I love this song... simply because it speaks about worship being more than a feeling...more than something that happens outwardly. But sometimes by going through the motions of just simply speaking (or singing) out loud WHO GOD IS - and lifting our hands in surrender - we gain victory over doubt, fear, circumstances, and the principalities of darkness!
And this is an incredible testimony of just that :)
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Finally - some pictures!
Ok, it's been a while since I posted any pictures, so now you get a plethora of them! No pictures of the house yet...those will come later.
Bella helping mommy out, by feeding Balian :)
While we were in Louisiana, Bella and Balian were able to see their very first snow (yes, Bella is 2.5 and had never seen snow...sleet, yes...but not snow)
Balian smiled for us on November 1 - two days before we left Georgia :)
Here we are outside of our house in Georgia, just before leaving it
:(
Bella helping mommy out, by feeding Balian :)While we were in Louisiana, Bella and Balian were able to see their very first snow (yes, Bella is 2.5 and had never seen snow...sleet, yes...but not snow)
This was when it started snowing.
And this is what was made the morning after... (however, when Balian was put next to the snowman, he was bigger...keep that in mind. still fun though!)
Bella enjoying the snow - she didn't want to go back inside!
Balian bundled up to see the snow - only this time, no flinching from snowflakes landing on his nose and eye-lashes.
This is what we saw coming into Granbury as a family. Welcome to Texas :)
And I was finally able to take some pictures of the kids the other day, because it was beautiful outside!!
Beautiful Bella...
And here's Balian (now 14 weeks) - check out the cheeks!!
And Big News: Balian Rolled over for real on Monday!! He was hating tummy time, so I started putting him on a pillow for tummy time on Saturday - and he loved it...and started rolling off of it - so Monday, I put him on the floor to see if he could do it totally on his own, and he did! He's done it a lot since then - so much fun!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Where Did We Go?
Ok, so it's been about 2 months since I blogged. Is it seriously almost Christmas? Time flies when life is crazy :)
Here's a recap of what has been going on the past 2 months:
October 30 - Neil's last day of Active Duty.
November 2- packed up to go to Louisiana
November 3 - left for Louisiana to stay with Neil's parents until Neil got a job and we knew where we were headed. Drove from Kingsland, GA to Gulf Shores, AL to stay with Aunt Linda and Uncle Jeff for a night. A normally 7-hr. drive took 10.5 hours.
November 4 - Arrive in Louisiana at Neil's parents' house - 7 hour drive took about 11 hours. :)
November 6 - Neil flies out of Alexandria, LA to go back to Georgia to take care of getting the house ready to put up for rent.
November 11 - Neil flies out to Texas.
November 12 - Neil interviews for a mechanical engineering position for Luminant at the Commanche Peak nuclear power plant in Glen Rose. Then, flies back to GA to finish up with everything.
The week of November 16 - roofers, painters, and setting stuff up with the realtor.
November 23 - Neil receives a phone offer from Luminant for the Mechanical Engineering position...and accepts!! Also, pictures taken of the house, keys given to the realtor, and Neil leaves to go back to Louisiana, stopping in Gulf Shores on the way.
November 24 - After spending some time on the way with Brent and Michelle Sawyer, Neil arrives in Louisiana at his parents' house again.
November 26 - Thanksgiving
December 2 - Neil left for a house-hunting trip to Texas and also signs the official offer from Luminant.
December 3 - House-hunting (looking for a rental) with my parents and realtor.
December 4 - put in an offer on a house to buy...found one that was for rent or to buy...older home, outdated on the inside, but solid construction...great price because of being outdated...we offered $9,000 less than what they asked (after taking into consideration how much it would cost us to update the inside) and they accepted the offer! Great neighborhood in Granbury.
Also, we heard that our house was going to be rented out. yay!
December 5 - Neil drives back to Louisiana from Texas.
December 8 - pack up the rest of our stuff in Louisiana.
December 9 - leave for Texas. Balian and I start out early...Neil and Bella start a little later and catch up to us on the Granbury side of Ft. Worth...and we caravan the rest of the way. We stayed at a hotel that night...not much sleep...the newborn wakes up the toddler...the toddler wakes up the newborn...not fun :(
December 10 - Realtor drops off keys to the house, we get all the information we need to be able to get into the neighborhood and we get into the house! My mom and dad come over with air mattresses, pots and pans, etc. to help us get by until the movers come.
December 11 - Neil leaves to go to Shreveport for Drill
December 12 & 13 - Drill
December 13 - Neil gets back.
December 16 - Internet Access and phone! woohoo!
I know most of this is what Neil was doing...so what was I doing? Taking care of the kiddos...easier said than done. This entire time, Balian has only been going 2-2.5 hrs. between feedings during the day...he just hasn't been sleeping well during the day. At night, he's great, doing one big stretch between feedings - anywhere from 7-11 hours. But not so much daytime...and eating has still been taking about an hour. ridiculous. All of this leaves not much time for anyone but Balian...cutting out on my time with Bella - and forget about any time to myself!
Since we've been here, he's been doing a little better during the day...he's eating a bit faster (sometimes) and we've been blessed with some 3-hour stretches during the day and we LOVE those! :)
Bella is adapting well - she loves her new room and new house, and surprisingly never really asks about our old house. She asks about people all the time, but not the house.
