LL's Birth Story (aka My Accidental Natural Childbirth)

Well, the Littlest Lashmet (who will go by LL on the blog), has arrived!

I suppose LL's birth story really starts at our 36 week appointment where the nurse shockingly announced I was dilated to a 3 and 70% effaced.  She was sure I'd have the baby by the next week.  So, I kicked it into gear, packing bags, getting plans made, doing laundry, you know, the usual. (Meanwhile, The Boy from Texas was working out of town for two weeks, staying overnight, everyone was a nervous wreck about BB and I being home alone and living 45 minutes from the hospital.)  At the 37 week appointment, I was at a 4 and at the 38 weeker, I was a 5.  No one could believe I was still going to work, taking care of BB, even walking my mile and a half a day at the gym, but I felt fine.  I mean I knew I was having some contractions, but they didn't hurt that bad and were never in regular intervals.

So after three weeks of false alarms, I wasn't worried when The Boy from Texas ran over to my parents house last weekend.  They live about 1.5 hours from the hospital.  He was going to just go for the day, but then ended up spending the night for several reasons--getting feed, hunters coming in, picking up sheep, needing brand inspection papers.  He asked his mom to come and stay with BB and I while he was gone. I thought this was ridiculously unnecessary as nothing was happening and I didn't need a babysitter.  Famous last words.

I felt fine all weekend.  On Saturday night, I was having the same sort of mild contractions I'd had for the last three weeks.  They were about 15 minutes apart, but never got closer or stronger, so I went to bed.  I didn't tell The Boy from Texas when he checked in to see if he needed to come home or if he could spend the night.  I figured it was more of the same that had been happening the last couple weeks.

At 4:30 in the morning, BB woke up crying, so I got out of bed and headed for his room.  As I turned the corner to walk in his door, my water broke.  Just like the movies.  Gush of water on the floor.  Go time.

My mother-in-law offered to drive me, but at that point, I wasn't in any pain and I didn't want poor BB to be drug out of the house to the hospital in the middle of the night.  So I told her I could handle it if she could stay with him.  I mean, women used to have babies on dirt floors.  And cows just lay down and calve.  I could drive 45 minutes.

I called The Boy from Texas.  He reports seeing my name on caller ID at that time and thinking, "Oh crap."  He said he took the fastest shower ever and headed this way.

My brother heard him and texted to say, "You having a kid?"  The Boy from Texas said yes.  My brother was only concerned with his cooler that was in the back of our truck--didn't want it stolen at the hospital.  Apparently, my brother went back to bed and then got up early to guide a hunter.  He didn't ever tell my parents what was going on, so they had no idea.  My dad said he heard someone getting around, but he just assumed it was The Boy from Texas and my brother getting up to hunt.

I don't even want to know how fast The Boy from Texas drove his truck.  He kept me on the phone until I got to the hospital.  When I arrived, he was about 30-40 minutes away.

I had been very concerned about where to park my truck.  You have to go into the emergency room to get to labor and delivery in the middle of the night and I didn't want to get towed.  The Boy from Texas kept telling me how stupid that was--just pull in like you own the joint and deal with it later.  Must be a woman thing, because a couple of other girls have asked me where I parked and said that would have worried them too.  Fortunately, the first space next to the ER was open, I whipped right in, and walked into the ER.

I told them I needed to get to L&D now.  Everyone started moving really fast when they saw me have a contraction.  The poor girl who got stuck driving my wheelchair up there kept saying, "Please don't have a baby before we get to the third floor, please don't have a baby until we get to the third floor."

We got there, I told them what was going on, and they got me checked in at 5:30 am.  By this point, contractions were about 3 minutes apart.  The nurse checked and said I was at a 6.  So I texted The Boy from Texas and told him he could slow down a bit, we had time.  Famous last words again.

The nurse asked 5 million questions.  Most of my answers included the word "epidural."  The conversations went something like this:

Nurse:  Don't worry, the doctor has been called for someone else so he is on his way.
Me:  What about the epidural guy?  Is he on the way?
Nurse:  We've got a lot to do before you can have an epidural.  I'll do my best.

Nurse:  Do you have a birthing plan? 
Me:  Yes, get here and get an epidural.

Nurse:  You doing okay?
Me:  Just give me any drugs you have.  I will take any drugs at this point.'

At 6:05, The Boy from Texas texted "I'm here."

About that time, I told the nurse I thought she better check me again.  She said, "You're an anterior lip!" and she started scurrying around.  I asked what that meant and she said, "You're a 9 and the baby is coming fast."

I called The Boy from Texas at 6:07 and just said, "You need to get in here NOW."  He was in the parking lot.

The nurse said, "Do not push, Dad's not here yet."  I probably asked for drugs again if I'm being honest.

