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Decide what you would like to happen immediately after the birth. Is
there a special person you wish to have the honor of cutting the cord? I
recommend asking that the cord not be cut until it stops pulsating, so
the baby can recieve all of it's blood from the placenta. Do you want to
bank any of the baby's cord blood? Speaking of the placenta, do you
wish anything to be done to it? Some people wish for it to be discarded,
or to take it home and plant it under a tree, or do something else
ceremonially with it. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Make and educated decision about how you wish to feed your baby.
There is no right or wrong way to feed your baby, but there are definite
benefits to breastfeeding that bottle feeding does not compare with. If
you decide to breastfeed, ask for help from the nurses to breastfeed
your baby within the baby's first hour of life, if possible. It's called
"the golden hour," and babies that are able to latch on in this time
period do significantly better.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir><br />
<ul>
<li>Next, talk about whether you want your baby to room in with you or
stay in the nursery. Most mothers today wish to keep their babies with
them, but if you need some rest, you can ask that the nursery keep your
baby and bring him or her to you when the baby is ready to be fed.
Keeping baby with you will help cement your bond and kick those maternal
instincts in. Don't be afraid to ask for your baby, you worked hard to
get them here!</li>
</ul>
<br />
<dir><dir>
</dir></dir>
Remember, a doctor or midwife is someone that you choose, effectively
"hire," and if you do not feel comfortable with the way that they
practice in the delivery room, or the way that you will be managed
during labor, it is OKAY to seek out a different doctor or midwife.
Being comfortable and not having to fear about the way a provider will
treat you during birth can greatly effect the outcome of your birth. You
can be as in control of your birth as you want to be (provided you and
baby are laboring in a safe, healthy way), and don't forget to speak up
for your self!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-35922362624410812352012-06-11T16:53:00.001-04:002012-06-23T21:26:06.342-04:00Preggo Update: 23 weeks-ish<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lovingit.co.uk/images/2010-06_23-week-baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://www.lovingit.co.uk/images/2010-06_23-week-baby.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Jessica, born at 23 weeks, now 3 1/2 years old. It's hard to believe that babies can still be aborted at this age in many states, even though they can grow and thrive into healthy children. Clearly, she is a person!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>How Far Am I: </b>As of Wednesday, 23 weeks. Almost to "viability week," but we are not counting on having to worry about a viable baby- I am trusting in God that I go to at least 37 weeks so I can have a home birth! Never had any issues with early labor, so we are trucking right along. <br />
<br />
<b>Baby's Gender: </b>It looks like blue is going to be in our future again! Jose (so far) has been a straight shooter...There is still a small possibility of the baby being a girl, but based on what we were able to see, we are thinking "boy" and planning accordingly. However, if we weren't able to get a good view, and it is indeed a girl, than we would be excited too! <br />
<br />
<b>How Much Weight Have I Gained: +5 lbs.</b> I talked to our midwife, Jyl, at our appointment last Tuesday and she basically said I am on track with my weight gain. I shouldn't gain more than about 20 lbs total- starting out overweight means you can be fine with gaining less, or even losing weight in some cases. I am trying to continue to make healthy choices, indulge every once in a while, and just mind my body, so my body can mind my baby. <br />
<br />
<b>Cravings: </b>None as of late! Just eating smaller, more frequent meals to avoid heartburn and feeling like my blood sugar is crashing. Sometimes after running around after the kids all day, I forget to eat/drink for my self, so I try to grab small things through out the day.<br />
<br />
<b>Baby Movement: </b>Lots! The baby is moving enough that Jose can feel him occasionally now. No big jabs- mostly turning, poking, little kicks. Micah and Levi were both VERY active babies, and with my short frame, made my belly contort in not nice feeling ways after about 28 weeks. I am praying for a little mellower baby, so that I can actually get rest at night when I need it.<br />
<br />
<b>
Body Changes: </b>So far, I haven't obtained any more service stripes than I already had. I am using lotion or coconut oil (love that stuff!) quite a bit. The swelling bump has made Jose and I have to start getting creative in the bedroom, which is fine with us. And luckily I have only had major swelling after our cruise vacation, and then it went away after about 2 weeks of being back. I get a little swollen in the hands/feet in the evening if I have too much salt, but again, I am just trying to watch my diet. Other than a little round ligament pain here and there, no complaints! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRwDU-lkU02HY-fXjvv0fXPlXW3DxBNigMkCcNgJ9XFfjFYqhyphenhyphenD7tD9A8gn2C7rYdfdje8ObItQ9V4-vHBNCFA-I88V9mie4zqOcIhHRK3IjKOsR8Xlz3wyciumJQwg5tRz6VarplDfE/s1600/iphone+pics+508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRwDU-lkU02HY-fXjvv0fXPlXW3DxBNigMkCcNgJ9XFfjFYqhyphenhyphenD7tD9A8gn2C7rYdfdje8ObItQ9V4-vHBNCFA-I88V9mie4zqOcIhHRK3IjKOsR8Xlz3wyciumJQwg5tRz6VarplDfE/s320/iphone+pics+508.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Odd angle (Jose lying on the floor) but you get the gist! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Sleep Habits:</b> I am getting about 7 hours a night. I am noticing that if I drink much in the evening, that by about 5 am I have to get up and pee. And pillows are becoming my best friend! <br />