I'll post pictures of the kiddos and the house next time around...so look for it soon!
Here's a recap of what has been going on the past 2 months:
October 30 - Neil's last day of Active Duty.
November 2- packed up to go to Louisiana
November 3 - left for Louisiana to stay with Neil's parents until Neil got a job and we knew where we were headed. Drove from Kingsland, GA to Gulf Shores, AL to stay with Aunt Linda and Uncle Jeff for a night. A normally 7-hr. drive took 10.5 hours.
November 4 - Arrive in Louisiana at Neil's parents' house - 7 hour drive took about 11 hours. :)
November 6 - Neil flies out of Alexandria, LA to go back to Georgia to take care of getting the house ready to put up for rent.
November 11 - Neil flies out to Texas.
November 12 - Neil interviews for a mechanical engineering position for Luminant at the Commanche Peak nuclear power plant in Glen Rose. Then, flies back to GA to finish up with everything.
The week of November 16 - roofers, painters, and setting stuff up with the realtor.
November 23 - Neil receives a phone offer from Luminant for the Mechanical Engineering position...and accepts!! Also, pictures taken of the house, keys given to the realtor, and Neil leaves to go back to Louisiana, stopping in Gulf Shores on the way.
November 24 - After spending some time on the way with Brent and Michelle Sawyer, Neil arrives in Louisiana at his parents' house again.
November 26 - Thanksgiving
December 2 - Neil left for a house-hunting trip to Texas and also signs the official offer from Luminant.
December 3 - House-hunting (looking for a rental) with my parents and realtor.
December 4 - put in an offer on a house to buy...found one that was for rent or to buy...older home, outdated on the inside, but solid construction...great price because of being outdated...we offered $9,000 less than what they asked (after taking into consideration how much it would cost us to update the inside) and they accepted the offer! Great neighborhood in Granbury.
Also, we heard that our house was going to be rented out. yay!
December 5 - Neil drives back to Louisiana from Texas.
December 8 - pack up the rest of our stuff in Louisiana.
December 9 - leave for Texas. Balian and I start out early...Neil and Bella start a little later and catch up to us on the Granbury side of Ft. Worth...and we caravan the rest of the way. We stayed at a hotel that night...not much sleep...the newborn wakes up the toddler...the toddler wakes up the newborn...not fun :(
December 10 - Realtor drops off keys to the house, we get all the information we need to be able to get into the neighborhood and we get into the house! My mom and dad come over with air mattresses, pots and pans, etc. to help us get by until the movers come.
December 11 - Neil leaves to go to Shreveport for Drill
December 12 & 13 - Drill
December 13 - Neil gets back.
December 16 - Internet Access and phone! woohoo!
I know most of this is what Neil was doing...so what was I doing? Taking care of the kiddos...easier said than done. This entire time, Balian has only been going 2-2.5 hrs. between feedings during the day...he just hasn't been sleeping well during the day. At night, he's great, doing one big stretch between feedings - anywhere from 7-11 hours. But not so much daytime...and eating has still been taking about an hour. ridiculous. All of this leaves not much time for anyone but Balian...cutting out on my time with Bella - and forget about any time to myself!
Since we've been here, he's been doing a little better during the day...he's eating a bit faster (sometimes) and we've been blessed with some 3-hour stretches during the day and we LOVE those! :)
Bella is adapting well - she loves her new room and new house, and surprisingly never really asks about our old house. She asks about people all the time, but not the house.
I'll post pictures of the kiddos and the house next time around...so look for it soon!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Here's my big sister - she's such a Diva... She's a good big sister.she loves to give me hugs, hold me, give me my binky, and gets me my burp cloth - but can you please tell her to stop trying to poke me in the eye?
Here's me on a typical day...now that I have medicine for my tummy...I'm a much happier camper :)
Check out my post-bath hair - am I cool or what? Yup...didn't go back down until my next bath when mommy made sure to brush my hair flat. :)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
2 week check-up (at 3 weeks)
Balian is 3 weeks old today!! It's so hard to believe!
We were supposed to have a 2 week check-up...thanks to Tricare and the Kings Bay Medical Clinic and all of its glory, we had it at 3 weeks instead. :/
So here's how it went:
weight: 7 lbs. 5 oz.
He's back up to his birth weight exactly. The doctor would have preferred that he was back up to his birth weight a week ago...but she wasn't TOO concerned, because he is gaining steadily...just slower than she would like him to. He did lose a lot of weight at the beginning though, so he had some catching up to do. His last appointment was almost exactly 2 weeks ago, where he weighed 6 lbs. 14 oz. So, he's gaining about 1/2 an ounce per day, which is normal (average weight gain is 1/2 oz to an ounce per day).
other stuff (related to the above):
The doctor was asking me questions about Balian spitting up, etc...checking to see if reflux was a concern. Honestly, up to that point, I hadn't really thought about it. I told her that yeah, he spit up...that it usually happened when he was being burped...but it wasn't a lot at a time...but I had noticed that it was kinda chunky, rather than just liquid.
She seemed concerned when I mentioned the chunky factor. She asked if it seemed to bother him at all... and I hadn't really noticed his fussiness being related to the spitting up, so I said no, not really. I told her that the biggest problem we were having was getting him down to sleep. (He has seemed to get over-tired super easily...and never really having any wake-time...will get fussy pretty much right after eating, so we'd try putting him to bed..and it would take forever...what gives?)