Then she said, "Oh crap," and screamed, "We need a doctor and more hands in here now!"  At that time, 6:10 am (40 minutes from me getting to the hospital), LL was born, the nurse caught her, and The Boy from Texas and the doctor both ran in the door.

The doctor took LL.  The Boy from Texas grabbed my hand with one hand and the scissors to cut the cord with the other.  And that was that.

I asked "I guess I don't get that epidural, huh?"  The nurse said, "You don't need it now!"  I said, "Well, I guess that saved me $700."

We let our parents know.  I called my folks and my dad sleepily answered.  I told him we had the baby.  He said, "Oh my gosh, we have to get The Boy from Texas!"  He didn't realize he had left the house.  About that time, The Boy from Texas texted him this photo, and everyone calmed down.

And just like that, we were a family of four.

Life seems to always be an adventure with us, but we wouldn't want it any other day.  Happy Birthday, sweet LL.  W're glad you're here!

BB's First Birthday

BB's first birthday party was a smashing success, if I do say so myself.  After worrying that I hadn't done nearly enough (Pinterest is the devil y'all!) and over half of the guest list having to cancel coming the day before the party, I have to admit, I was a little concerned how this would all turn out.  But as we were laying in bed after the party was over and everyone went home and  everything was (mostly!) cleaned up, The Boy from Texas said, "You know, I don't think that could have gone any better."  And that pretty much summed it up.

It wasn't fancy.  Our decorations were $10 worth of balloons, napkins and cups left over from his baby shower, and his own John Deere tractors that I frantically pulled out of the toy box that morning when I saw my friend's decor for her kid's birthday on Facebook and decided I had to do something to fancy the place up.  I got everything set out and used the tractors to decorate.  The Boy from Texas promptly walked in and said, "Why are there random tractors everywhere?"  I said, "That's the decorations!"  He responded, "I wouldn't really worry much about that crap."  This.  This right there is why I needed to marry someone like him!

The Boy from Texas grilled burgers, hot dogs, and steaks.  I made a fruit salad.  We served lemonade from the mason jar dispenser we used at our wedding.  BB ate like a champ, and everyone else seemed to do so as well.

He seemed quite perplexed as to why all these people were singing a song he had never heard and staring at him.  But that didn't last long and then, it was cake time.

His great grandmother made an adorable train cake for the occasion.  This was really special because she also made all of The Boy from Texas' birthday cakes when he was little and also happened to whip up our wedding cake!  Although BB was a bit timid at first about eating this, and even though to his dad's disappointment he really didn't think a spoon was necessary, soon he was covered in frosting.

He went directly from the high chair to the bath tub, still wearing his party hat.

Next up, it was time for presents.  He seemed quite excited about the gifts he got, which ranged from a wooden train, to a Tonka truck, to John Deere tractors, to books, to pajamas, to an engraved silverware set, to a dozen farm fresh eggs to money for his savings account. 

His biggest present was from his mom and dad, who spent entirely too much money on this John Deere wagon.  But he absolutely loves it.  We've deemed it the cake wagon and we take him and his bucket of cake out to feed every evening and you've never seen a kid so happy.  He also really enjoys putting his treasures in his wagon for safekeeping.  So far that's included several rocks, some cake cubes, and a shoe.

The one activity I knew I wanted to do is something I stole from SoulMate Friend at her son's first birthday party 6 years ago.  She bought blank cards and labeled each one with his name and a number.  Then all of the party guests at his first birthday got a card and were to write a note to BB, which he will open on the birthday that corresponds with his number.  So, for example, he will open the note with the number 18 on it on his 18th birthday.  I think this is such a special thing and I can't wait for him to have these notes for future birthdays!

BB seemed to thoroughly enjoy his big day.  H e was surrounded by friends and family and spent the whole day smiling.  Between the balloons and all the different people willing to take him outside and listen to his rambling, the food, the fact that we let him basically bathe in cake, and all the fun new toys he got, it was a good day for this little boy.

We have a little announcement to make...

Yep, it's a girl!!  We are so excited about this little one, who we will refer to as LL on the blog. 

Yesterday was out anatomy ultrasound.  We have had this on the schedule for two months, but because real life is real life, The Boy from Texas ended up out on the pipeline for a 30 hour job and he could not be there. 

Technology to the rescue!  We were fortunate that he happened to be at a time where he was in his pick up and in a place on a hill with phone service, so we Face Timed him right in. 

Our sonogram tech is the same who we had for our anatomy ultrasound with Braun. When she called me back, she said, "I couldn't believe it when I saw your name on my schedule! At least you are not remodeling your house this time!" Truth!

Right away she got just the right angle to make the announcement...pink it was!

And LL looks just perfect. Measuring right on track, estimated weight of 11 oz.  All organs look perfect.  Of course, that's what really matters and we are so grateful for a healthy little one!

