Nearing time

Well, I am into the final stretch of this race. I have about 4 weeks left per her due date, but think she might arrive early. I could be wrong though....I did think she was going to be a he! :) For the past week I have been experiencing the wonderful sensations that accompany her dropping. Lower abdominal pressure, discomfort, more frequent bathroom trips, feeling like my pelvis is being ripped apart, you know...the usual.

Its exciting. I know that a lot of women have a fear of labor and delivery. I am not sure if it's the unknown that they fear, or the pain they believe is to come, but I have even known a few who are so afraid of it that it keeps them from wanting to bear children.

Me...not so much. I am (brace yourself) actually looking forward to it. I hesitate to say that because of the responses that I get. Women who take it upon themselves to impart their...ahem... "wisdom" (and I use that word very lightly) upon me regarding childbirth. 2 problems I have with this, first being that I didn't ask. Everyone has their own idea and opinion about how they think labor and delivery should proceed and their own desires for their time. It makes no difference to me that you want to get the epidural at the first onset of pain. That is your right and choice. For me...I don't want it. Besides the fact that I want to truly experience what God created our bodies to do...the research that I have done on the matter just supports my decision to not have my child through a haze of medical procedures. Okay...and the second.....darn this pregnancy brain........I'll have to come back to that later as my mind has shifted directions already! :) Oh...now I remember. Secondly, why does it matter to anyone else what I have chosen? My experience is not going to affect anyone outside of Mike, Faith and I. Why do people feel the need to rain on my parade? To influence me negatively? To try and insist that I am crazy??? Oh well, it usually only takes me a second to brush off their comments, as I am very secure in my decision.

As I can feel my body preparing to bring Faith into this world I become more anxious every day. I am anxious to hold her in my arms, anxious to see and experience the MANY changes that she will bring into out life. I am anxious to see Mike hold his daughter for the first time. I can't wait to get her in the ridiculously cute clothes that everyone has given her. I am also anxious for her birth.

Why am I anxious to go through this experience and why have I chosen to be completely free of drugs and medical intervention (other than Rachel catching her during delivery of course)? I guess because I have always lived pretty free of medical involvement in my life as that is how I was raised. My mom always shared with us what a wonderful experience it was to feel her body bringing forth new life, and that God made us to do this. Our bodies were created to have children. God doesn't make mistakes. Every detail and intricacy has a purpose. I just believe, and research supports my belief, that drugs hinder the birth process and actually make it harder on the mom and especially on the baby.

Side Note: I don't think that people realize that yes, and epidural takes away YOUR discomfort, but not the baby's. They still feel every contraction. And because drugs hinder your body from doing what it is meant to do in the time it was meant to do it...this means that the baby is experiencing the contractions longer than necessary, which leads to a drop in heart rate, which leads to a C-section. The US has the highest rate of epidurals...and the highest rate of C-sections. That's not just a coincidence.

Okay, so this is getting a lot longer than it should because I am just letting myself type and type and type. So I will try and wrap this up. I believe that the pain that is experienced during childbirth is heightened in many women because that is what they expect. I have known and read multiple accounts of women that have experienced truly pain free (not pressure free) and even orgasmic childbirths to know that what is pushed at us by the medical community and Hollywood is not what birth is like for everyone. I believe it to be a lot like life. If you go into something expecting it to be bad...it's going to be.

I try to live my life with a positive outlook, and I am looking at this experience no different.

Faith's Room

Well, I have been working on her room little by little since December. My dear friend Amy Million helped me paint on January 2nd which was really the catylist for completing it so soon. her room was the junk room...I took before pictures, but they aren't pretty, so they will be kept under lock and key until and undisclosed date in the future....probably my death! :)

There are still somethings that I need to do (as you can see by the bags and pillows next to the IKEA shelf). I'd like to get those cute wood letters that spell out her name and paint them with some lime green and pink and purple and then hang them from the wall over her crib with ribbon. We also need to do something about the carpet, but that takes money ... and tearing apart her newly finished room!! :)so we'll just have to wait on that one.

I have a baby shower this weekend with all of my wonderful friends from Virginia...and then my church is actually throwing me one on April 19th. Which I think is so awesome because we just became members last week. We've been going there for 1 year, but wanted to make sure that is where God wanted us before we made the final decision.

So, I can't wait to see how her room looks after all is said and done. We are so anxious to meet her, and care for her. The task of parenthood that is before us becomes more real everyday. It seems so silly, but purchasing the changing pad was the item that pulled it all together. It's like the crib and clothes and whatnot were all just there...but the changing pad???? Now that's what makes it a baby's room. I can't wait to organize her diapers, and onsies, and all the little things to care for her health, safety...and insuring her utter cuteness. I get on little organizing spirts, so I can imagine that the clothes and supplies will change location in her room several times before they find their final resting place!

Well, I am going to try to fall asleep again. It's 3:30am here. I was REALLY tired and went to bed at 8. So hopefully we can pull in some more ZZZ's.

Hope that God is blessing you all and revealing His presence to you in the little things throughout your day! :)

There's no way...You're so small!!!

That is what I keep hearing when I say I'm 8mos preggers. The grocery store clerk, the random stranger that asks about the baby, the waitress, my friends....it seriously doesn't stop.

I am just a few days shy of being 32 weeks pregnant. I still look the same as when I first started to look pregnant at 22 weeks. I plan on buying batteries for my camera tomorrow night to finally take an updated picture. All of the comments that I got were starting to get a little unnerving so at my last appt. I asked Rachel if Faith was growing okay, and if there was anything to be concerned about. She said everything was great and that in response to those comments I should just say that I am one of the lucky ones.

I feel very lucky. Faith is growing, I'm healthy, I've had no complications that a Chiropractic adjustment couldn't fix, and my body is handling pregnancy so well. It amazes me how different everyone is. I feel very blessed and fortunate that God has given me such a great experience. But then on the other hand I feel guilty about it when I am around those that I know have had or are experiencing difficult pregnancies. No one makes me feel guilty; other than the occasional "I hate you" comment that I recieve in jest. But I find myself not giving as much detail about how great things are when I am speaking with particular people.

Oh well, I can feel my stomach stretching ad her growing, so I am sure that those "small" comments will cease!

3D ultrasound

Mike and I got to see a glimpse of our little girl this morning. Here are 3 pictures. She has such a cute little nose!!!

Every time her face came into view I started to cry a little bit. I just can't believe that I am growing a human in me. It really brings to reality this great sense of responsibility that God has given us. Mike and I have never been parents. We are both selfish human beings that want everything to go our way. How in the world does God expect us to be the kind of Godly examples that he requires of us? And then I am reminded of His grace. He doesn't expect us to be perfect. He knows that we cannot be perfect, as His son is the only Perfect human being to ever step foot on earths soil. What He does expect of us is to live our lives worthy of his calling. If we do that, and raise our children according to His word and will, then we cannot fall too far from that which is required of us.

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.

More and more every day I become aware of the eternal responsibility that I have as a parent. It is no longer just myself that I need to get to heaven. Now I have a soul that I am responsible for. I must teach her morales. I must teach her respect. I must teach her independence. I must teach her about sin and salvation. I must set an example of what a Godly woman, mom, sister, daughter, and most importantly Wife looks and acts like. I must teach her how to maintain a house, how to provide for herself and her family. I must teach her when it is okay to get dirty and rough house, and when it is necessary to be girlie (something I have only recently learned myself). I must make sure that she is raised with love and support and somehow teach her how to let God fill that void in her heart, so that she doesn't find some other means to fill it. I will then have to learn to let her make mistakes and learn from them. I will have to suffer the heartache that every mother experiences as she learns to fly on her own. I will have to stand by and watch while she fixes her own mistakes so that she may learn from them, all the while wanting to jump in and save her, but knowing that would not save her at all.