Doc said that we didn't have to do anything about it today, but that she was a little concerned and that I should watch it and see if we needed to give him medicine for reflux later on.
well, wouldn't you know that we came home today after going to the doctor, and it was one of the worst "fussy" days we've had...and we've had a lot of fussy days. After talking to the doctor, I started picking up on some things going on.
1. the more up-right of a position I have him in to feed him, the better he eats. (ex: eats better in football hold with body tilted downward than in cradle hold lying across the Boppy)
2. the spitting up isn't just after feeding him - it can happen an hour or 2 after feeding him...
3. lying him down for a nap has been almost impossible - he's content in his bouncer, or when held upright on our shoulders...but the minute we put him down, he's screaming inconsolably, even if he was in the process of entering dreamland when we lie him down. If he's totally asleep when we lie him down, he usually will wake up about 10-15 minutes later, screaming....and try as we may all the tricks in the book, it will either take about an hour to get him down, or we can't get him down at all...and the screaming goes from "something is wrong" to "I'm hungry" and the cycle continues...
he didn't sleep good. so then he doesn't eat especially great... and that goes over and over again throughout the entire day. He'll usually get one really good nap in a day...probably simply because he's so tired he can't function.
For some reason, he does better at night. I'm at a loss as to why... perhaps pure exhaustion?
4. thinking it's gas, I've given him tons of mylicon (and we've tried Gripe Water too), and it hasn't done a lick of good. I've said over and over "why the heck am I giving this stuff to him if it isn't doing a darn thing?"
So, I took out my trusty book "The Baby Whisperer solves all your problems" and looked up the section on Gas, Colic, and Reflux. It explains what each one is, how to tell if your baby has it, and what to do about it. Well, reading the section on Reflux hit the hammer on the nail for Balian. Amazing how hard it is to see something that is right in front of your face...when you don't know what you're looking for.
So tomorrow, I'm calling and leaving a message for Balian's doctor "Yup, we'll take that medicine now, thanks!"
Hopefully once his tummy is feeling better, he can sleep better, and eat better, and actually get some wake-time...and get on an all-together better routine...and start gaining more weight too :)
We were supposed to have a 2 week check-up...thanks to Tricare and the Kings Bay Medical Clinic and all of its glory, we had it at 3 weeks instead. :/
So here's how it went:
weight: 7 lbs. 5 oz.
He's back up to his birth weight exactly. The doctor would have preferred that he was back up to his birth weight a week ago...but she wasn't TOO concerned, because he is gaining steadily...just slower than she would like him to. He did lose a lot of weight at the beginning though, so he had some catching up to do. His last appointment was almost exactly 2 weeks ago, where he weighed 6 lbs. 14 oz. So, he's gaining about 1/2 an ounce per day, which is normal (average weight gain is 1/2 oz to an ounce per day).
other stuff (related to the above):
The doctor was asking me questions about Balian spitting up, etc...checking to see if reflux was a concern. Honestly, up to that point, I hadn't really thought about it. I told her that yeah, he spit up...that it usually happened when he was being burped...but it wasn't a lot at a time...but I had noticed that it was kinda chunky, rather than just liquid.
She seemed concerned when I mentioned the chunky factor. She asked if it seemed to bother him at all... and I hadn't really noticed his fussiness being related to the spitting up, so I said no, not really. I told her that the biggest problem we were having was getting him down to sleep. (He has seemed to get over-tired super easily...and never really having any wake-time...will get fussy pretty much right after eating, so we'd try putting him to bed..and it would take forever...what gives?)
Doc said that we didn't have to do anything about it today, but that she was a little concerned and that I should watch it and see if we needed to give him medicine for reflux later on.
well, wouldn't you know that we came home today after going to the doctor, and it was one of the worst "fussy" days we've had...and we've had a lot of fussy days. After talking to the doctor, I started picking up on some things going on.
1. the more up-right of a position I have him in to feed him, the better he eats. (ex: eats better in football hold with body tilted downward than in cradle hold lying across the Boppy)
2. the spitting up isn't just after feeding him - it can happen an hour or 2 after feeding him...
3. lying him down for a nap has been almost impossible - he's content in his bouncer, or when held upright on our shoulders...but the minute we put him down, he's screaming inconsolably, even if he was in the process of entering dreamland when we lie him down. If he's totally asleep when we lie him down, he usually will wake up about 10-15 minutes later, screaming....and try as we may all the tricks in the book, it will either take about an hour to get him down, or we can't get him down at all...and the screaming goes from "something is wrong" to "I'm hungry" and the cycle continues...
he didn't sleep good. so then he doesn't eat especially great... and that goes over and over again throughout the entire day. He'll usually get one really good nap in a day...probably simply because he's so tired he can't function.
For some reason, he does better at night. I'm at a loss as to why... perhaps pure exhaustion?
4. thinking it's gas, I've given him tons of mylicon (and we've tried Gripe Water too), and it hasn't done a lick of good. I've said over and over "why the heck am I giving this stuff to him if it isn't doing a darn thing?"
So, I took out my trusty book "The Baby Whisperer solves all your problems" and looked up the section on Gas, Colic, and Reflux. It explains what each one is, how to tell if your baby has it, and what to do about it. Well, reading the section on Reflux hit the hammer on the nail for Balian. Amazing how hard it is to see something that is right in front of your face...when you don't know what you're looking for.
So tomorrow, I'm calling and leaving a message for Balian's doctor "Yup, we'll take that medicine now, thanks!"
Hopefully once his tummy is feeling better, he can sleep better, and eat better, and actually get some wake-time...and get on an all-together better routine...and start gaining more weight too :)
Monday, September 21, 2009
Update and Pictures!
I'm writing this on Friday, the 25th, even though it says monday, the 21st. o well...
Balian had his first doctor's appointment on Monday.
He's gained some weight, which is always good. His birth weight was 7 lbs. 5 oz. When we left the hospital, he had lost about 8.5% of his birth weight and was down to 6 lbs. 11 oz. Well, now he weighed in at 6 lbs. 14 oz. - gaining about 2% of his weight back.
The weight gain is added encouragement that breast feeding is going a million times better this time around. I already knew from other things (stronger suck, better latch-on, lots of swallowing, lack of soarness on my part, etc.) that feeding was much better than with Bella (seriously...it's like night and day - totally different), but knowing that he is gaining weight makes me that much more confident.
Sleep-wise, Balian has been doing awesome the past couple of days. He seems to be getting on a pretty good schedule - eating every 2-3 hours during the day (usually 2.5 to 3), and at night, he's been going 4.5 to 5 hours between feedings...so only waking up once during the night, really...and usually I have to wake him up after 5 hours for his middle of the night feeding, just so that it doesn't affect my milk supply too much. crazy. We've been having trouble getting him down for naps during the day, but today seemed to go much better.
Me - I'm feeling pretty good. Tired, just as all new moms are. I try to get one really good nap in every day. I definitely have had some emotional roller coasters at times, but I'm dealing. I'm trying to walk more, which is helping me to not go TOO stir-crazy.
I swelled up pretty bad starting the day after having Balian, but as of yesterday, I think it's almost gone. I can see my ankles again, and my face doesn't look so much like a chipmunk. As far as other pain, I'm doing really good. After having gone through both options of episiotomy vs. no episiotomy - I have to say that no episiotomy is the way to go. I had one with Bella and I was hurting for WEEKS - this time, I didn't have one and I was feeling better after only about 3 or 4 days. Maybe too much information, but just a little FYI.
Bella - she's doing pretty good. She's been "crying over spilled milk" so to speak - small things are incredibly more dramatic - and seem almost tragic to her at times. so, whinier, and she cries more... and is begging for more attention from Mommy. I'm doing my best to give her undivided attention at least once or twice a day when Balian is asleep. She's learning how to be "gentle" as well. She wants to help out a lot, but she's learing the boundaries...how to pat his back gently...how to give him his binky...how to rock the moses basket gently, etc... She does love her little brother to pieces though...it's just learning how to show that love better. :)
ok, now for what you really want...PICTURES!! see the slideshow below (or above...not really sure how this will come out)!!
Balian had his first doctor's appointment on Monday.
He's gained some weight, which is always good. His birth weight was 7 lbs. 5 oz. When we left the hospital, he had lost about 8.5% of his birth weight and was down to 6 lbs. 11 oz. Well, now he weighed in at 6 lbs. 14 oz. - gaining about 2% of his weight back.
The weight gain is added encouragement that breast feeding is going a million times better this time around. I already knew from other things (stronger suck, better latch-on, lots of swallowing, lack of soarness on my part, etc.) that feeding was much better than with Bella (seriously...it's like night and day - totally different), but knowing that he is gaining weight makes me that much more confident.
Sleep-wise, Balian has been doing awesome the past couple of days. He seems to be getting on a pretty good schedule - eating every 2-3 hours during the day (usually 2.5 to 3), and at night, he's been going 4.5 to 5 hours between feedings...so only waking up once during the night, really...and usually I have to wake him up after 5 hours for his middle of the night feeding, just so that it doesn't affect my milk supply too much. crazy. We've been having trouble getting him down for naps during the day, but today seemed to go much better.
Me - I'm feeling pretty good. Tired, just as all new moms are. I try to get one really good nap in every day. I definitely have had some emotional roller coasters at times, but I'm dealing. I'm trying to walk more, which is helping me to not go TOO stir-crazy.
I swelled up pretty bad starting the day after having Balian, but as of yesterday, I think it's almost gone. I can see my ankles again, and my face doesn't look so much like a chipmunk. As far as other pain, I'm doing really good. After having gone through both options of episiotomy vs. no episiotomy - I have to say that no episiotomy is the way to go. I had one with Bella and I was hurting for WEEKS - this time, I didn't have one and I was feeling better after only about 3 or 4 days. Maybe too much information, but just a little FYI.
Bella - she's doing pretty good. She's been "crying over spilled milk" so to speak - small things are incredibly more dramatic - and seem almost tragic to her at times. so, whinier, and she cries more... and is begging for more attention from Mommy. I'm doing my best to give her undivided attention at least once or twice a day when Balian is asleep. She's learning how to be "gentle" as well. She wants to help out a lot, but she's learing the boundaries...how to pat his back gently...how to give him his binky...how to rock the moses basket gently, etc... She does love her little brother to pieces though...it's just learning how to show that love better. :)
ok, now for what you really want...PICTURES!! see the slideshow below (or above...not really sure how this will come out)!!
Friday, September 18, 2009
We're home!!
Hey everyone!
Well, we got home from the hospital Thursday morning about 11am. They have been releasing most people after about 24 hours lately, to get them home, but we needed to stay a bit extra.
Because of the fast delivery, Balian had a lot of fluid in his lungs. He was coughing it all up on his own beautifully, but because of all that fluid, he wasn't eating very often at all - like he had so much gunk in him that he was already too full to eat! At one point, he went about 14 hours without eating - even though I offered it to him many, many times when he was WIDE awake. So, they wanted to make sure that the gunk got out, and he started eating well before he left.
Balian also had an x-ray done on his skull. There was a spot on it that they were concerned about, but turns out it was just a bruise on his skull, again, most likely because of the fast labor.
Since we've been home, we haven't had any problems. He's eating very well (every 2.5-3 hours)and hasn't had to spit up any fluid, so we're happy about that.
Bella has been adjusting pretty nicely. She's a bit more whiney than normal - and was testing her limits with me yesterday - but that's to be expected. She wants to help out all the time, and if Balian is crying, she goes up to him, strokes his head, and says "it's ok, Balian". She always wants to give him his Binky, or his blanket, or whatever else she can find...even when he's sleeping...
I think she'll learn soon enough.
Anyway, Just wanted to update. I'll post some new pictures later on when I have a bit more time.
Well, we got home from the hospital Thursday morning about 11am. They have been releasing most people after about 24 hours lately, to get them home, but we needed to stay a bit extra.
Because of the fast delivery, Balian had a lot of fluid in his lungs. He was coughing it all up on his own beautifully, but because of all that fluid, he wasn't eating very often at all - like he had so much gunk in him that he was already too full to eat! At one point, he went about 14 hours without eating - even though I offered it to him many, many times when he was WIDE awake. So, they wanted to make sure that the gunk got out, and he started eating well before he left.
Balian also had an x-ray done on his skull. There was a spot on it that they were concerned about, but turns out it was just a bruise on his skull, again, most likely because of the fast labor.
Since we've been home, we haven't had any problems. He's eating very well (every 2.5-3 hours)and hasn't had to spit up any fluid, so we're happy about that.
Bella has been adjusting pretty nicely. She's a bit more whiney than normal - and was testing her limits with me yesterday - but that's to be expected. She wants to help out all the time, and if Balian is crying, she goes up to him, strokes his head, and says "it's ok, Balian". She always wants to give him his Binky, or his blanket, or whatever else she can find...even when he's sleeping...
I think she'll learn soon enough.
Anyway, Just wanted to update. I'll post some new pictures later on when I have a bit more time.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
2:15 pm - Nurse came in to check Pam and she was dialated to 8cm. Nurse went to get another nurse and call the Doctor in and when the nurse came back in Pam had rolled to her side to relieve some pressure and Balian's head was out, before the nurse could get a second glove on he was here:
2:22 pm
7lbs 5oz
20 1/2 inches long
Happy Birthday Balian!!!!
I will post pics as soon as I get them.
2:22 pm
7lbs 5oz
20 1/2 inches long
Happy Birthday Balian!!!!
I will post pics as soon as I get them.
Inducing Today!!
It's about 5:45 am, and I'm anxiously waiting 15 more minutes before we leave for the hospital. I'm set to be induced at 6:30am.
Neil hasn't been feeling up to par the past couple of days, so pray that they don't kick him out of the delivery room!
All I know is that when I show up, they're going to get me hooked up to the monitors, etc... and eventually start giving me Pitocin.
I'm hoping for the lowest dosage possible...and hoping that's all I need. we'll see how stubborn this little one is...
My sister, Jessica, will be updating my blog throughout the day - even possibly posting Balian's first picture - so stay tuned!!
Neil hasn't been feeling up to par the past couple of days, so pray that they don't kick him out of the delivery room!
All I know is that when I show up, they're going to get me hooked up to the monitors, etc... and eventually start giving me Pitocin.
I'm hoping for the lowest dosage possible...and hoping that's all I need. we'll see how stubborn this little one is...
My sister, Jessica, will be updating my blog throughout the day - even possibly posting Balian's first picture - so stay tuned!!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
On the non-baby side of things...
I know I've taken up tons of blog space talking about the new baby, and haven't updated on Bella or the rest of us very much.
Well, this past Saturday, we decided to relax, but do something fun as a family...taking advantage of the time we have before the new little one arrives. So, we decided to go the St. Marys Aquatic Center. It was a beautiful day - maybe a little TOO nice, since the water was pretty cool... but Bella had fun, and that's really all that counts.
Here's a pic of the Aquatic Center's kid's play area:
and of course, there were times that "lil' miss independent" came out - like here, where's she's saying "No, Mommy, Stay BACK!"
Well, this past Saturday, we decided to relax, but do something fun as a family...taking advantage of the time we have before the new little one arrives. So, we decided to go the St. Marys Aquatic Center. It was a beautiful day - maybe a little TOO nice, since the water was pretty cool... but Bella had fun, and that's really all that counts.
Here's a pic of the Aquatic Center's kid's play area:
The big bucket on top fills up with water and then turns over and splashes everything about every 2.5 - 3 minutes. Bella was not a fan. She kept saying "I don't like the big bucket" and refused to go on any of the slides, for fear of all the water tumbling down on her. poor thing. and every time we tried to "help" her get up the courage to play on the slides...low and behold, the bucket would dump, and all was lost...
She really likes the lazy river though :)
most of her time was spend just wading in the shallow water of the kiddy area:
and of course, there were times that "lil' miss independent" came out - like here, where's she's saying "No, Mommy, Stay BACK!"yes, we have entered the rhelm of sassiness. Joy. I wonder if she'll be like her mama as a teenager...let's hope not.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Doctor Update
so...this afternoon was a pretty interesting/stressful doctor's visit.
1. I'm 38 weeks and 3 days at this point.
2. no change...still 2 cm and 50% effaced.
3. Inducing Update: The earliest they can do it is next Tuesday, Sept. 15. Apparently, according to "Standard of Care" they can't do an induction even a day earlier than 39 weeks...then, the hospital has regulations that they can't do one on the weekend...and guess what? they're booked for Monday...so, that leaves us with Tuesday.
So...we'll see what happens between now and then.
4. The Good news: My doctor is on call this weekend, should I go into labor :)
5. Now, for the bad news: The flu and the swine flu have been pretty bad here. I already knew this, because Neil had told me about reported cases on base...and some of those have been on HIS BOAT! Anyway, because of this, and because of updated statistics that have shown that there have been infant, new mama, and pregnant mama deaths because of the craziness (they are some of the highest at-risk for mortality due to the flu/ swine flu).
what this means:
a. No children are allowed in the maternity ward (meaning, Bella can't come see her baby brother in the hospital)
b. I won't be able to have any visitors other than Neil, and MAYBE ONE other person.
c. they may release us after 24 hours, rather than the 48 that is usually governed by GA state law - so that the baby can be in a less risky environment.
d. they are suggesting limited people come to the house once released, and they don't want moms and babies to leave the house for 6 weeks! no walmart, no church, no nothing.
e. I need to get a flu shot.
Neil's main concern is the fact that there are cases on the boat. He's not really sure what to do about it.
so...
1. Pray for the labor to go smoothly, and that it happens in God's right timing - even if that right timing is Tuesday for an induction.
2. Pray for protection over Neil, myself, and our little one when he comes.
I know that God has us covered. I know that He is our Protector, our Shelter, our Refuge, and our Strength.
I feel like everyday I'm fighting more and more to not be anxious about anything, but I'm trying to give it to the Lord every time my thoughts are consumed by the "what ifs."
May He give us PEACE which passes every bit of our understanding.
I know He will. And I'm standing on those promises!
1. I'm 38 weeks and 3 days at this point.
2. no change...still 2 cm and 50% effaced.
3. Inducing Update: The earliest they can do it is next Tuesday, Sept. 15. Apparently, according to "Standard of Care" they can't do an induction even a day earlier than 39 weeks...then, the hospital has regulations that they can't do one on the weekend...and guess what? they're booked for Monday...so, that leaves us with Tuesday.
So...we'll see what happens between now and then.
4. The Good news: My doctor is on call this weekend, should I go into labor :)
5. Now, for the bad news: The flu and the swine flu have been pretty bad here. I already knew this, because Neil had told me about reported cases on base...and some of those have been on HIS BOAT! Anyway, because of this, and because of updated statistics that have shown that there have been infant, new mama, and pregnant mama deaths because of the craziness (they are some of the highest at-risk for mortality due to the flu/ swine flu).
what this means:
a. No children are allowed in the maternity ward (meaning, Bella can't come see her baby brother in the hospital)
b. I won't be able to have any visitors other than Neil, and MAYBE ONE other person.
c. they may release us after 24 hours, rather than the 48 that is usually governed by GA state law - so that the baby can be in a less risky environment.
d. they are suggesting limited people come to the house once released, and they don't want moms and babies to leave the house for 6 weeks! no walmart, no church, no nothing.
e. I need to get a flu shot.
Neil's main concern is the fact that there are cases on the boat. He's not really sure what to do about it.
so...
1. Pray for the labor to go smoothly, and that it happens in God's right timing - even if that right timing is Tuesday for an induction.
2. Pray for protection over Neil, myself, and our little one when he comes.
I know that God has us covered. I know that He is our Protector, our Shelter, our Refuge, and our Strength.
I feel like everyday I'm fighting more and more to not be anxious about anything, but I'm trying to give it to the Lord every time my thoughts are consumed by the "what ifs."
May He give us PEACE which passes every bit of our understanding.
I know He will. And I'm standing on those promises!
Friday, September 4, 2009
37 weeks
so, this was a week ago. My friend Ann, from church, asked if she could take pregnancy pictures of me last weekend. She's never done maternity pictures before, and wanted some practice...and wanted to experiment with different things - so I was her guinea pig :) It was a ton of fun! There's tons more pictures that I'll share later on, but here's just one for now to show how big the belly is...
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Doctor visit
Monday I had another OB appointment...so here we go!
1. I'm 37 weeks pregnant - officially full-term!! yeah!!
2. I gained my 1 pound, putting me at 25 lbs. gained - the minimum my doctor wanted me to gain - so that's good.
3. Balian is doing great.
4. Sadly, no progression. I'm still "definitely" 2cm and 50% effaced.
I know that some women progress to a certain point before labor and that's it - until they go into labor. I'm actually amazed that I've progressed at all, considering ALL of my progression with Bella happened in just hours!
As much as I hate sharp pains that almost make me weak in the knees at times, my back hurting almost constantly at this point, and having really painful braxton hicks contractions that keep me up for hours at night sometimes...
I'm actually very happy that he's still in there.
I want him to grow and develop until he's fully ready to come out.
Most importantly though, I know that God's timing is perfect. There's more to it than my comfort level. I think that God is waiting until family can be here for a while to support, take care of, and help us out for a while. And looking at the big picture, that's the best scinario for our entire family. No matter how impatient I may have the tendency to be at times...
5. my next appointment is going to be Tuesday, Sept. 8. I'll be about 38.5 weeks at that point...so I'm sure my doctor and I will be discussing an inducing date, since they want to induce at 39 weeks.
we'll see what happens...
1. I'm 37 weeks pregnant - officially full-term!! yeah!!
2. I gained my 1 pound, putting me at 25 lbs. gained - the minimum my doctor wanted me to gain - so that's good.
3. Balian is doing great.
4. Sadly, no progression. I'm still "definitely" 2cm and 50% effaced.
I know that some women progress to a certain point before labor and that's it - until they go into labor. I'm actually amazed that I've progressed at all, considering ALL of my progression with Bella happened in just hours!
As much as I hate sharp pains that almost make me weak in the knees at times, my back hurting almost constantly at this point, and having really painful braxton hicks contractions that keep me up for hours at night sometimes...
I'm actually very happy that he's still in there.
I want him to grow and develop until he's fully ready to come out.
Most importantly though, I know that God's timing is perfect. There's more to it than my comfort level. I think that God is waiting until family can be here for a while to support, take care of, and help us out for a while. And looking at the big picture, that's the best scinario for our entire family. No matter how impatient I may have the tendency to be at times...
5. my next appointment is going to be Tuesday, Sept. 8. I'll be about 38.5 weeks at that point...so I'm sure my doctor and I will be discussing an inducing date, since they want to induce at 39 weeks.
we'll see what happens...
Friday, August 28, 2009
Hospital update
ok, so we took our first trip to the hospital...and got sent home! :(
About 12am, I woke up because I was hurting. After changing positions, and timing for a while, I called the doctor.
contractions were 5 min. apart, and position change didn't change anything. It was the same whether I was sitting, standing, or lying on my left side. I felt them low and in my back...and my pain level was at about a 5-6 at the height of the contractions. All the ingredients for labor, right?
Doc said to come in, especially given my risk for precipitous labor.
Once at the hospital, the contractions started getting worse. 2.5-3 minutes apart, and were getting harder too - definitely about a 6 in pain. I wouldn't give it any more than that though, because labor with Bella was insane as far as pain goes...and that's what I'm comparing it to.
the nurse checked me, and I was "definitely a 2" but I hadn't effaced any more since my appointment Tuesday. They didn't let me go right away, given the circumstances and risks, so we stayed there for an hour, and after no progression after that hour (even though contractions continued), they sent me home.
Yes, I'd rather be safe than sorry...I'd rather be at the hospital with contractions that aren't doing anything than be at home having a baby because I didn't make it in time...
It's still just frustrating though.
Hopefully, the next time we go to the hospital, it's the real deal.
Who knows when that will be...
About 12am, I woke up because I was hurting. After changing positions, and timing for a while, I called the doctor.
contractions were 5 min. apart, and position change didn't change anything. It was the same whether I was sitting, standing, or lying on my left side. I felt them low and in my back...and my pain level was at about a 5-6 at the height of the contractions. All the ingredients for labor, right?
Doc said to come in, especially given my risk for precipitous labor.
Once at the hospital, the contractions started getting worse. 2.5-3 minutes apart, and were getting harder too - definitely about a 6 in pain. I wouldn't give it any more than that though, because labor with Bella was insane as far as pain goes...and that's what I'm comparing it to.
the nurse checked me, and I was "definitely a 2" but I hadn't effaced any more since my appointment Tuesday. They didn't let me go right away, given the circumstances and risks, so we stayed there for an hour, and after no progression after that hour (even though contractions continued), they sent me home.
Yes, I'd rather be safe than sorry...I'd rather be at the hospital with contractions that aren't doing anything than be at home having a baby because I didn't make it in time...
It's still just frustrating though.
Hopefully, the next time we go to the hospital, it's the real deal.
Who knows when that will be...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Diapers, etc.
So a while back I mentioned that I was making a bunch of diapers, etc. for our new little one. Well, I'm finished with everything (and have been for a little while) - so I thought I'd share.
About 8 Diaper covers - 4 cut to fit the fitted diapers better, and 4 cut to fit prefold diapers better. Here's a cover not closed:
And here's the same cover, closed, with tabs overlapping (in case we have a skinny one again, like Bella was):
A quilt to match the rest of the bedding, etc. that was made before Bella was born:
I already showed pictures of the cloth wipes, Bella's night-time trainers, and the Ring Sling I made, so here's the rest of the diapers and other projects...
