Brain-emptying Hodge-Podge

So, ya....my last good blog post was over a month ago and even that one was half-assed. The truth is, I have let the blog slip to allow time for other things. For one, about 3 weeks ago, I decided I was not going to spend another dollar on disposable diapers. YIKES! I was almost out! So, I sat at my sewing machine (which I just got for Christmas and had barely used) and started making my own fitted cloth diapers by trial and error! The pressure was on to get this kid into cloth bc the sposies were dwindling. Since that day, I have spent every spare moment sewing diapers and covers. I got brave and tried out zippers and I couldn't stop sewing! My FB friends can attest to the shear number of projects I have undertaken recently! Such as:

I still have to make more diapers (and yes, I did order..*gasp*....a half dozen prefolds for good measure) but Ronan is in cloth almost full-time now. He's a very heavy wetter at night, so he wears sposies to bed, but we're still on that same pack that was almost gone 3 weeks ago! In my quest to CD my baby's bottom, my house has suffered. Therefore, my blog has fallen by the wayside while I catch up. I will be back more often now, I think.....until we plant the garden!!! But for now, I am going to empty my brain of all the post ideas that have been slamming into each other up there and allow my brain to function correctly.


-Sometimes I hit the "home" button on my iPad and before I put it to sleep, I stare for a moment at the picture of our family.....together. (and sometimes I tear up a little bit)

-Sometimes I let Alistair stay up late just because I want to snuggle him a little longer!

-You can call it loneliness, nursing appetite or just a lack of self-control, but I purposely avoid the cookie aisle at the grocery store because I know I'll spend a fortune.

-It's a good thing I'm not on a diet because there is no way I could add up all the carbs I have consumed this week.

-I LOVE to wear my baby and he LOVES to be worn! (I could seriously write a book about this!)

(HERE is a link that explains why I bought an ErgoBaby

beside the fact that I have always loved my mei tai)

-I LOVE breastfeeding! I can't even explain it. It's not just giving my boys the BEST nutrition to get them started in life, it's more than that. It's having them close to me, wearing them, tending to their needs quickly to ensure their emotional needs are met, it's the pride I feel that no man or factory is able to produce what my body KNOWS my baby needs or how my ego gets a boost when the doctor smiles and says "good job, Mom!" It is knowing that they are secure, well-adjusted kids! It is SO many things......hmmmm...another book? ;)

Quick FAQ with LLL for those who are curious

-Parenting and Breastfeeding have changed my life! I understand so much more about humans, what we do naturally and what our society has pushed on us as "accepted."

-I often cry as I watch these boys, day in and day out, learn, discover, fall, cry, get up, try again, smile and GROW! I am so SO blessed that I have been able to be with them everyday of their lives!!!

-I am now deeply in LOVE with sewing! (post on this coming soon)

-I love our little "homestead" and am so enlightened as we learn and discover new ways to become more self-sustaining. (Whether we can do it all or not, simply having the knowledge is empowering!)

-I fall deeper in love with my husband everyday. I am so GRATEFUL for him and all that he has sacrificed over the last 7 1/2 years to ensure that we have a comfortable home, reliable vehicles and full bellies! I miss him so so much, but in spite of current circumstances, the love bank is full....we need another account to rollover the excess......my cup runneth over.......ok, enough, now my eyes runneth over!

HAPPY WEEKEND, EVERYONE!!!

Sorry for my absence

I have taken a little blogging break to focus on better time management and organization.....it also doesn't help that I took up sewing and am on a mission to make cloth diapers for Ronan.

LOTS to catch up on! I promise to post by the weekend!

Thanks for checking in!



- Posted from my iPad

Top 10 (15) of 2010

The You Capture assignment this week is "Top 10 of 2010."

I was having a hard time, so I picked 15!

Hey, it was a BIG year!

All pictures were taken with my Canon PowerShot A640 point-and-shoot unless noted.

Also, none of these pictures were edited (beyond cropping) except the one I "adjusted" in iPhoto.

(In order ONLY by the date they were taken)

Snowmagedon

I had to dig the sand table out of 2 feet of snow

to get enough sand to put on the icy steps.

Chopsticks

Alistair did an AWESOME job eating Thai food with chopsticks!

He was already such a good big brother!

*Photo taken by Krista Centric

w/ Noah's 35mm Rebel

9 (what would turn out to be 7) weeks from our

Family of 4!