<br />
<b> What Micah (5) /Levi (16 mos) Think of the Baby: </b>Micah tells us that he is so excited for having another boy around. He knows that if God gives us something different than we were planning on (a girl) that it is fine, too...although I don't know how he feels about having girl toys around. Some of Jose and my closest friends have a boy that is 6 months old, so I have been trying to let Levi see me with another baby. He mostly just comes and sits down to investigate for a minute, then takes off to see what ever else his big brother is up to.<br />
<br />
<b>Baby Prep So Far: </b> Absolutely nothing! We have decided that sometime this summer, we will move Levi's crib into Micah's room and get them used to sleeping together. The new baby will be in with us until at least the spring, so once Levi transitions to the bottom bunk in him and Micah's room, the crib will go back to the nursery and the new baby can make the switch.<br />
<br />
I finished sorting out all of the baby/kids clothes by appropriate sizes, and put them in labelled bins to eliminate closet mess. It looks like we are okay on clothes. After multiple children, some of the clothes just couldn't be handed down. Even so, it looks like we should be alright on clothes- not too much, just enough :) <br />
<br />
I also made a registry on our cloth diapering retailer's website. If we have a shower, than people who want to can order something off there that we will actually use, instead of shooting in the dark or buying more toys, etc...<br />
<br />
Eventually we will get a new car seat (the one we used with Levi was a hand-me-down from a friend, and the shade bit the dust), but first we have to see what kind of vehicle we are going to be in. We are most likely selling our SUV in order to help pay off some debts and make monetary strain a little easier, but we aren't sure yet if we are going to just have our Escort, or if we are going to try and save this summer/fall for a van that is larger. We are going to try being a one-vehicle family for the summer and see if it works out. I figure having one vehicle while school is out will be a good trial period. <br />
<br />
<b>Birth Prep: </b>Jose and I are reading, reading, reading. Birth manifesto books. Books about nurturing touch during labor. Books about the promises that God has for child-baring. What to do during emergency situations during birth. Micah viewed a video of a home water birth with me. Some people may think that it is absurd to let a child see what birth is like- the sounds, what it looks like, what the mother goes through- but I want Micah to be genuinely prepared with the fact that if he is present, he may see me in pain...may see me bleed...may hear me make noises...and that it's okay. It's NORMAL, in fact. Our most recent generations have minimal knowledge of what normal child birth and breastfeeding looks like, and I want our children to know that it is a normal, healthy part of bringing life into the world, and it's what God created a mom's body to be able to do. He was extremely interested in it, and asked if he could see. I was very matter-of-fact in pointing out what was happening and answering his questions, and he moved right along with the rest of his afternoon.<br />
<br />
<b>Name Ideas: </b><i> </i>We have nothing pinned down at this point. We like a BUNCH of names, but nothing has really jumped out and been "the name." It's hard when you are a bi-ethnic family to name. And most people don't think that, because Jose looks European, but reality is...he is a Spaniard. Which means some names are off the table because either his family can't say them, or they sound absolutely ridiculous with a Spanish flair added to them. For instance, telling Jose's aunts in Spain on the webcam this week of a name we liked (Luka Cristiano), I got this response (translated): "Lucas...Lucas...meh, it's okay..." "No, Tia, it's Luka. No S. Just Luka." "Luka? What weird names you guys have in America."<br />
<br />
Soooo, yeah. But then with Micah, it was "Formica. Everyone is going to say Formica like the counter top. Who's this present for? Formica." And Levi was no better. "Levi? What's his middle name going to be, Strauss? At least you'll know he wears the pants later on." Can't make everyone happy. You just go with your gut, and pick an honorable name.<br />
<br />
<b>
Plus Sized, Nursing, and Pregnant: </b>Levi is still happily nursing away most days, but I am able to distract him most times and hold him off until nap/bed time. He is gradually weaning, and only nurses about 3 or less times daily. Some days, he won't nurse at all (a nice break for mommy). I think I am going to try converting some of my regular jeans to maternity jeans. I have never been very pregnant in the summer, and it's HOT! So my hatred of shorts is not really helping the being-hot-all-the-time issue. The other thing I am encountering is that with my last two pregnancies, I threw up about 20 lbs worth, then slowly gained it back, and topped out about 15 lbs of total weight gain. This time around, I have only gained 5 lbs, but it already puts me close to my delivery weights for the other babies...so needless to say, I already feel like a heifer.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-79597403490125994982012-05-23T11:26:00.001-04:002012-06-23T21:24:45.754-04:00Self Worth, Explained to a 5 Year OldTeachable moments, huh? Every parent has them.<b> How about the moments that yes, are teachable, but bring you to tears, sting your heart, and take every ounce of your being not to turn into a heap of sobbing pregnant rage?</b> That was my day yesterday. Well, the last few days any ways.<br />
