Tractor Ron Butt

Too cute diaper cover! I wish it were a green and yellow tractor though, but oh well. I hope his tractor loving Papa approves


Here is Papa and Grandma Awww!

Duuuude!--Babies are Such Chick Magnets!

When M, Alex and I go out grocery shopping or running errands, I wear Alex in one of the 4 carrier wraps that I made. Today M asked if he could have the wrap on and carry Alex around while we went out shopping. So I put the black wrap on him, popped Alex in and away we went. M was surprised at how snug and secure the wrap felt, and Alex just snuggled down and went to sleep nearly right away--aww!

While we were out, M got a lot of looks from people, mostly accompanied by smiles, but some were quizzical, and some were downright confused (Why is that bloke actually carrying his baby rather than putting the babe in a proper pushchair/buggy/pram?) THEN there were the looks from the young women that looked my Hubby up and down, and had I not been there, M figures that he'd have gotten some phone numbers (Yeah ladies, I know he's HAWT, and he is a WONDERFUL Daddy, and he's ALL mine!!!)

Here is Alex all snuggled up in the wrap---he loves to be in the wrap and it is almost instant naptime when he's in it!


See! Sleeping baby! Awww!

I wish I had know about wrap carriers when I had Z and L. They are so cheap to make and once I practiced once or twice, they were super easy to put on. Here is where I learned--http://www.mamatoto.org/

Why I Love Cloth Diapering

Isn't this diaper wrap just THEE CUTEST EVER!?! We just got this in the mail today and within minutes of M opening up the package, Dudy Dog was on Alex. <3 <3 <3 It is so soft and fluffy and Dudy's ears are floppy. Wraps like this are what made me want to cloth diaper my baby in the first place.


Alex's Daddy was holding him and one foot slipped out of the blanket, and I just *had* to take a picture of the foot cuteness!
Daddy and Alex spending some quality time together <3 <3 <3

Reason One Bazillion and One Why I am Glad I Breastfeed

The night before last night, one of my brilliant neighbors decided to dry her clothes in front of a high heat output electric heater and set her livingroom on fire. We were woken up at 3 am by a fireman knocking at our door saying that there was a fire in the building. We rushed to get dressed, as we only wear underwear to bed, get the cats in the pet carriers, I put a wrap on and put Alex in it, grabbed the diaper bag and blanket and our coats and got out. We were allowed to stay inside on the ground floor because the firefighters believed that they had the fire contained to the original apartment on one of the upper floors (we live in a 9 storey building). So we waited to hear what was going on.

In the mean time, Alexander was ready to eat, so I found a quiet corner, sat down and fed him. It was then that I realized that had I chosen to formula feed, we would have been in a world of hurt--I would have never remembered to grab the formula, water and bottles! I told M that I was so glad that I was breastfeeding and he wholeheartedly agreed.

Within the hour, we were given the all clear to return to our apartments. Ours was a teeny tiny bit smokey but all right after having the windows open to air out for a bit. Alex nursed to sleep, and M and I soon went back to sleep as well.

Whew! Crisis averted!

Ahhh Smiles! ~15 days old~

This morning at 4:30, Alex gave Daddy and I some genuine smiles! I had told Daddy ages ago that the first 2 weeks of Baby's life tends to be pretty tough with establishing breastfeeding and figuring out sleeping patterns and what soothes and what isn't liked at all. Then around the 4 to 6 week mark, they tend to start smiling and cooing, and it makes all the sleepless night just melt away. We got our reward a bit early at 15 days. We both felt the sleepless nights go M'Buh bye now as soon as Alex smiled at us. We slept the rest of the night(morning) very soundly and restfully :)

And because I love giving baby love, more pictures! (if it works)

10 Days and some Baby Love

Some of my favorite pictures of Alex so far, plus the true knot in his umbilical cord (the bio-geek in me loves this picture)

I am typing one handed right now, so not a long post. Enjoy the pics of our Squeaker Squeaker'ums!

Bouncing Baby Boy!!