*Photo taken by Krista Centric

w/ Noah's 35mm Rebel

I just LOVE this!

Shot on an old 35mm Canon Rebel, no editing, just skill!

*Taken by Noah Brackbill

Playgroup at the park turned into Jake, Sadie and Alistair in the water!

It was fine with me! Let 'em be kids!

(I used this pic for Noah's Father's Day gift)

 I snapped this with my iPhone 3g right after Ronan was born.

I just love the proud look on Noah's face!

 And I love Love LOVE how perfect my hair looks even

after being in a hospital bed for almost 24 hours!!!

(This was taken in L&D less than an hour after Ronan's birth.

My left leg was still numb and Alistair was sitting on it.)

Snapped this one with the iPhone, too!

I just LOVE the "evidence" of summer fun on Alistair's face!

Playing in the sprinkler at Uncle Steve and Aunt Krista's house!

Qualifies as one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITES!

Early morning snuggles!!!

Even got a smirk from the 3 month-old

This picture is cute, but it's even cuter with Alistair's quote:

"It's ok, Ronan. The doctor takes care of little kids, not peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!"

These three will ALWAYS be my "babies!"

Just walking around the yard with Mommy!

 *Color adjusted in iPhoto

Story time with Grandma!

Linked up at ishouldbefoldinglaundry.com

What a week!

Noah called last Friday night to tell me that he had to work Saturday afternoon and wouldn't be able to come home for the weekend. So, when a friend of mine (whom I haven't seen in 3 years) offered us a place to stay, I packed up the kids and headed to VA! It was a wild and crazy weekend and I SO enjoyed catching up with the WONDERFUL Eichenlaub family! THANK YOU, DEANNA AND MARK!

While we were there, we managed to have brunch at the oceanfront with Aunt Megan, Uncle Skinny and Aunt Jen! After a DELICIOUS meal, we went out to the beach where Aunt Jen got some nice shots of us! THANK YOU, JENNIFER!!!!!

(those photos will get their own post!)

From the oceanfront, we returned to The Eichenlaub's house for a cookie decorating party! FUN FUN FUN!!!! It was so nice to be together with these folks! Anya and Alistair played so well together and were both very sad when we had to leave. (These two were born 6 weeks apart and last saw each other in November 2007!) 

I was kind of bad about taking pictures while we were there, but I got a few.

Anya and Alistair are ready to bake cookies!

SWEETNESS!

Ronan and Aunt Jen

Monday night I worked late then grocery shopped on the way home, so it was dinner and bed as soon as we got home.

Tuesday night we went to the "Holiday Surprise" Storytime at the library and Alistair saw Santa! 

"Mommy, take a picture of me upside-down."

Merry Christmas!!

Snuggly baby sat through it all!

Alistair was 1st in line for Santa!

"I want Woody and Jessie and the Buzz Lightyear with wings!"

Wednesday night I had to stop at the store again after work.

Thursday morning we got a snow storm, so all of SoMd was shut down and by that night I was ready to just come straight home and not move!

PHEW!

Together....That's How it *Should Be

Together.

Because everytime we hear "Stuck Like Glue" By Sugarland,

Alistair says, "Mommy, we're stuck like glue" because we are!

Together.

Because I choose to wear my baby, keep him close, nurture him and

give him every opportunity for discovery and LOVE.

Together.

Because Alistair has a thing about lining things up.

Together. 

Alistair and "B."

Because he sees Mommy do it all the time.

Together.

*Because he only gets 2 days a week with Daddy.

Ok, I cheated a little bit. That second picture was not taken specifically for the YouCapture assignment. I had Noah take it for a post I'm drafting on my journey to babywearing, but, as the photo was taken, I was actually thinking about the word "togetherness." Crazy, huh?


This post is linked to this week's YouCature @ ishouldbefoldinglaundry.com

*Daddy works out-of-town M-F every week. We miss him A LOT!

Another Miracle!

As you can imagine, I haven't had a whole lot of time for blogging lately. The boys, the house, the laundry and the visitors have kept me pretty busy, too! And let's face it, no one likes to type with one hand either! Sorry it's late, but, as promised, here's the story:

Friday, June 4th was just another Friday. I was off work and headed to the OB for my 38 week appointment. Everything was fine, Ronan's heart rate was good and I was feeling great. I talked to Dr. Shonekan about our family situation and how terrified I was that Noah would not make it here for the birth. (I so badly wanted to have Ronan on a Friday in order to have Noah here and to maximize our time with him before he had to return to work in VA.) So, she informed me that she could not induce me unless medically necessary until after my due date (which was June 16), but she could strip my membranes and "see what happens." So she did and sent me on my merry way with an appointment to be induced Friday, June 18th if Ronan didn't come by then.