<br />
Micah, our oldest, is proving to me more and more why I want to get rid of cable television. His little brain is all of 5 years, but he is a sponge that soaks everything up. He is a very auditory learner, and can memorize almost anything word-for-word and spit it back to you like a parrot. Documentaries, animal facts, OXY-clean commercials, you name it. He absorbs everything, and lets me know which products are supposed to be "the best," which foods are "deliciously nutritious," and what games "need 2 to 8 players. That's us, right?"<b> It is literally driving me crazy.</b> We limit television in our house, but I have started to have to put the commercials on mute because I can't stand being in Publix, getting the cheap Ultrabrite tooth paste, and having my son tell me, "Mom, get the Colgate because it makes my smile sexy." HE IS FIVE. <br />
<br />
We have been talking quite a bit in our house lately about making healthy eating choices, what goes in to our body, exercise, and the like. With me being pregnant and planning a completely natural, intervention-free birth with a midwife in a home setting,<b> I am trying to be as conscientious as possible</b> (while still allowing my self a little freedom, of course) as to what me and my family are eating. Obviously, halfway through my third pregnancy, my body is changing shape rapidly despite only a 3 pound weight difference in 20 weeks. When you already have extra shock absorbers covering your valuable goods, you don't always have that cute, pregnant belly. You have more of a... well, I affectionately call her "Kanga." Like kangaroo. As in this: When I am not pregnant, she is the pouch that my babies were grown in, and hangs around waiting for another baby to be put in to her kangaroo pouch. When I am pregnant, that pouch mostly fills in, with some wiggle room at the bottom that will all eventually be hacked off when I am done having children, and Jose and I are snot filthy rich with not a care in the world. Until then, she is "Kanga," and is more than welcome to, ahem, hang around.<br />
<br />
Two days before, I am on the floor doing prenatal pilates-like stretches. Micah joins me on the floor, and I am doing a butterfly stretch to warm up. Micah can easily put his feet together, touch his butt, and push his knees all the way to the floor. I can get about 5 inches away, and my knees don't go all the way to the floor. Micah proceeds to inform me that it's because I am fat, that my fat bunches up and gets in the way. <b>That he is skinny, and a boy, and is better than me at it because he is skinny, and a boy. </b><br />
<br />
"So boys are better than girls?"<br />
"Yes."<br />
"Oh really? What are boys better at?"<br />
"Pretty much everything. We are faster, we are stronger, we stay skinny. We have better jobs."<br />
"Girls can be fast and strong and skinny. And there can be boys that are too fat. Girls can have the same jobs as boys, if they want to. And <b>God made boys and girls different</b>. Some boys are good at some things, some girls are good at other things."<br />
"Girls are better at just staying home."<br />
<br />
Well, he does have a point for our family. The woman, in this case me, is much better at managing our house than Jose, the man. But I know that is not the case for every family.The next day's conversation was even worse for me. I was wearing low rise maternity pants. I only have 2 pairs of maternity jeans, that get rotated out. One is high (that I love), and the others are low, and I loathe them.<br />
<br />
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When you have a cute belly, the low rise ones are great. When you have Kanga hopping around, you are better off being comfortable and wearing the high ones. That morning I had no choice. I popped on the low rise ones, and away we went. Getting in to the car, my jeans were falling off while I was trying to get into the car.<br />
<br />
"I hate these pants!"<br />
"Why Mommy? Are your legs to fat for them?"<br />
"Micah, why would you say that? They are falling off, they are not to small."<br />
"Well, you're legs are really fat. Maybe if you were skinny you wouldn't have these problems."<br />
"You're right. But don't you think I am okay the way I am?"<br />
"No, you're fat."<br />
"So because you are skinny, are you better than me?"<br />
"Yep."<br />
"That's not true. God makes people in all different shapes, and sizes, and colors. That doesn't mean that any one is <i>better</i> than anyone else. It means they are different. What if someone had one leg instead of two, is one person <i>better</i> than another?"<br />
"The person with two legs."<br />
"No, Micah. <b>Not better or worse. Both people, just different." </b><br />
<br />
After dropping him off at school, I called Jose on the way home and burst in to tears at the conversation we had. Already a pregnant ball of mushy hormones, this just threw me over the edge. So many things came rushing back to me that have taken me literally years to deal with, and I am still dealing with (another blog for another day about my body and my acceptance of it). <i>Am I really of less value? Does being overweight make him see me as less of a mom? Does he really think handicapped people aren't of worth? </i><br />