Alex M was born at 4:27pm GMT Saturday Jan 5th (11:27am eastern, 10:27am central, 9:27am mountain, 8:27am pacific) 9pounds 10 ounces, 21 1/2 inches long. He was born into his Daddy's loving arms. He had a true knot in his umbilical cord. He has long thick brown hair and blue eyes that we think might turn green later. He looks just like Daddy with some of new Grandma H's features mixed in. He is breastfeeding like a champ, and surprisingly enough after how active he was in utero, he is so calm and quiet.

Daddy is so proud and (I think, more than I) in love with his new son. Alex is cute and squishy and adorable. He even has the dimple in his chin that I find so adorable in his Daddy.

Unfortunately, due to the pre-eclamptic sysmptoms that we tried for over a week to get rid of were still present when I was in labor and we ended up transferring to the hospital instead of having Alex at home like I had wanted. HOWEVER, Jan, our midwife, made special concessions for us and stayed with us for the entire labor and birth rather than the usual hand-off to hospital personel. She made sure that all interventions that we didn't want were not done to me or Alex. With my superhero Husband's help and support, I did it pain-med free, standing up, and after 3 pushes, Alexander slid into his Daddy's waiting and loving arms at 4:27pm into a low lit, quiet room. Daddy and Jan handed Alex to me through my legs, and I held him skin to skin right away and wrapped him in a soft receiving blanket that we brought from home. Alex barely even wimpered after he was born. All in all, minus being at home, we had exactly the birth that we wanted, and were back home by the time Alex was 7 hours old, and we all cuddled up safe and snug in our own bed for a good night's sleep.

Ahhh. Bliss!

41 and 3

Still here, hanging by a thread.... We went in for monitoring, bp, blood and urine tests. Baby's movements and heartrate are excellent, my urine and blood came back normal-no protein spillage, but my bp remained a bit high and the swelling/edema in my lower legs remained as well, but I chalk that up to sitting for nearly 6 hours in chairs waiting for results. The doctor thought that I should stay in overnight for bp monitoring every hour with a 70% of them squeezing me in for an induction. I got the deer-in-the-headlights-look on my face, and M and I discussed it, and we both knew from previous experience that there was no way that I'd sleep at all in the hospital and then go into a possible induction that we were setting me up for big time failure. We reasoned with the doc and her higher-upper person that it would be best that we just go home and get some sleep, and we would call back in the morning with the proviso that any blurry vision/headaches/chest pain that we'd return immediately.

We went home, ate, and went to bed and I had an emotional melt-down. Not for mourning the loss of my UC/homebirth, but of the SHEAR TERROR of having to go through that special kind of hell (for me, that is) called induction. My first-born was induced at 41+3, and that is what I am today. By the time I finally asked for the epidural, I wanted to claw my face and belly off, and was pleading for the L&D nurses to knock me out under general anesthesia and c-section me.

I got about 5 hours of sleep. It is amazing to me how nackered I get when I have been crying. I got up and took a bath to try to come to grips with the induction, and had a complete break-down again. M called the hospital to see if they had space for me and they wanted me in pronto. I got out of the bath and curled up on the bed and sobbed. I could not come to grips with an induction. My intelligent mind told me that I *should* go in, but emotional mind wouldn't let me. I was too emotionally fragile, and I knew then and still know now, that if I had gone in that I'd end up resenting myself, my dear sweet M, and even my innocent unborn. What would be a fix for one day would become years of what needed to be fixed. We called in, and they tried to persuade us into coming in today because they had room today (barely), but we asked if a community midwife could just be sent out for a bp and doppler tones later, and a reschedule of induction. We are asked to call in Friday morning to see if there is any room, otherwise Monday morning, or we go in if something drastic happens as a spike in BP, blurry vision, headaches, and/or chest pain.

So hopefully my water breaks before then, and labor starts before then--otherwise it is induction hell for me.

2007 +: A Year and a Bit in Review

2007 is nearly gone so I thought that I'd join in the fun of reviewing my year, plus a little bit more.

