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Daddy with Lana
Trying to keep a family tradition...
catchin' some rays
we love to play dress up...or should I say...Mommy loves to play dressup
New coat from Grandma Sally
First time using the Jogger!
Hello all…
I have officially decided to take a break from this ‘ol blog for a while to get caught up in life…
Life has been crazy with a new baby, but it is equally fun and exciting.
With that being said, I am taking a hiatus from blogging for a short period. I will let you know when I get back on the wagon….well, not that I was actually on it but, you know what I mean.
Thanks for all your comments and support.
Heather
She has arrived!
After an intense 8 hour labor, Lana (LAWN-a) Harper Treas entered the world on Monday December 15th, 2008 @11:28 a.m.
Weighing in at 8lbs 14 ounces and 21.34 inches long….
Here she is…
Minutes after birth
Grandma Fran
Daddy and Me
Grandma Sally
Retelling the Labor Story…
Stay tuned for a run down of the labor story by my birth coach ad husband Mark….
“Boy, I bet you are ready to have that baby out of you”
“You are probably so sick of being pregnant”
“You look miserable, but don’t worry, it will be over soon”
“Wow, you look like you’re going to pop!”
Sound familiar?
Well, if not, you can expect it when you reach month 9 of your pregnancy from those older ladies in the market. I am ready, but I’m not miserable, tired or popping!
It has definitely been hard to not take on that mentality, especially since everyone around me reinforces it, but there is no reason I suddenly should turn into a annoying complaining pregnant women, when I certainly don’t feel that way. I mean, if I’m honest, I’m uncomfortable, but hey, I only have days left, so what good would it do to be negative?
So instead, I have turned to projects to keep me busy. Since Christmas is right around the corner and since we are a little tight on finances lately, I’ve decided to make all my gifts this year. It has been incredibly fun.
I would share with you what I’ve made, but since those people may read this blog I can’t give away the surprise!
Other projects I have turned to to keep me busy:
Rewritting all the recipes in my recipe box so that they are all on 3×5 matching notecards…yeah, it’s beautiful.
Getting our taxes ready…not fun…boring…but helpful.
Selling everything we don’t “need” on Craigslist. This is actually very gratifying.
Taking a long walks around the neighborhood.
Doing all those house projects that I’ve put off since we’ve moved in.
Reading.
Cooking.
Taking extra long showers, taking extra long to do my hair, and allowing myself to change my outfit until I’m comfortable, which is usually 5 times….
Stretching and practicing relaxation.
Painting, drawing and printmaking.
Blogging! Yeah!
Another comment on waiting…this week I was approached by my friend who is planning on being the other birth attendant besides Mark, about what the bible says about waiting. It was so encouraging.
2 Corinthians 4:17 – 18 – For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Phillippians 3:20-21 – But our citizenship is heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that eables Him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Romans 12:11 – Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
This week has been an amazing week to put these verses into practice. So many times, I could get negative and take on the attitude of ” sick of being pregnant,” but rather I have chosen to try a different route and chose to be positive and joyful. I mean, why not?
I think the idea of baby mobile is genius. What better way to introduce your newborn to art other than hanging a moving sculpture above their bed to stare at. Brilliant.
I have seen my fare share of traditional mobiles with the frills and bows…this is not what I speak of when I say moving sculpture…
Here are some modern updated versions that have actually lead me to create one of my own!
So here is what I came up with for Spike…
Hey Everyone!
Things are going great…I am starting “feel” pregnant now as I can’t sit as close to the dinner table, and I have nice constant draft on the underpart of my belly, since shirts are no longer fitting right.
This weeks marks the 4th of our Bradley Method birthing classes, which have been amazing. This method focuses on natural, husband-coached childbirth. Training in pain management and relaxation techniques are the key. With the Knowlton’s, the Mellow’s, and our coach/instructor Norah, we have been diving deep into the process of labor. The best moment of the class, so far, was the day when our friend Rhett came over pick up Mark and we were finishing up ‘practice contractions’. Three pregos on the floor breathing deeply, with our husbands rubbing ice cubes on our wrists and coaching us to relaxing and focus, he froze when he walked in and immediately walked back out. It was hilarious.
On a serious note, I do feel like Mark and I are way more prepared to handle labor now that we have gone through this class. This week we watched a video the infamous “Ring of Fire” as some call it, otherwise known as ‘crowning’. This when the baby’s head manages to slip or sometimes rip it’s way through the vaginal opening. Ouch. That was probably the most repulsive thing I’ve seen. If there is anything I’m scared of in this whole process it’s that…but…moments later…the entire baby will be out of me and in my arms. That sort-of makes it worth it.
So, along with information comes preferences. The more we read our homework, the more Mark and I have started to determine the things that we really value are actually contrary to hospital protocol. . Ultimately, it is quite simple, having a safe labor, and healthy baby, but as we have learned and read, these things are relative to who is around. We aren’t going crazy with our birth plan, but I am writing out some preferences that I wish to be considered.
Here are some ‘unedited’ preferences that we have come with so far (assuming there is no medical emergency). We are still working through this.
- 1st Stage Labor mostly at home with Mark and maybe Julia (our friend and doula)
- Once we arrive at the hospital, no internal monitoring, only intermittent external. No I.V., unless needed, and hopefully no drugs.
- Mark will coach, Julia will support.
- Mark will catch the baby
- Hopefully, I will be able to breastfeed right away, or at least have skin contact.
- Wait to cut the cord, at which point Mark will cut.
- Wait for newborn procedures (bedtime?)
Another one being no more “regular” ultrasounds or vaginal exams My doctor’s practice routinely does 3 ultrasounds per patient, and I was due for my third one this week. Learning that it was actually not necessary for me to do so, I turned it down. To my surprise, Dr. Froelich didn’t say a word, instead encouraged me that I wouldn’t be pressured to do anything I didn’t want, or need. I then started to mention my unedited birth plan and he totally supported most of my preferences. I feel really encouraged at this point.
Spike is measuring normal and his/her heartbeat was right around 140bmp. Also, Spike is head down!
I weighed 170, which means I’ve accumulated a total of 32 lbs! That’s freakin’ crazy!
My next visit is in two weeks, then I start my weekly appointments, things are moving right along!
Here is a picture of me at 33 weeks and all the pregnant women in my church, in order of due date!
From Left to right: Whitney Loreaux, Me, Renee Herman, Erin Knowlton, Lindsey Patterson. (Missing is Tiffany Mowry, who is due after me!)
Okay, I admit it.
I bought a pair of skinny jeans two sizes too big to wear for maternity jeans…and although they are quite similar to their predecessor, the ‘mom jean’, they are much new and improved with a nice low waist and dark wash…hopefully this is the closest I get to mom jeans!
In case all you out there don’t know what I am talking about when I say “Mom Jeans” here are some photos to assist you…
This is one part of motherhood I do not plan to embrace!
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