<br />
The answer to all of it is a resounding "NO." After talking to Jose, settling down, and talking to Micah more when he got home, we worked through a lot of issues on color, size, shape, and handicap. We also talked about what is shaping his idea of what is good and perfect- the media- instead of what should be, which is what God says about us.<br />
<br />
<i>We are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are of value. We are individuals. We are unique, made for a purpose, and not made to please anyone else aesthetically, but made to please God with the way we live.</i><br />
<br />
Taking care of your body is part of that. So is taking care of your mind. And this week, we will be taking care of our minds and saying goodbye (and good riddance!) to cable TV.<br />
<br />
<b>What do you do in your family to ensure that your child knows we are all created equal? Loved? Of value? And do you monitor their media intake?</b><br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-51409681473446475642012-05-18T21:41:00.001-04:002012-06-23T21:25:10.082-04:00Naming WarsLet the games begin.<br />
<br />
What's in a name? A lot, in the Molinuevo household. And it seems to be getting harder every time. <br />
<br />
<b>The first time around, naming our son Micah Ari was so easy. </b>We always said we wanted a boy named Micah- we liked less common names. And that was before we even got pregnant. We liked what it meant: Micah<i> </i>is Hebrew for<i> the fair and just one</i>,<i> </i>and<i> </i>Ari is Basque for<i> the lion</i>. It reminded us of who we want him to end up being like: the One who knit him together. God decided it was time for Micah to make his appearance in the world, even though we thought we weren't ready at all, and we knew his name pretty much instantly. Also, he was named for his grandfathers- Michael Allan, and Miguel Angel. Same initials, and practically same first names. Easy enough, he practically named himself. <br />
<br />
<b>Levi Mateo was also fairly easy. </b>Going into our ultrasound with him, I was convinced that he was a girl because my first and second pregnancies were pretty different feeling. Now I look back, and think maybe my body was adjusting to being pregnant much easier because I had already experienced it. Jose and I had discussed names a little bit, and girl names were something we fought about. I wanted a girl named Genesis, he thought I was a crazy hippy. He liked names like Olivia and Ava, and I thought we moved past 1800.<br />
<br />
Boy names were a common ground for us. Levi was one we liked from the get go. Levi is a Hebrew name (we have a good little Jewish sounding family going, don't we?)- stemming from the tribe of the Levites, which was the priestly tribe of the 12 tribes of the Israelites. Following tradition, we named on meaning BIG time. Levi means<i> joined in harmony; attached. </i>We prayed that he and Micah would not have any major jealousy issues upon his arrival, as they are four years apart. We also prayed that he and Micah would become best of friends- attached to each other, in a harmonious way. They are a great match for each other- they play together almost all day, and Micah rarely gets in trouble for bossing or being too rough. Levi adores everything Micah does, and already tries to emulate him at only 15 months old. He is also VERY attached, like his name suggests, to my hip. Levi's middle name, Mateo, is Spanish for his father's heritage. It means<i> gift of God, </i>and is a variant of the English name Matthew. We believe that each child we are blessed with is truly a gift from above, and though we were not trying at the time to conceive, we knew he was to be treasured. <br />
<br />
<b>This time around is proving to be no piece of cake. </b>I admit- I am attracted to everything girly this time around. Names, clothing, colors. I am emotional. I have zits. My last two pregnancies, I had crystal clear skin. I have hardly thrown up, compared to my other two pregnancies. I actually <i>feel</i> like eating. So I am kind of suspicious that there are a different set of chromosomes making a home my warm, cozy uterus.<br />
<br />
That being said, I thought Levi was a girl, so I don't want to get my hopes up and not have given a lick of though to boy names. Jose and I have the lists narrowed down, and have been letting Micah (5) help us narrow down. The following are our boy/girl considerations for first names. <br />
<br />
<b>Boy Names/Meanings we are Considering:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Ben: <i>son of my right hand </i>(This is very close to the Spanish word for come here, ven, which could get confusing, me thinks.)</li>
<li>Eli: <i>uplifted, ascend</i></li>
<li>Owen: <i>born to nobility, young warrior</i></li>
<li>Liam: <i>determined guardian </i>(Micah says this name is girly, we say no)</li>
<li>Luca/ Luka: <i>bringer of light</i></li>
<li>Noah: <i>peaceful, restful </i>(This could be a MAJOR plus!!)</li>
<li>Gavin: <i>white hawk</i></li>
</ul>
<b>Girl Names/Meanings we are Considering: </b>drum roll, please...<br />
<ul>
<li>Abby: <i>father in rejoicing, joy of her father</i></li>
<li>Addie: <i>noble and serene</i></li>
<li>Amelia/Emelia: <i>hard working</i></li>
<li>Cosette: <i>victorious people, or little thing, depending on the language. </i></li>
<li>Fiona: <i>pale and white, beautiful </i>(Hah! My kid!) </li>
<li>Leya: <i>loyal</i></li>
<li>Lucia/ Lucy: <i>bringer of light</i></li>
<li>Maren: <i>sea</i></li>
<li>Marlee: <i>high tower </i>(A contraction of Marie, my middle name, and Lee, my maiden name)</li>
<li>Norah: <i>light </i></li>
</ul>