I will actually start Dec of 2006 because that was the start of one of the hugest changes in my life, second only to becoming a mother. I moved from the USA to Birmingham England to get married to the love of my life. After a bazillion months of waiting for M to be able to move to the States, and for us to get married legally according to the 187465108435081760435618645 laws on immigration to the USA, we found out that it would be quicker and a bit "easier" for me to move to the UK and get married here. We planned on later on, after everything was settled and L had finished her Kindergarten year at her private Christian school (She was doing supremely well and thriving in her 4 student classroom) that we'd have her move here. So November 30th, I said farewell to all that I knew in the USA, and landed December 1st in the UK, my new temporary home. M and I scheduled our wedding day AS SOON AS LEGALLY POSSIBLE--December 29th, 2006. It was a very small quiet affair, that you may as well call it eloping. There were only six people total; M, his Mum and Dad, the Registrar (official) and her assistant, and myself. We went out to a posh chinese restaurant afterwards and then on to the new In-Law's for Chocolate cake, champagne, and presents. We didn't have a honeymoon anywhere. Just things plain and simple, basically keeping in mind that one of the reasons I came over was to save up enough money to move back to the States. I do have to admit that M and I started working on the newest generation right away :)

Fast forward to April 17th, because Jan, Feb, and March were dull drab and sad homesickness months. That day, M had the day off and we were going grocery shopping, and for purely practical purposes, I took a pregnancy test just to see if we needed to pick up monthly supplies for me----Uhhh The test came back PREGNANT!!! I was shocked and stunned because during the time that should have been conception time, both of us were ill, and I just didn't "feel" like it worked--boy was I WRONG!!! I came out of the bathroom, bawling and holding on to the test stick, and cried at M saying "We did it!!!" M didn't understand right away because he didn't see the stick, so he came over to me, saw what I had in my hand, took a look at it, and quite litterally his knees buckled and slid down the wall. Tee hee! WE DID IT!!!

May and June were a flurry of preparing for a 2 week trip back to the States to visit friends and family.

End of June, specifically my birthday, we left for Iowa, Missouri, and Minnesota, to see family and friends. We spent the first 2 weeks of July in the USA and M got to experience a real hometown 4th of July, parade, candy, fireworks, beer and all. I got to meet my eldest brother's TFG (The Fabulous Girlfriend) Diana and her son Hayden and her Angel daughter, Hannah was there too. M got to finally meet my both of my brothers and I think that they all got on supremely well (it is great when ALL of the in-laws get along, with the added bonus of liking each other) We then went on to Missouri to visit friends there--oy it was HOT HOT HOT there! We shot guns and played with bows and arrows. We laughed and talked and melted in the heat. We then popped back in with my folks for a day of rest and then went to see my Grandpa and Grandma Evans for a day at the Evan's family farm. We had a great visit as well as lots of joyriding on their 4-wheeler (I think that the 4-wheeler rides were one of the top highlights to Z, L and M's entire trip!) Our last stop was my friends in Minnesota, and M got to finally meet Tonya, Freddy and crew. We went swimming and Mark and I camped out in a tent in their backyard and Freddy entertained us with bon fires. M, the kids and I had such a great time that we didn't want to leave.

The rest of July and a good part of August was again drab and sad because of the homesickness and missing the kids. We found out that we had done things backwards about having L move with us, as she she should have come over initially with me, and that if we brought her over now, that it would be super expensive, and we might as well plan on making the UK our permanent place of residence. My folks enroled her back in her school and (hopefully, happily) are raising her for another school year for me.

End of August-September Z and L start school. Z is now an official middle-schooler. He started band, and through try-outs of insturments, Z and his band teacher picked out the clarinet. He is still involved in the Gifted and Talented program. So it was the start of a lot of new school things for Z, but still retaining the same familiarity of the same school system and school friends that Z has had for 6-7 years. (The longest that I got to enjoy that kind of same school stability was 10th through 12th grade) L got to go back to her school and same teacher that she had in Kindergarten for which she was THRILLED!! She loves loves loves her teacher and friends--in fact her best friend's name is Love!

