The Littlest Midwife

Daisy has taken quite an interest in this pregnancy. She understands pretty fully that mommy has a baby in her belly and likes to remind me often. Her sweet little questions and concerns melt my heart. We had a pretty fun conversation about birth the other day. I think birth is beautiful and natural and I’m very happy that my little girls get to be around it and experience in throughout their childhoods. Wether through my own pregnancies or my doula and midwife endevours. There’s something wonderful in birth that America has forgotten and we as women have forgotten to pass onto our daughters. Bringing, nurturing and birthing new life is such a powerful thing. What better thing to imprint on our daughters that their bodies are mighty and sacred?

Daisy, I guess, has seen some of the birth videos I’ve watched and some of the photos of her sister’s birth. The other day she says, “Mama, when you take the baby out it will wiggle like a snake! So you have to trap it in a blanket and once it’s trapped you can hand it to me and I will love it.”

Pretty accurate for a three year old! She checks on me daily.

“Mama, is the baby coming out today?”

“Not today, sweetie. Baby will come out when it gets really cold outside, near thanksgiving and christmas.”

I’ll be sitting on the couch and she’ll bring me a blanket and just cover my belly and say, “The baby is cold, mama!” as well as kissing my belly goodnight each night. What a sweet older sister. I’m so glad she’s excited and that her little mind can grasp and be thrilled for this new little one. Story has no clue but I’m sure she’ll be a doting older sister as well.

This baby will not be lacking in love and caretakers.

13 weeks and a heartbeat

[[ 13.5 weeks- BeBe is about the size of a lime and, call me crazy, I already feel movement! A strong little girl or guy!]]

[almost] 14 weeks is treating me pretty well.  I have a pretty moderate amount of energy and food is wonderful again.

I had my first midwife appointment this week, which I was worried about, honestly.  I won’t be alternating midwives this time because the one who (i loved) that delivered Story is taking time off to be with her family.  The other midwife, I liked, but didn’t seem to click with AS much.  Aside from that, I was a little concerned over how they’d take the whole “third baby” thing.  I know it’s silly, but some midwives, doctors, practices are judgey of moms who have the nerve (lol) to have more than 2.5 kids.  My midwives are fairly hippie, with the barefeet, insense and braids.  I just wasn’t sure if I was going to get scolded or what.

To my very happy surprise, I walked in and was greeted with a big hug and a huge, excited congratulations.  She took me around to everyone having me share the happy news.  Then, we basically just talked the whole time, on her comfy chairs in her nice candlelit and windows open office.  We talked about Story’s birth and what I liked and what I felt I accomplished.  She valiadated me in telling me how great I did and how much work they could all tell I did to get to the point I was when I gave birth to her. We talked about what I’d like to do differently this time around and she supported my plans for a natural childbirth and suggested we do a “homebirth in the hospital” and keep staff to a minimun and send me home as soon as possible.  

She told me she wasn’t even going to both giving me a pelvic check the ENTIRE PREGNANCY unless I request it.  (It’s really so unnecessary anyway!) and that we’re going to be very hands off!  At the end, my husband was done rushing our girls off to their nonnie’s because he was dying to hear the heartbeat, he came in and we all got to chat and laugh together.

We got to hear the sweet, precious “swooshswooshswooshswoosh” of a new little heart and our own hearts grew 3xs more.  Our little baby in there and doing well  All in all I felt SO validated by my midwife and I’m looking forward to meeting this new little one in November.  

I’m throughly enjoying pregnancy and I’m extra blessed to be able to experience it for a third time! 

To Be Three

Little Daisy’s third birthday started out with a being showered in balloons outside her bedroom door.  We strung a bunch of balloons all around to surprise her and then attached a balloon to her gifts in the living room.  She opened the door and said… “Happy… Birthday?”  Like “Is this for real??”

The she opened her gifts and we headed out for, of course, birthday doughnuts.  After a nice sugar high Daisy got to play the the mountain play lodge, which is like a big huge warehouse of blow up slides, stuff to climb, a castle and really fun active and imagination play for the tots.  Her and Story had a blast exploring and sliding and we had to bribe them both with cake and a little party at Nonnie’s just to get them to leave.  Daisy and her friends enjoyed her monster truck cake and more play time.

I got a little teary eyed the day before her birthday when I was picking out the “3″ candle for her cake.  Remembering how just 3 years ago, Daisy made me a mom, and let me in on what I want to do with the rest of my life.  I’ll never forget those movie star red lips and that adorable double chin when they laid her on my chest.  I remember being wired that first night with her, while her daddy slept, I held her and told her to never grow up, to just stay this perfect little baby forever.