I had been a little concerned because I have not felt her move yet, and BB was absolutely all over the place by now!  No need for concern. Turns out, this time the placenta is anterior (in the front) instead of posterioir (in the back). So when she kicks, the placenta is basically like a pillow between her and me.

She posed quite nicely for the camera, including sucking her thumb and crossing her legs at the ankles like a lady. 

Just 20 more weeks until we meet this little girl! (She better be ready...this brother of hers is probably gonna make her real tough real fast!) 

Truth from the Trenches: Baby Must Haves

Previously, I posted a list of the Top 10 Items for Newborns.  Today, I'll share my Top 10 Items for Babies.  We've found these very useful for BB in the 2-5 month age range.

1. Jumper.
I have Blonde Oklahoma Girl to thank for telling me about this God-send of a contraption.  She said we had to have one and although it was expensive, Santa got it for Christmas.  Y'all. Worth. Every. Single. Penny. I would have paid double. This thing has changed our life. BB jumps like a crazy fool for hours. And how that he is a bit older, he loves to play with the toys. You need this in your life. Ours is Fisher Price. BOKG has the BabyEinstein  version.

2. Favorite toy.

Your kid needs a go-to favorite toy that will always make him smile. For us, that's the stacking ring monkey. Even in to middle of a fit if you turn this thing on and stick it in his face, he smiles. Whatever you will do this for your kid is a keeper!

3. Teethers.
BB chews on everything. EVERYTHING. We have lots of different teethers. His favorite is probably a John Deere one that looks like an ear of corn that vibrates.  We also have several of the ones you can put in the fridge or freezer, which he likes just ok. (PSA...don't put those in the steamer. Learned that one the hard way.) Lastly, he has some little chewing balls on a bracelet that he seems to like fairly well. (You can see that in the photo of the play mat.)

4. Play mat.

We like these so much we have two. These are great because they are easy to move around the house and haul places, plus they can really keep kids entertained. I think for our next baby I might get a play mat that has a piano at the foot where they can kick and it makes noise. BOKG and College Roomie both have them and their kids love those things.

5.  Bumbo.

This is where BB eats every meal. It's easy to move around, takes up no room, and you can wipe it down when a meal is done and it's covered in squash and oatmeal. 

6. Big bottles.
You start out feeding your kiddos out of the 4 or 5 oz bottles. About 4 or 5 months you need to go to the 8 oz bottles. Go ahead and stock up. We have a set at the baby sitters and 6 more at home. 

7. Pack and play with bassinet & changing table.

We love our pack and play. It's in our room and makes everything so handy. The changing table is easy to wipe down,  BB sleeps well in the basinette, and you can store things underneath those two attachments. Plus eventually when he is mobile we will need the thing for containment anyway.

8. Carseat toy.

BB is in the car a lot and this little horse we call Clop Clop is a life saver!  He provides lots of entertainment. 

9. Baby dishes and utensils.
Someone gave us a set of baby feeding stuff as a shower gift and I am so glad they did even though I was too dumb to register for it! You might as well get that kind of thing now and be ready when it's time. 

10. Diaper stash.

Say hello to my diaper closet.  Before BB was born, my work and several others bought is big boxes of diapers. So great! But as I started to see the supply dwindling, I decided to start building up a supply slowly instead of spending a ton of money all at once.  I did some math and have figured out that for size NB to 3, if you can find them on sale for about $.20/diaper, buy them because it is a good deal. For bigger sizes price goes up a little, I get them if around .22-.24.  So if I find a good deal, I buy them. When I think I have enough of one size, I go to the next. Watch at Target where they frequently do gift cards if you buy in bulk and sometimes do BOGO on diapers. Also clip coupons! Babies R Us often has an $8 off coupon every month and Target sends out periodic $10 off coupons. 

The Perfect Baby

Things are about to get real serious here on my usually lighthearted blog.

I'm a member of a group on Facebook and last week someone asked for prayers for her friend who was pregnant.  The woman had long wanted a baby.  But when she had the genetic screening tests done, she learned that her child tested at an increased risk for Down's Syndrome.  And now, she has decided to abort the baby because of these results.

My heart is broken into a million pieces.

Genetic Screening Tests Are Often Wrong.

Having lived through a positive result to a Down's Syndrome screening test myself, I sympathize with the fear and worry this mother is facing.  And although I never thought of killing the baby (let's call a spade a spade, I'm not a fan of terms like "terminating the pregnancy"), I cried for days worrying about my unborn son and what this would mean for him and for our family.  It is scary.  It's not part of your plan.  There are unknowns.  You are hormonal and emotional and fat and it just seems like too much to handle.

For us, in the end, the test was wrong.  Our nearly 4 month old son was born without Down's.  Had we taken this woman's approach and killed our baby, we'd have missed out on the joy of this little face every single day.