<i> </i>There were so many other names in the running<i>.</i> For a boy, we hit a high of 17 names. Girls trumped that with a high of 27, and many more that didn't get written down due to an automatic veto from the other spouse. For instance, I love the name Emerson for a girl, and Jose thinks it sounds like a cow's name.<br />
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There's also the issue that my mother's side has a 3 generation naming tradition, in which you name your eldest daughter after your middle name. My grandmother was Eva Sue; my mother was Susan Janece; I am Janece Marie. We both don't like the idea of having a Marie- it means sea of bitterness. YUCK. Plus, it's antiquated. We talked about changing it to Mári, (pronounced Mah-ree in Spanish), but here in the USA people will end up just saying Mary. We talked about a Marisol/Maribella/Marianna kind of thing, but at that point, it's changing the name so much it's not worth it. Sooo....we are bucking the tradition. <br />
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Wednesday, we have a chance of finding out what naming side of the fence our newest pumpkin in the patch will sit on. If not, we will be having a surprise, eek! I don't know if I could handle that.<b> On a serious note though- please read through and leave your comments/questions/concerns on any names we picked out.</b> Potential middle school nicknames that we aren't thinking of (Jose said no girls named anything with Max, because of Maxi Pad). Things you like. Things you don't. Names you think are worth considering that we might have overlooked. Because we are honestly searching and seeking out that quintessential, <i>perfect </i>name that is eluding us. <br />
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Let the games begin.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-7188182281717786842012-05-11T22:00:00.000-04:002012-06-23T21:26:33.151-04:00Preggo Update: 18/19 weeks ish!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thegabesleybunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/week19_mango.jpg?w=640&h=460" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://thegabesleybunch.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/week19_mango.jpg?w=640&h=460" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our baby's approximate size: Nearly 6 inches, roughly 7 ounces.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>How Far Am I: </b>As of today, 18 weeks and 4 days<br />
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<b>Baby's Gender: </b>We *may* have a chance of seeing this on May 23rd, at our ultrasound! If not, surprise :) <br />
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<b>How Much Weight Have I Gained: +1 </b>As of this week Tuesday, 1 pound and that's all so far! I have plenty of reserves, so I am not too worried about my weight gain.<br />
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<b>Cravings: </b>My other pregnancies, I never really had cravings much. It was all about what I could keep down. This time, it's mostly about good, clean food- LOTS of fruit and veggies. The occasional bowl of ice cream. Nutella (when is that not a craving, pregnant or not?!), and pizza from Mellow Mushroom are also up there on the list. Drinking lots of water, some milk, and not much else.<br />
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<b>Baby Movement: </b>Feeling his or her little swooshie movements for a few weeks now, and last Thursday I felt the first "Hello, I am a baby and you ARE really pregnant" kick. I am feeling it more and more frequently every day, but not strong enough that any one else could really take notice without being way to close for my comfort. <br />
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<b>
Body Changes: </b>If you didn't know me well, you would probably have no clue I was pregnant. You would just think I had some bad habits. If you know me well, you can tell there is a belly starting. There is no denying it's there. No real pictures yet to put up- it's not a cute enough bump too yet! <br />
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<b>Sleep Habits: </b>As long as the kids aren't scheming against my sleep plans, I am getting around 7-9 hours a night. I usually drink a lot of water in the evening because I have realized that chasing kids around all day, I have forgotten to drink. That means I have to wake up almost every morning around 4 or 5 to pee, and hopefully the animals/kids/boogy men let me go back to sleep. <br />
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<b> What Micah (5) /Levi (15 mos) Think of the Baby: </b>Levi has no idea what is happening, but we are pretty sure that when the time arrives he will be one jealous sucker. He has had nothing but mommy pretty much every waking moment, with a few exceptions. It's going to be an adjustment. Micah, on the other hand, is stoked. He goes back and forth now between wanting a boy, a girl or both at the same time (I had to politely tell him to get that idea out of his head). He has informed me that he does NOT want to be there during the birth, just see the baby after when it's clean, because having babies is "gross, Mom."<br />
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<b>Baby Prep So Far: </b>I have started going through our diaper inventory, and making a list of upcoming needs. I am going to make a registry list on the site that we buy our diaper stuff from so that people who want to get me something have no question as to what to pick up. We have also started considering vehicle options, since there is no way our current vehicle will hold a booster seat, a forward facing car seat, and an infant car seat. We might as well join the 7 passenger club now, and keep it for a while! Other than that, there is not much prep to do yet. Levi will eventually move in to Micah's room, but I can imagine that won't be until after the new baby is here. And now, for a new category... <br />
