Happy Fall!

I love fall. The cool weather, sleeping with windows open, yummy soup and stews, the colors, cozy sweaters and sweat pants. I'm getting into decorating for the different seasons. Spring lots of soft colors and flowers. For the summer lots of 4th of July stuff. Christmas is easy! Big, beautiful tree. Lots of green, red and lights. I have a harder time with fall.

Last year I made a wreath out of dried leaves (it's the last picture on that page). I really like it, but it's not quiet me. I came across another wreath that I love! Looks easy enough, just have to find the right fabric. Hopefully I'll be able to work on it next week. Of course I get some pumpkins and gourds. I love how goofy looking gourds are. Other than that I have a hard time coming up with ideas. I saw this. Not sure if it's too formal for my home though. But it sure is pretty and would be a nice change for my mantel.

Part of the reason I have such a hard time with decorating for fall is because I want the decorations to last from the start of fall to Thanksgiving. Plus, we're not Halloween people. We don't do trick-r-treating. That's something we might change our mind about in the future, but right now not doing Halloween is the best thing for our family. The ghosts and bats, just aren't our thing. There are some really cute ghost stuff out there. Some one in our neighborhood has a grave stone with a hand popping out of the ground in front of it and then a "body" under a sheet. Really? That's just creepy to me!

So how do you decorate for fall? Anny suggestions for me?

First Picture

Thursday we had our first sonogram. Matt and I were so anxious! After having the blighted ovum in April, we knew about the "what if" because we experienced it. We just wanted to see our baby and know it was ok.

As they started the sonogram, we both almost had a heart attack! We saw my uterus no problem. We couldn't see anything in it. That's what happened with our last pregnancy. Both of us were speechless and just kept watch and waiting. We would catch a glimpses of something, we were hanging onto hope.

Then we saw it! Our sweet perfect baby! The baby looks wonderful! You can see the nubs where it's legs and arms are starting to form. The heart beat is good and strong, 175 bpm. Several people have told me that's a sign of a girl. So we shall see! I had been thinking it was a girl until I saw it. Now I'm convinced it's another boy. Matt's still convinced it's a girl. Will be fun to find out who's right in 11 weeks. :-)

The "halo" is the baby's yoke sack.

Debate

I've been debating with myself on if I want to have a natural labor or get the epidural again. With Jeremiah I didn't make a decision before hand one way or the other. I started having regular contraction at 36 weeks and continued to have them till he was born. Looking back, I know that my early labor started 24 hours before Jeremiah was born. I didn't go into the hospital until about 11pm. I had worked all day and was completely wiped out. I did get the epidural. I'm so glad I did because I pushed for a solid three hours. The doctor said we were going to use suction to help me push him out. He was born in three pushes once we used the suction. I'm so thankful that the doctor decided to use the suction. The umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, I believe that God was protecting Jeremiah. He was blue initially and had a fever. We didn't get to hold him for 30 minutes because they were working on him.



I'm nervous to go without the epidural because I don't know if I can/want to be in labor that long. And the the thought of pushing for three hours without drugs, it's intimidating. Plus, you get drugs when having a cavity filled to make it painless. Why would I make that painless but not childbirth?



Part of me want to do it naturally just to prove I can. I know several women who have had natural labor. I have a lot of respect for them. Only two of them have said they would do it again or have done it again, one for medical reasons. Everyone else has said, "get the epidural!" Honestly, to me it seems more like bragging rights then anything else. I haven't done much research to find out all the pros and cons. If you can recommend any good books, please let me know!



With the research I have done, it comes across to me, that you fail if you have to use suction or intervene at all medically. Suction was necessary for Jeremiah to be born. I don't think there was an issue with my pushing because I pushed out his head with a contraction the doctor said one more push and he would be born so I kept pushing. I was able to get his shoulders and body out in one push without a contraction. Kind of funny because it surprised everyone in the room. The boy just had a big head. And like I said, I believe God was protecting him.



I don't think there is anything wrong if you need to intervene medically. The end goal is the same, not matter if you had an epidural, c-section or completely natural labor, a healthy baby. I'm still undecided on what I'll do. Thankfully I have over 7 months to figure it out! :-)



What's you birth story? Glad you got the epidural? Wish you had done it naturally?

Thankful Thursday!

Cheesy, I know. But it's good to make yourself to find something to be thankful for!

I'm thankful for morning sickness that's lasting most of the day. It means the pregnancy is progressing normally.

I'm thankful for spontaneous hugs and "Momma!" from Jeremiah.

I'm thankful that Matt's unconditional love.

I'm thankful for Granny's chicken and dumplings. Something that tasted good and I could eat without feeling sick!

I'm thankful for leftover chicken and dumpling!

I'm thankful for living close to some of our family.

Babee

Disclaimer: This is slightly inappropriate....



We've taught Jeremiah to say baby. He'll pull up my shirt and pat my tummy and say "babee!" Baby is now interchangeable with tummy. Everyone has a baby!



Last week while changing his diaper he patted his tummy and said baby. I told him that was his tummy and only momma has a baby in her tummy. He reached a little further down patted his penis and said "BABEE!" the whole time there was a huge smile on his face. I told him no, that was his penis, while trying not too laugh too much.



Now EVERY time I change his diaper he does the same thing!

PBJ

Jeremiah and I love peanut butter! We eat it on pretzels, apples and of course PBJ. Jeremiah doesn't just eat a PBJ sandwich, he dissects it! First he pulls the bread apart. Picks off any chunks of jelly he can grab. Does the same thing with the peanut butter side. By now the bread has holes poked all in it. Next he sucks the jelly off the bread. Finally, he'll take bites. It's hilarious to watch! He's so stickin' cute!

Wordless Wednesday

An Early Flashback Friday

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

What do you say?

Yesterday was my first prenatal appointment. Several people asked if this was our first. Each time I was about to answer I stumbled all over my self and then blurted out, "we have a 16 month old at home".

I didn't know what to say because of the child we loss earlier this year. I know going in that with strangers was not the answer. No need to get into all of that on them. But that loss is still fresh for me. My instinct was to tell them that it's our third. This baby is Matt and my third, but we'll only have two children... and counting. :-) Wasn't something I had thought about till I was having to deal with it.

Back to the appointment. It went well. My doctor's office is being cautious, which I'm thankful for. They did a bunch of blood work yesterday. I'm going back in tomorrow for more. We scheduled the first sonogram! YAY! It's set for the 23rd. Later then I was hoping. I know it's sooner then my office typically does, so I'm glad for that.

So far everything seems to be going well. Please keep praying for the baby and the pregnancy. Thanks!