But I will tell you what that incorrect positive test did for us.  It allowed us to grow in our faith, because we realized that God was in control and the baby he had created for us was going to be just that...the baby for us, regardless of the number of chromosomes he had. And, should our next baby be born with an extra chromosome, well I think we'll just be even more ready to love him or her after all of this. It allowed us to grow in our love for one another.  Hearing my husband resolve that if the test was right, that baby would have a good life with us is easily one of the moments I have loved him most.  And, I believe, it has given us an understanding and a perspective from which to encourage others facing a similar situation.  Not only to tell that the tests are frequently wrong, but also to encourage if the test is accurate.  As difficult of a test as this was to walk through, if God can use it and use us for good, I am more than happy to have born that cross.

Babies With Downs Tremendous Blessing.

Knowing several people who have children with Down's Syndrome, I know what a huge blessing those kiddos are to a family. I am sure there are huge challenges raising a baby with Down's.  But...hello...there are huge challenges raising a baby period.  But there are amazing blessings as well.

My friend in Chicago has a precious daughter with Down's, and I absolutely adore her stories of Jen's humor, love, and mischief (like swiping cash from anyone's wallet she can get her hands on).  If you don't follow #Benstagram on Instagram, get over there this minute and you will see the cutest little Asian boy with Down's.  I have a co-worker whose teenage son with Down's is my favorite thing to see on Facebook....had you seen this kid in his Where's Waldo Halloween costume, you'd agree for sure.  My friend from law school has a precious little girl who is frequently recorded playing rock song drum solos with her dad.

I thank God for all the Down's Syndrome babies I know, and for all of their parents who are fulfilling their challenging, yet beautiful vocation, of loving these precious souls.

You're Not Going To Get a "Perfect" Baby.

I despise the idea that if a baby is not "perfect" he or she is not worthy of living. You know who thought this way?  Hitler.  Let that sink in a minute.  Newsflash: There is no perfect baby.

That cute face of ours?

He has severe acid reflux.  And a heart murmur.  And he's started this yelling thing that can drive you just about batty.  Does that mean somehow we should not have wanted him?  That we should not have loved him?

And where is that line?  Why is Down's something that justifies killing the baby but acid reflux is not?  What about allergies?  Bad knees?  ADHD?

You are not going to get a perfect baby, but you will get the baby that is perfect for you.  I have no desire to question God's plan by thinking I know better.  Been there, done that, learned my lesson, have the t-shirt.  I never know better.

Please pray.

All of this said, please pray for the particular woman mentioned in our Facebook group, and for all women who face a positive genetic screening test.  That their hearts will be open.  That they will find support from those around them.  That they will find the strength to fulfill the important vocation to which they have been called.  And that their baby will be loved.  

Lord, hear our prayers.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

I'd heard of this mommy shaming stuff before I got all knocked up and what not and just sort of ignored it.  So what if other moms tell you that you're wrong for not breast feeding.  So what if you're judged for having so many kids or not enough kids or for letting your kid eat play dough.  I mean, who cares what other people think about you anyway, right?

Well, I'm here to tell you, it's easy to get caught up in.  I've found myself there several times and The Baby from Texas isn't even here yet.  A few examples.

The Baby from Texas at the first ultrasound.
Do these pictures creep anyone else out but me?  I get it's amazing and wonderful,
but come on, it's creepy too, right?

When the doctor finally told me that I was going to need medication to help control this morning sickness I was having, I was relieved.  And then, all sorts of people started chiming in on how bad that was and how I should use natural remedies only and how I should just suck it up and what not.  Trust me, had I been able to get around using drugs, I would have.  But me keeping nothing down and dying of dehydration was not going to be very good for the baby.

At a conference, I met a girl who was a month less pregnant than me who had the cutest little baby bump everyone was commenting on.  I didn't look pregnant at all, and it made me insanely jealous.

One of my girlfriends mentioned that she was going to be making all of her baby's baby food homemade.  I honestly thought to myself, "You can do that?  I thought Gerber had some sort of patent on this stuff?"

Natural birth?  Co-sleeping?  Self soothing?  Pacifiers?  Baby swings?  Breast feeding?  Cloth diapers?  The list of topics that this applies to goes on and on.

It's easy to get judgmental of people who are doing things differently than you.  I think that we're somehow programmed to think there is always a right and a wrong and if we're doing it one way, every other way must be wrong.

And you know, that's total crap.  If my baby eats Gerber and my friend's baby eats homemade baby food, that won't make a hill of beans difference in the rest of their lives.  My bet is that the both turn out fine and (maybe with the exception of their teenage years) love their mothers.

I think in the end, it can pretty much be summed up this way.  Is she smoking crack?  Is what she is doing posing a danger to your own baby?  If the answers to both are no, then she doesn't need your judgment or comments.  How about just your support?