Without going into too much detail about what happened next, there was blood and I was at L&D by 12:30pm. (only 2 hours after leaving the OB's office). I had called Noah on my way to the hospital and he was on his way immediately. Upon examination, I was declared 4cm dilated! WooHoo! At this point, I was considered in active labor therefore, even if labor slowed, Dr. Shonekan had a medical reason to "help me along." (btw, it turned out that the blood was not a concern).

Noah arrived by 3:30, I think, but the exact timetable is a bit of a blur. Around 6pm, I was only 5cm and my contractions had slowed, so my Dr. was called and pitocin and epidural were ordered. At 8pm I was given my epidural and a pitocin drip. I was checked at 10:30pm and was 7cm, then at 3:30 and again at 5am.....still only 7cm. My "water" was broken at 8:35am and Ronan was born at 9:55am. It took 3 pushes. As soon as his shoulders were out, Dr Shonekan asked if I wanted to deliver him and, without hesitating, I reached down and grabbed my little boy bringing him up to my chest! It was so beautiful! I cried and smiled....and cried some more!

He was perfect and, aside from being VERY sleepy, he latched on and took to breastfeeding right away! We were discharged from the hospital the following day!

Now he is 5 1/2 weeks old and THRIVING!!!! He had his 1 month check-up last Wednesday and is strong, healthy and in the 75th percentile for height and weight despite losing 11oz before leaving the hospital!

Both boys are doing great! We are SO THANKFUL for our two most beautiful blessings!!!









- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Coming Soon......

.....Ronan's birth story. But as far as his first week, we were all doing great! Ronan took right to breastfeeding and is eating VERY well! We spent the first week home enjoying our time with Daddy and getting used to being a family of FOUR! However, Friday night, I began to hemorrhage and Noah took me to the ER. They couldn't get the bleeding stopped with medication, so I underwent a D&C in the wee hours of Saturday morning. After I woke up in recovery, they took me to the postpartum wing for observation. My techs got me up to use the bathroom and I passed out on the way back to my bed. It was decided that I wasn't making blood fast enough to recover the blood I lost the night before, so I received a blood transfusion and stayed at the hospital all day Saturday to receive that and ensure that I wasn't going to have any reactions to the donor blood.

Noah was by my side through it all and cared for sweet little Ronan like a seasoned Daddy would! He is my hero! He stayed calm, sprang into action Friday night and got me to the hospital. He helped calm me down in the ER as I bawled and began to panic. He spoke up for me before I was even out of recovery, making sure that my nurses knew I was concerned about being able to nurse Ronan even with the medications and anesthesia. He was up all night and day in the hospital for a second weekend in a row and still picked up the slack taking care of Alistair and cleaning up the house on Sunday so I could rest! It's no wonder it is so easy to love him! I am so blessed!

Thank you, Erin, for coming over and staying the night Friday with Alistair! Also, thank you, Theresa, for going to our house, getting Alistair and keeping him all day (and late into the night) on Saturday! Thanks to Miss Judi, as well as Janie, for letting the dogs out on Saturday when we didn't know if we were coming home! And, Janie, the lasagna was fantastic! Thank you for having us! You are all a godsend......truly.....and we are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and neighbors who have helped make this challenging and difficult time a bit easier for us. You're the best!

MANY more thanks to Miss Judi, who came and got me when I was in labor, arranged for Alistair (Thank you, April, for keeping him), stayed at the hospital with me until Noah got there and still got Alistair, stayed at our house with him Friday night and Saturday and brought him to the hospital to meet his baby brother! We love you, Miss Judi! You saved us!

Aunt Jen made the drive from VA Beach to be with us during labor and for Ronan's birth! It means more than you'll ever know, Jennifer!

Mom Gail! Indispensable! We love you so much, we appreciate everything you did last week and are always thrilled to have you involved in your grandchildren's births!

One more VERY important "Thank You" goes to my dear friend, Corina, who has made us two fabulous, delicious, wonderful, more-than-we-could-ask-for meals that have totally blown us away! You are a truly amazing friend and you are cherished! Thank you so much!




























- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad