Future Midwife?

The answer to this question was a quick and firm, "No." Will has attended every single midwife appt with me and it might beg one to wonder if he has been inspired at all by this amazing work. The answer that I got yesterday was that he doesn't want to be a midwife someday and that midwives always seem to talk about "gross things" like urine checks and rectal swabbing or cervixes and uteruses and he is just not into it. He does seem pretty certain that he wants to be a scientist though which is a farcry from his earlier career choice working in the Cuban food stand down the street!

Playing at the Park

Will and his buddy walking to the park. Apparently Will told his friend that he had guns at his house and a television. These were the first things his friend asked him when he came over and Will had to sheepishly admit that he did not have either one of those things! I'm grateful that his friends mother still allowed her son to come over despite the promised activities!

Watermelon

We finally made it to the last stretch! You can see by the photo that I'm clearly sporting a 70 pound belly. Strangely, I can still fit into my pre-pregnancy yoga pants but this belly is just getting further and further out. You can imagine then why I feel so heavy and low like I'm being stretched to the breaking point. I don't think two pregnancies would be much more different than these in the way that I have carried the baby. With Will I was enormous everywhere but this little one just seems to be putting everything into the belly.

Murphy

I've nicknamed this little guy Murphy because he really has epitomized Murphy's Law in so many ways. Things haven't been disastrous by any means but I have been definitely challenged by all kinds of circumstances and expectation pitfalls.

In the end I'm sure I'll look back on it all and see that Murphy helped bring me and our family to a better place but the past nine months have been hard and the future does not seem clear from where I am right now.

I have to laugh because I was supposed to go to Portland yesterday with my colleagues which I chose not to do and sure enough I had raging cramps for most of the day and into the night. Had I been in Portland there would have been some kind of drama for sure.

Mariners Kids Day

Paul and Will went to the Mariners game today. I did not realize that blue cotton candy was involved until I saw the photos. It appears that he enjoyed that special treat!

Guitar Recital

Then and Now

I am going to try my darndest to find a photo of myself when I was pregnant with Will because it is very true that I was in fact, MUCH LARGER the first time around. This pregnancy I've held a steady 60 pounds above weight as opposed to the 80 pounds and counting the first time around. I had just massive arms, thick face, and the biggest widest load out front you could ever imagine. My thighs rubbed together and I waddled at snails pace around town.

This time around I really feel like I have a big basketball out front. The width isn't so impressive as much as the conical ball-like shape of the belly. The baby has his little bottom just pushing out just above the navel so there truly is a ball shape to my belly.

My prediction is that this baby is not going to be as big as Will either. We'll see....

1. I predict around 8 pounds.
2. Paul thinks 8 pounds 4 oz.
3. Will thinks he'll be 9 pounds.

Mandarin, Reminding Us That He Was Our First Baby

Ever since I got the baby's room all set up Mandarin has been found sleeping on just about every single item... he loves to curl up in the bouncy chair but also loves the sheepskin mat, baby blankets, tucking into drawers or bins of clothing, etc. Paul said the other night that we'd better hope this baby is not allergic to cats because Mandarin's presence is pretty strong already!

Poor little guy has also been diagnosed with diabetes in his advanced age of 13 years. As with so many things I attribute this to diet and have switched him from kibble food (full of "fillers") to an all meat diet. It has been a miraculous transformation to see this old guy suddenly acting spry, losing weight, and boasting a shiny soft coat. He seems to love his food (particularly the game birds like quail and duck) and the outward signs of diabetes (excessive drinking and urinating) are gone. We have our fingers crossed that further blood tests will signal that things have cleared because insulin and medical care for this issue is incredibly expensive.

Blessingway

Last night was the Blessingway that I have been looking forward to for so long. I can't believe the time came, the basement was finished, the baby nearly here, and all the elements were able to fall into place. Here are the elements that Kimberly and Kim helped bring about:

1. Bird/Tree Quilt with Appliqued Leaves/Blessings for baby from guests. Kimberly created this and I'll post a picture once it is finished.

2. Planting of seeds for baby 1) little pot of Cosmos from guests 2) seed bombs sent home with guests

3. Sage Smudge

4. Birthing foods like cervix cake!

5. Foot bath

6. Birth Beads with blessings for mama wired to branch as focal point for labor

7. Laying on of hands for blessing and taking away fears (votive candles)

8. Gifts for mama

9. Placenta bowl

10. Sharing of birth story for baby #1 and sharing of hopes for second

Kimberly had the wonderful idea to wire the birth beads to a branch or wand. I added the bird family and voila, a focal point for labor!

Will's drawing of me and the baby laying on a pillow with a matching endowment of pubic hair.

Seed Grenades passed to guests on their way home.

Will helped design the placenta bowl. "For Baby's First and Finest Attire" and then we all signed the bottom. The little green blob between my legs is my endowment of pubic hair apparently!

Jennifer Mason's "Crazy" quilt made from vintage/retro style fabrics.

The Cervix Cake! This seriously was the element to the Blessingway that I was most looking forward to. I just love the idea of "birth" foods and the cervix cake is just a marvel! Laura is an amazing baker who put together a chocolate chunk chocolate cake with pink frosting and a crowning baby head in the middle made from marzipan!

The Food: Cervix Cake, Two Different Apple Pies, Pineapple Coconut Salad, Tossed Salad in Kim's Placenta Bowl, Curried Deviled Eggs, Corn and Bean Salad, Tortilla Chips with Mango Avocado Salsa, Cheese Curds, Dates, Cheese platter with bread and crackers, Iced Jasmine Green Tea, Assortment of Seltzers, Pesto Rice Pasta and Asparagus Leek Soup (on stove).

The Women: Clare, Nauko, Kim (and Karson), Laura, Susanne, Me, Silje, Jennifer and Kimberly

36 Weeks

Easter Sunday

We had another Easter Egg Hunt with neighborhood kids today. We are continually amazed by how many kids there are in the neighborhood. It sounds like we might all finally get organized and start up a neighborhood yahoo group so we can do more outings and playdates together.