Fast forwards to the end of October, my favorite holiday, Halloween! We had our first (and turns out only) birthing class. I dressed up as a horny pregnant lady--Ha! I did find the atmosphere here in the UK surrounding Halloween depressing as most people hide out in their homes with all of their lights turned out because kids will egg and TP homes and bully people into giving them candy or money on Halloween. It is flirting with danger of being robbed or beat up to go out at night on Halloween, unless you are a kid in a hoodie gang. ...nice... Complete opposite to the small town midwest USA halloweens that I am used to, and feels safe and happy. There are a few cases of malicious behaviors, but it isn't the norm, like it is here.

November bring a peculiar celebration here-Guy Fawkes Night--where between Halloween and the 5th of November (officially GF Night) people all over set off fireworks. It is a celebration of a failure! way way way way back, like in the 1600's, this dude named Guy tried to blow up Parliment with a bazillion kegs of black gun powder and his plot was foiled and he was hung, drawn, quartered, and his body parts were displayed all over England (If you have seen Braveheart, then you kind of understand the mode of death that Guy had) So they blow up fireworks in rememberance of a failed dead guy.

The rest of November went quickly, as we celebrated M's birthday, and watched my ever expanding belly grow and grow. We did have a hiccup healthwise. I came down with a sudden chest infection, that had me struggling to breathe, and the concern of a Pulmonary Embolism was brought up. I had a 2 night stay in the hellspital....er hospital..while they ran tests to see if I did have a PE. It was ruled out. It did however, make me more determined to have a homebirth with this baby like i had wanted to do all the way back when i was pregnant with L. There were a few good people at the hellspital, but I had far too many nurse Ratchets in there whilst being stuck in a room with 4 other people separated by only curtains, and having one old geezer yelling out in the middle of the night "Yes! I'll 'ave that bacon sandwich!" and another spitting in his emisis basin every other minute then dumping the contents out in the handwashing sink in the room--don't worry--no one ever washed their hands anyway-EVER! No wonder nosocomial infections (hospital bugs) can spread like wildfire! M and I were so happy to hear that a PE was ruled out and that we could go home, that he hugged the doc, much to her surprise.

December-busy busy fast fast fast with growing baby and shopping. Because baby WAS due the 23rd, we kept Christmas day pretty low key, especially since I had been in and out of false labor since the 19th. False labor is an insidious thing, I tells ya! M and I have been so anxious, happy, excited, depressed, worried, blah, sad, and generally annoyed these past few weeks it is just unreal. WE JUST WANT TO HURRY UP AND MEET THIS BABY!!!!! But we wait, and wait, and wait, and wait some more.

Yesterday, the 29th, was our first anniversary. We had a bit of a baby scare, because Baby wasn't very active in the morning, so we ended up with an non-stress test being done--basically a monitoring strip done. First anniversaries' gifts are paper---well M got to see that piece of paper and we both had peace of mind, because as soon as the monitors were strapped on, Baby got busy in there, and even gave us a case of the hiccups. So we came home and ate Chinese and looked at our wedding photos. Awww--What a year!

My wedding band has this inscribed in it "Le mo ghrasa mise agus Liomsa mo ghra" It is Gaelic and roughly translated "I am my Beloved's. My Beloved is mine." Throughout all the years happenings, M and my love has grown stronger and more precious. We are so happy and in love with each other, and we look forwards to many more years of love! I truely am my Beloved's and my Beloved is truely mine!!!

Happy New Year to you all, I wish you many blessings!



....and, no, the baby isn't here yet....

First Anniversary! YAY!

Happy First Anniversary to M and I! First anniversaries are paper, right? After feeling very little movement out of our normally spunky active baby, and I just don't feel "quite right", we called into the community midwives to see what they wanted to do. We ended up going in for an Non-Stress Test. Baby perked up during the tracing and even had a case of the hiccups--so I "gave" M a happy tracing of the baby's heartrate and movements.

He is now out getting us some yummy Chinese for supper and we are going to watch the Bourne trilogy tonight.

we are home and much happier, but I still feel a little "off". I hope that I am not coming down with anything....

oh, duh, 40 and 6 today.