I know that I am not doing this alone. Mike will be there struggling and learning, and loving her. Most importantly we will have God as our guide. We will have Him to turn to when we don't understand something, and we will have His word to reference when we need direction. he is always there thankful. Regardless of the time or day, He is waiting for us to call upon Him. Thank you Lord for your presence. For without you we would be lost! :)

BE EDUCATED!!!!

A friend of mine emailed me this morning asking for some websites that I have come accross in my research. I love thata I am not the only mom that is taking the time to be educated regarding the many decisions that we have to face...even before our babies are born. It occured to me while sending her this information that maybe others would want it as well. I want to make sure that you understand that I am not against the medical community. God has imparted knowledge and skill on the Doctors in order to help us. I am very against us allowing the medical feild to lead us blindly. We are in charge of our lives, not them, we have to suffer the consiquences of a medical mistake, not them. So, here are some websites that I have found in my research. Please, don't just take my word for it either. We have a wonderful tool at our fingertips called the internet and on that tool we find an AMAZING website called Google (where I find EVERYTHING). Use it! :) Whatever your decision is (including Vaccines) make sure that you are educated and that your decision is made with conviction. Don't ever let a doctor or friend or family member tell you what to do. These are our children, this is our life.


Vaccines:
http://drbenkim.com/vaccination-hidden-dangers.html
http://www.thinktwice.com/

Mattress:
http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/safe-crib-beds/1224/
http://www.preventcribdeath.com/site/452285/page/45029
http://www.safecribbeds.com/order.asp

Delayed Cord Cutting:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3747098.stm
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/lateClamping.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060618224104.htm

I plan on waiting for 5 minutes before cutting in order to allow the placental blood and nutrients to give Faith the best healthy start to life.

Do's & Don'ts of child rearing

http://gcb.vox.com/library/post/the-dos-and-donts-of-child-rearing.html

Had to share!!!

Kicking & Hiccuping, & Moving & Grooving!

(Picture: I thought I would share my latest Baby shower cake that I created for my good friend Scottie. Her Daughter Lucy is due the end of Feb/beginning of March)

Faith has really grown and her bones have definitely hardened. I feel her all day now. It is really neat. I still feel great, and sometimes still forget that I'm even pregnant. I hit my 3rd Trimester next week. I can't believe it. Time has just flown by.

Last night Mom, Dad & Nicolas all got to feel her kick and move. She was really active and for once not shy. It was so fun for my family to finally be able to feel her. It still gives me the giggles everytime I feel her move and kick. I think she has turned and is heading the right way. Hopefully she'll stay that way.


I leave on Friday for 10 days in California. I am so excited to be able to see my family. My Grandparents are celebrating their 60th Wedding anniversary on Feb. 10th. Yes, you read that correctly. They have been married for 60 years. If you ever want to know how to make a marriage work, ask them. But... be ready to give up your self-centered desires! :) Apparently you have to want what's best for your spouse, not yourself! :) Revolutionary...I know.

My cousin Glenn has met his perfect match and is marrying Ms. Julie Ross on Sat. February 17th. She is so great. I couldn't imagine ANYONE better suited for him.

My Bro & Sis are flying in from Japan for all of the festivities too so we will get to see them! I'll also get to meet my cousin Emily's Fiance which I'm looking forward to.

AND....my Aunt Kathy and cousing Beth are throwing me MY FIRST BABY SHOWER!!!!! I am so excited about it! I feel so honored that among everything that is happening that week that they are taking the time to celebrate Faith and Me (and Mike too of course, but common, what guy really wants to be honored with a baby shower!). Even though I am a pretty outgoing person (shocker , I know) I still get a little funny about being the center of EVERYONE's attention, but I am actually really looking forward to this. I guess because it's not really me that's at the center, but my Daughter, just not a visable center!

I am just so excited to be around my whole family again.

As soon as I suck it up and buy new batteries...again...for my camera I'll post a new pic. My belly still hasn't changed much though. I've only gained like 15 pounds still. It's good though. Less to take off. Not that I am really watching my weight, but I definitely am more careful about what I eat for the most part.

Until Next time....Happy Valentines Day!