Of course, she didn’t listen, and she’s not supposed to but still every birthday excites and yet breaks your mommy heart at the same time.  Each year the little girl taking a big bite of her birthday doughnut is just little bit different from the girl the year before.

Happy Birthday, Daisy!

((I have loads more pictures but for some reason they aren’t working.  I’ll work on that later!))

April

House hunting reminds me of dating.  Some days I get excited, other days I’m not so excited, then most of the time I’m swearing I’m finished altogether.  Within a week we’ve looked at one, given up, then prepared to make an offer on another if all goes well.  It’s hard to make a decision when you’re secretly not allowing yourself to get too attached (even though I do)  Hopefully we end up finding the right place, at the right price, in the right area, and not having to renew our lease in August.  But, then again, renewing our lease wouldn’t be AWFUL.  I don’t know.  So confusing.  I hate house dating.

The weather has been about as spastic as our home-looking.  One day it’s summer and 85 degrees, then it’s rainy and 50.  We haven’t even made a trip to splash in the fountains downtown yet.

The girls are enjoying what warm days we get.  Daisy has taken to watering our new plants, on the deck, everyday.  We have strawberries, tomatoes, mint, oregano, lemon balm, snap dragons and some other random flowers.  Little Daisy very dillegently runs back and forth with a cup of water and waters each one.

Story, aside from her usual dog-stalking, has taken to sweeping and loves to sweep allll day.  It got to the point we were being wacked in the face by a broom handle so often that we just got her her own little, toddler sized broom and she loves it.

New baby (which I haven’t named yet… Daisy was “Jellybean” and Story was “Newbie”… This one is still a mystery in many ways…) is approaching 12 weeks, in belly, and loves MEAT. Meat and potatoes! My husband is in heaven with my new pregnancy cravings.  I’m a little shocked, being that I’m practically VEGAN when not pregnant… But meat is just so good right now for some reason.

I have my first midwife appointment next week which I’m nervous and excited for.  Maybe that feeling never goes away, no matter how many babies you have?  I’m always a little tense until I hear that sweet “swoosh swoosh swoosh” of a heartbeat.  Then it’s all groovy

Happy April~

Sleepy Spring

I’ve never had much issue with feeling sick, morning sickness or tummy issues while pregnant.  With my second I did have some food aversions (bbq… ew) but that’s about it.  THIS time around however…. in the beginning I did have some mild morning sickness- but now it’s just full blown food aversions.  Sounds like I’m just whining over nothing- but it really is a strange, and not fun, problem to avoid walking in the kitchen or even opening the pantry for fear the sight of something may make me sick.  Or taking one bite of something that sounded so great 30minutes ago to discover it tastes “off” and either not eating- or paying for it later.   It’s like a I have an entirely different taste pallet and it’s REALLY messing with me.

Aside from that strangeness, all is going pretty well with this new little baby and me.  Daisy is busy counting down to her birthday (next month) and insists on a monster-truck-birthday-cake… That’ll be fun!  And Story, is her usual animal loving self and chases dogs at the park and HAS TO watch Aristocats every day.  They had a fun day when we surprised them with a trip to the zoo last week.  Story was particularly entranced by the elephants (and a “friendly” leopard that tried to eat her)  While Daisy liked waving to the monkeys and finding a cute little toddler park to play in by the giraffes.

It’s been a fun start to a sleepy spring!

An interview with Daisy

What’s your favorite color?  ”Orange, yellow, purple.”

What’s your favorite animal? “Zebras!”

What’s your favorite food? “Sketti”

Who’s your favorite sister? “I want a brother!”

What’s your favorite shirt to wear? ” My ninja turtles shirt!”

Who’s your favorite friend? “Daddy!”

What’s your favorite thing to do at the park? “Slide swing!”

What’s your favorite song? “Everybody be a cat!”

What’s your favorite toy? “My trains”

What’s your favorite dessert? “Chocolate”

What’s your favorite tv show? “DORA!”

What’s your favorite thing to do outside?  ”Ride bikes at Nonnie’s!”

Do you like cats or dogs better? “Puppies!”

What kind of birthday cake do you want this year?  ”A monster truck cake!”

- “Ok, red means go and green means stop.”

“Noooo, silly, red means STOP and green means GO!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, mom!”

” MA-MA!”

“Ok, Mama.”

~~

great things are happening…

We’re expecting a blueberry!

 I’m 7 weeks pregnant, today.  Baby #3 is about the size of a blueberry.  Oddly, I’ve been craving blueberry vegan muffins all week.  Things are still pretty new and I’m settling into my new routine of feeling sickly and tired all day while wrangling two squirrelly toddlers.  It’s fun though-  Daisy says she wants the baby to be a boy so she can have a brother to adventure with… Little Story would probably prefer a girl for all of her girly activities.  We’ll see!