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<b>Birth Prep: </b>So much has changed in my mind during this pregnancy. I have goals, I have ambitions, I have a real vision of what I want birth to be like. I absolutely adore our midwife, Jyl; you would think I don't because every time I see her my BP jumps about 15 points. I have white coat syndrome- ridiculous, since I am a nurse, and even more so since we meet our midwife at her house for our appointments and there is nothing white coat about it. Jose and I have pretty much figured out why I have such a jump in my BP when I see her- I have such a fear that something is going to go wrong, that I will "risk out" of having a home birth, and then have to see the doc who delivered Levi and basically traumatized me in to wanting to ever go through birth in the hospital again. At home, my BP is generally at least 10 points lower than when I see her. So what am I doing to combat this? For one, lots and lots of prayer and meditation time on scriptures having to do with power...not having fear...trusting God...God's promises....etc. Secondly, I am reading positive birth stories constantly, and reaffirming to myself that birth is <i>normal, natural, and not an emergency. </i>I am studying child birth books like <i>Ina May's Guide to Childbirth </i>and <i>Spiritual Midwifery </i>(both fantastic reads, by the way, if you want a natural birth). Jose and I are watching birthing videos of women and husbands birthing at home with their midwifes and having good out comes. I am so ready to surrender to the power of birth, and I know that God did not make my body a lemon; he made me with the ability to have a perfect, natural birth no matter what pushy MD's like to tell you otherwise. <br />
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<b>Name Ideas: </b><i>Cosette. Adrienne. Norah. Celeste. Amabel. Stella. Darby. Fiona. Harper. Hannah. Hattie. Lucia. Maite. Marlee. Tessa. Scarlet. </i>Doggone it, I can't get girl names out of my head (premonition, me thinks?). English, Spanish, or otherwise. It's so hard to think about names when you are not sure what sex you are planning on. I have a running list of girl names that gets added to daily; there is really only like 3 names I like for a boy so far (Gavin, Ben, Beau, and possibly Liam). I told Jose if we have a surprise we should pick a gender neutral name that could go either way, and I don't think he thought that was too cool of an idea. Usually I am such a planner, but this time we are reversed!<br />
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<b>
Plus Sized, Nursing, and Pregnant: </b>Ahh, plus sized...maternity jeans are hard to shop for. You already feel like a lard being pregnant. And when all Ross carries are size M maternity pants, you decide to just call it a day and wear one of the pairs you have had for the last 2 pregnancies. I might as well figure out that I am going to be pregnant more times than this, and just invest in the nice, Motherhood Maternity stuff.<br />
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As for nursing, HOLY COW. Well, more like POOR PREGNANT COW'S TEATS. In the beginning, breastfeeding hurt. Let's not be shy or candy coat it. But after the first 3 weeks, it was completely fine. Pain went away, skin healed, lovey dovey nursing moments and bliss all around. Now, however, is a completely different story. You know when you get your lovely visitor once a month, and your boobs kill you for a few days? Take that, multiply it by 10 (seriously, your progesterone levels are crazy compared to a period), and then add in the factor that you are probably nauseated and on the edge because you are, well, pregnant. I have never felt such an aversion to being touched or nursing. Thank God that he has basically cut back to twice a day, and at that, he nurses for <i>maybe </i>thirty seconds a side, and is done. He had "weaned" for 5 days and I did a victory dance, until his molars started coming in and he started wanting to again to make his mouth feel better. Jose had to work 4 nights in a row, slept during the day, and quite frankly I could not take the crying any more so I let him. I have just put limits on it so that it's not so hard on me or him. He may quit all together, or quit and restart like he did, but I am playing it by ear and going at his pace.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-27124144052218883952012-05-06T22:44:00.000-04:002012-06-23T21:27:00.172-04:00Solitude<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's funny how sometimes Green Day can get you thinking<i>...</i> </div>
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<a href="http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/reference/rc09809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/reference/rc09809.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I walk a lonely road<br />
The only one that I have ever known<br />
Don't know where it goes<br />
But it's home to me and I walk alone<i><span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric"><span class="line line-s hover" id="line_4"> </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric"><span class="line line-s hover" id="line_4"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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Sometimes, you go through life and it seems as though, whether by choice
