Winter 2012-2013

Its finally spring in NJ! This winter was terribly long and cold (and we didn’t have nearly as much snow as I would have liked). When it’s cold outside and I’ve been cooped up in a messy house I find it difficult to find motivation to write about current happenings. However, my absence from the blog doesn’t mean that life stopped being interesting. This winter was by far the most eventful one of my married life. Perhaps I should begin at the beginning…

Over the summer I got a job watching two children during the school year, aged 2 and 4 months. Their mother hired me even though I was pregnant and would need a few weeks off when baby came. The extra income has been a huge blessing, God provides exactly what you need when you’re in need! The children are very good, and it’s been fun for R to have a friend over every day.

R and S doing one of their favorite things, taking all the toys out of the toybox for the sole purpose of just sitting in the toybox.

Making Rolos cookies for Christmas

Baby A

October brought with it a welcome visit from Liz and company!

Picking them up at the airport!

At a pajama birthday party.

The pajama party was for the kids. The guys didn’t get the memo.

While they were here we hired a photographer friend of mine, Jen Pavlov of Pavlov Photography to meet us at a farm so Liz and i could get maternity pictures done together. IT WAS THE BEST IDEA EVER! SO MUCH FUN!

So much love.

So much weird.

P and I got some cute family shots, too.

Liz and Dave got some cute family pictures too but I don’t have any of those at the moment (sorry Liz! Feel free to add some!).

The rest of October was fairly uneventful, I sold jams and syrup and relish and a few crocheted things at the schools annual Trinity Arts Festival. That’s always a fun event, there are food and games and lots of good music and fun to be had by all.

This is actually at a different craft fair I did at the end of October

In November I had planned on going to my church’s annual OPC women’s retreat, but because of Hurricane Sandy that devastated our area at the end of October the retreat center had power outages and was not able to accommodate our group. The retreat coordinator was able to pull together something for the ladies at the last minute at our church but my friend Brittany and I decided to take the money that we would have spent on the retreat and go out to Lancaster for the weekend. We had a good time, and I got most of my Christmas shopping done (which I’d wanted to do before the baby came).

We took a picture right before we left.

December brought a flurry of excitement! My baby was due the 24th and Liz’ the 9th! The morning of the 8th I was sitting at the breakfast table talking about Liz to our mutual (and very dear friend) Michele. My phone started ringing, it was Dave! The baby had come, and had made quite the dramatic entrance! River Grace was born at on December 8, 2012, delivered by her father in the bathtub after 45 minutes of labor!

I’ll let Liz do some more gushing and give you the whole story.

My due date was coming up, but not quickly enough for me. I felt huge, getting around was difficult and my whole body ached.

Thirty nine weeks

I had planned to babysit until baby came but at thirty eight weeks I broke down and just couldn’t do it anymore. I spent the next week and a half on the couch, only getting up when R needed something. I had an ob appt on the 20th, she poked and prodded a little to try to get things going. On the morning of the 21 I woke up with some contractions, nothing to concern me but I timed them just for fun. They were consistently 8, 7, then 6 minutes apart in the first hour. I called my mom to chat, and she knew I was in labor. She ordered me to call P, the doctor, and my mother in law to come watch R. I was trying to avoid calling P till noon, his Christmas party was in full swing and it would end then, but it no longer seemed like a good idea to wait, so I called.
No answer.
Are you kidding me? I called again.
Still no answer.
So I called the school secretary, she went to find P and I got in the shower.
P came home and found R covered in red nail polish. #momfail #heyiwasinlabor #iwishihadapicture #hashtagsareweird
My mother in law arrived and we left, sent off by a dozen or so onlookers gathered on the school porch. Instead of seeing anything interesting they got to see me waddle to the car in my pjs. Sorry, peeps.
After making a pit stop for gas then one at my ob office to confirm that I was indeed in labor (5 cm, yeah baby), we headed to the hospital where they slapped me in bed, placed all the necessary needles (including an epidural aka. euphoria), and Isaiah was born at 5:18, eight pounds, five ounces of squirming joy!
He’s now 6 months old and the happiest child I’ve ever seen! His sister loves him (she’s started flexing her bossy sister muscles already) and he watches her constantly. I love having two kids, the dynamic is amazing.
I’ll add more pictures when I can get on my computer! I wanted to get this up since its already too overdue.

Amy

Read Full Post »

Time Flies!

Oh my goodness, it’s been a long time since either Amy or I have posted. There’s a very good reason for that, which many of our friends already know. We are both EXPECTING! And we did not plan this, even though it seems like it. Our due dates are only two weeks apart. It is so much fun for us to be going through this experience together. We’re on the phone often trading advice and experiences, and praying for each other.

My “guess date” as I like to call it, is December 9th. A Christmas time baby will be such a fun blessing! I don’t handle eating very well when I’m pregnant, so I’m hoping that by Christmas I’ll have my appetite back and be able to indulge in the deliciousness of the season.

And yes, I am indeed planning another home birth with my wonderful midwife and her fantastic team. What an amazing experience that will be! To have the same four women at my second birth that were at my first. It will keep the whole event so private and intimate, just like I want it (assuming there are no complications). The best part about that is since they were with me the first time, they all understand what I went through and will be able to really work well with me this second time.

On that note, I would also like to say that one of the best things about home birth is that is offers a safe alternative to women like me who are uncomfortable in hospitals. I think options in birth are important, since every woman and pregnancy is different. However, home birth is not the best choice for everyone. Some women need more help, feel more comfortable in a medical environment, or if a pregnancy has a complication, hospitals are wonderful, life-saving places! As long as someone is making an informed decision about where and how to birth, I respect and support whatever that may be. We need to be loving and supportive to every mama, no matter how she chooses to birth. We never know what someone else has been through that has influenced her decisions.

Amy and I are close friends, but two very different people. She thinks I’m nuts for doing home birth, but loves me anyway! I think she should be an organic hippie, but I love her anyway 🙂 Being pregnant at the same time is fun, and I’m thankful that God has blessed me with Amy as a friend!

Read Full Post »

The Importance of Being Earnest – On Divorce

There is a courtroom full of people. Two people, formerly united in marriage. Two unhappy sides of a family, arms crossed. Four broken children, in tears. All waiting for a verdict that will halfheartedly satisfy one side of the family, infuriate the other side, and damage the children further.

This is a scene in which I was present not long ago.

I sat with my three present siblings, in the rows separating our mother and her family and our father and his family. As I observed those family members present I flashed back to the last time that they were all gathered together in the same place.

My wedding. Three and a half years ago.

Images from our wedding slide show flashed through my mind, my dad giving me away, my dads father sitting next to my moms mother while proudly watching their oldest granddaughter say her vows, my mom lighting the unity candle with my mother in law, my aunts from both sides dancing around me, my mom flirtatiously smooching my dad on the cheek…BRAIN. STOP ALREADY.

As I sat there I wished my body would shrivel up and die along with my heart. My youngest sister H was laying on my shoulder, wanting to be anywhere but there. My sweet, brave little sister, how I wish I could rescue you! Both of my brothers, acting as if they don’t care, looking so grown up. I remember when I changed your diapers and yelled at you for making too much noise. Their childhood has been much different from mine!

What happened? When did the tragedy begin to take place? There are countless lessons to be learned. God be merciful to me, a sinner!

~amy

Read Full Post »