or circumstances around you, there is nowhere else to turn but
solitude. What is solitude? </div>
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<span class="pg"><span id="hotword"></span></span><span class="dnindex"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">1.</span></span></span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">state</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">being</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">living</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">alone;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">seclusion:</span><i> </i></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword">to</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">enjoy</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">one's</span> solitude.<br />
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<i><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;"></span></i><br />
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<span class="ital-inline"><span id="hotword"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="dnindex"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">2.</span></span></span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">remoteness</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">from</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">habitations,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">as</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">place;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">absence</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">human</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">activity:</span><i> </i></span><i><span id="hotword" name="hotword">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">solitude</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">mountains.</span></i><br />
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<span class="dnindex"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">3.</span></span></span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">lonely,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">unfrequented</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">place:</span><i> </i></span><i><span id="hotword" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">solitude</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">in</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">mountains.</span></i> (Taken from <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/solitude">dictionary.com</a>)</div>
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Solitude can be somewhere you end up or somewhere you choose to go. For me, it is a little of both based on where I am at in life right now. </div>
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It's also not what some people think. Solitude does not mean isolation, or lonely. Yes, the place you are in may be lonely (for example, uninhabited); it does not mean that the person experiencing solitude is lonely. More often than not, solitude is sought out from the craziness that whirls on around us constantly. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/310_22225244499_534409499_635439_4541_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/310_22225244499_534409499_635439_4541_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown St. Louis, life flying by</td></tr>
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Even Jesus sought out solace frequently. On the night of his arrest, he went to Gethsemane, to a garden of olive trees. Overcome with the turmoil in his heart, he sought out being alone with his Father.</div>
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<span class="text Matt-26-36"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, <span class="woj">“Sit here while I go over there and pray.”</span></span> <span class="text Matt-26-37" id="en-NIV-24092"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.</span> <span class="text Matt-26-38" id="en-NIV-24093"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Then he said to them, <span class="woj">“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Matthew 26: 36-38, NLT, The Bible</span></span></blockquote>
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He took a time out, by him self, to seek quiet time with God and sort things out. He prayed three times- well into the night, while the disciples who were supposed to be staying up with him slept- and when he was finished, he woke them up, and said it was time for him to be turned over. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://melblackaby.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/gethsemene-olive-tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://melblackaby.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/gethsemene-olive-tree.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The oldest olive tree in the garden, 30 AD</td></tr>
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In the book of Thessalonians, we find that the church at Thessalonica had been meddling in each others business, and Paul encouraged them in this way:</div>
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<span class="text 1Thess-4-11" id="en-NLT-29575"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>"Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.</span> <span class="text 1Thess-4-12" id="en-NLT-29576"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others." 1st Thessalonians 4:11-12, NLT, The Bible</span></blockquote>
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As a society, we have become so wrapped up into he-said-she-said garbage, and have lost sight of taking care of our own business. Follower of Christian teachings or not, the above quotation really strikes a chord. So much of time time, we forget what life is about: not the latest gossip, but tending to your own issues, your own marriage, and learning to live in a way that people respect you for what you are about. </div>
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On a night where so much is swirling in my head about new lives coming in to the world, job issues, broken families, quarreling, when I will catch up on my house, the bills that need paid, the bills that quite frankly won't get paid, and on and on and on... I will choose to turn to solitude. I will choose to take my cup of tea, turn off my phone ringer, take my book of choice to bed, and read until my eyes are bleary. I will choose to consult with my Creator, Confidant, and Counselor, rather than wallow in my troubles. </div>
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After all, when I take my solitude and am confident that God has everything under control, I can be a woman who "always faces tomorrow with a smile." Just what I am aiming for, a Proverbs 31 kind of woman.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338747621395266838.post-64355887180319436532012-04-08T21:26:00.002-04:002012-06-23T21:27:37.176-04:00Leggings and Other Morsels...This Week's TidbitsWhat a week this has entailed! You know it's going to be crazy when your husband is working 60+ hours, your littlest is sick and cutting two teeth, and your 5 year old acts like, "This is just another day, Mom. Where's my peanut butter sandwich?"<br />
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<b>I have discovered the power in leggings.</b> I have always hated leggings. As a slightly (hah! who am I kidding?!) more voluptuous type (get real, I have a lot of cellulite that I have just come to terms with), they have always been the bane of my closet's existence. That, and anything involves my thighs. Say, shorts. Off topic, but real. Any ways, I have gotten 3 pairs of leggings- either clearance, or given to me- and I must say, I AM IN LOVE. I used to see them as vacuum wrap for my cottage cheese legs, every divot on my upper thighs highlighted by the ridiculously shiny nature of leggings, but now... I am relishing how soft they are on my ever expanding midsection. Being in the whole not-maternity worthy, but not able to button the jeans belly stage, I am ever so appreciative. I probably won't be leaving the house in them without a dress over. After all, if it can happen to Paris Hilton, it WILL happen to me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Y5_Uygd3nL7jT_ZjvD8HQ3rMzqTtIaxWel_nYN1rqzaPsT2R3BgEf0AJgeYDiqlbximO-tMoI8d0SY_PKWT9ltABR6ZnrcyXE7VBzfEO7eJEinjLVetSXdsavuTZ5A4yfMsk5yMw3_yP/s400/paris.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Y5_Uygd3nL7jT_ZjvD8HQ3rMzqTtIaxWel_nYN1rqzaPsT2R3BgEf0AJgeYDiqlbximO-tMoI8d0SY_PKWT9ltABR6ZnrcyXE7VBzfEO7eJEinjLVetSXdsavuTZ5A4yfMsk5yMw3_yP/s320/paris.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next order of business: <b>T-5 days until we go on a cruise!</b> I am uber excited. As in, I bought make up for the first time in 4 years. I know what you're thinking, concealer gets gross after like 6 months, but hey, who doesn't just pick out the clumps, shake it up, and move on when they only wear it maybe 10 times a year? I am also getting my 2nd trim in 15 months, since I have been growing my hair out and now it's completely Mom-Frump-Unruly. Lingerie packed, check. What's that? You're going to have S-E-X? Umm, yeah. Darn skippy. It's a beautiful thing in the context that God created it. Apparently we have heard of the thing, and seeing as how we are almost a family of five, we must be decent at it. We are going to be <i>alone. </i>On the <i>ocean.</i> Under the <i>stars. <b>Alone. </b></i><b>I am so excited!!</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's going to be like our honeymoon all over!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Speaking of no kids, <b>a conversation with my five year old</b>: <br />
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<i>Me:</i> "So I saw you picking flowers for Laura Jean at church this morning."<br />
<i>Micah:</i> "Yeah, I did."<br />
<i>Me:</i> "What was that for?'<br />
<i>Micah:</i> "She's my friend and I wanted to do something nice for her."<br />
<i>Me:</i> "Is she your girlfriend?"<br />
<i>Micah</i>: "No, I don't want to do that stuff. She's just my friend. I won't have a girlfriend until I'm like, 17. Is that good?"<br />
<i>Me:</i> "Sounds great!" </blockquote>
I love that he is learning things like this. That just because TV or the movies or the stuff you hear people talk about is common, doesn't mean it's what has to happen in <i>your </i>life. You go by the standards God gave you. You listen to Mommy and Daddy, and we'll guide you best we can. Don't count on the world to make you happy, or fill your voids, because you'll only get let down. It's showing me that we are doing something right and that he has a good head on his shoulders, even if he doesn't listen to his Abuelo to get out of the sprinklers. In time, little one, in time. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/552476_10150695903804500_534409499_8962221_258838033_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/552476_10150695903804500_534409499_8962221_258838033_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stay young and small!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042009837351903950noreply@blogger.com0