I made 12 size NB fitted diapers:
About 8 Diaper covers - 4 cut to fit the fitted diapers better, and 4 cut to fit prefold diapers better. Here's a cover not closed:
And here's the same cover, closed, with tabs overlapping (in case we have a skinny one again, like Bella was):Also, here's a "Hooter Hider" (aka Breastfeeding apron) that I made:
A quilt to match the rest of the bedding, etc. that was made before Bella was born:And just for kicks, here's a picture of the nursery:
Another Update...
Went to the doctor yesterday, and here are the stats:
1. 36 weeks pregnant
2. Balian is doing fabulously. heartbeat good, positioned good, I'm measuring better, and I gained another pound! 24 total so far...I need to gain one more pound before birth, and my doctor will be happy :)
3. Found out I'm GBS positive...again. Not TOO big of a deal. It just means that I have to be on an IV, and they have to try to give me 2 doses of antibiotic between the time I get to the hospital to the time that Balian comes out...easier said than done b/c of the possibility of labor being pretty short...but one dose is better than none. With Bella, they only gave me one dose and we had no problems at all with it.
4. I gave the midwife my birthplan, we went over it, and I feel really good about everything. of course, as always, birthplans are dependent upon how labor is going. Things can always change.
5. Neil was able to meet me at the doctor! woohoo! The first time he's been able to be there. He was able to hear Balian's heartbeat for the first time :)
6. The midwife checked me for dilation again... after only 5 days from my last visit, when I was 1cm and 25% effaced... I'm NOW "not quite 2cm" and 50% effaced. I knew those sharp pains in the pelvic bone, Balian pushing down on me, and forever long braxton hicks were doing something...
7. I'll be 37 weeks on Saturday, and my next appointment is on Monday. It would be fabulous to at least make it to Saturday, if not to my next appointment. I'd feel much better about 37 weeks.
I've been anxious lately. There's so many unknowns and so many seemingly possible risks. But I'm trusting God, knowing that He already knows what will happen - both the good and the bad - and I know that no matter what, He'll be taking care of us. It gives me comfort to know that nothing surprises Him. In the meantime, I'm praying for wisdom for Neil and I for when the time comes. For me to know when to take action, to make calls, and to go to the hospital. And for Neil - the wisdom to help me get through it all.
1. 36 weeks pregnant
2. Balian is doing fabulously. heartbeat good, positioned good, I'm measuring better, and I gained another pound! 24 total so far...I need to gain one more pound before birth, and my doctor will be happy :)
3. Found out I'm GBS positive...again. Not TOO big of a deal. It just means that I have to be on an IV, and they have to try to give me 2 doses of antibiotic between the time I get to the hospital to the time that Balian comes out...easier said than done b/c of the possibility of labor being pretty short...but one dose is better than none. With Bella, they only gave me one dose and we had no problems at all with it.
4. I gave the midwife my birthplan, we went over it, and I feel really good about everything. of course, as always, birthplans are dependent upon how labor is going. Things can always change.
5. Neil was able to meet me at the doctor! woohoo! The first time he's been able to be there. He was able to hear Balian's heartbeat for the first time :)
6. The midwife checked me for dilation again... after only 5 days from my last visit, when I was 1cm and 25% effaced... I'm NOW "not quite 2cm" and 50% effaced. I knew those sharp pains in the pelvic bone, Balian pushing down on me, and forever long braxton hicks were doing something...
7. I'll be 37 weeks on Saturday, and my next appointment is on Monday. It would be fabulous to at least make it to Saturday, if not to my next appointment. I'd feel much better about 37 weeks.
I've been anxious lately. There's so many unknowns and so many seemingly possible risks. But I'm trusting God, knowing that He already knows what will happen - both the good and the bad - and I know that no matter what, He'll be taking care of us. It gives me comfort to know that nothing surprises Him. In the meantime, I'm praying for wisdom for Neil and I for when the time comes. For me to know when to take action, to make calls, and to go to the hospital. And for Neil - the wisdom to help me get through it all.
Friday, August 21, 2009
OB Update
Here's the stats from my doctor visit yesterday:
1. I'll be 36 weeks on Saturday.
2. I gained some weight! yay!
3. They did the GBS (Group B Strep) test, so I should know those results next week. Last time I was positive, and my labor was so fast they were only able to give me 1 out of the 2 doses of antibiotics you're supposed to get...so Bella and I had to stay in the hospital longer, just in case...but everything was fine.
4. IF I make it to 39 weeks, we have decided that we're ok with me being induced. I did some research on precipitous labor on my own this week. Now I understand more about the rarity (2% of all labors...hardly ever happens with a first child), trends (faster each time), and risks (more risk of tearing, bruising of baby's face, VERY painful, lack of ability to use either natural childbirth education techniques or drugs because of the intensity and short time, and the risk of unassisted home or in-car births that can lead to other problems) of precipitous labors, and therefore why my doctor is so concerned. Now my biggest concern is HOW they do the induction, so that it doesn't make my labor even faster. We'll just have to tackle that one If/when the time comes. I know it all depends on dilation, etc.
4. Speaking of dilation... I'm not even quite 36 weeks... and I'm at 1cm and 25% effaced.
5. My next appointment is tuesday.
Now, it's just a waiting game...
1. I'll be 36 weeks on Saturday.
2. I gained some weight! yay!
3. They did the GBS (Group B Strep) test, so I should know those results next week. Last time I was positive, and my labor was so fast they were only able to give me 1 out of the 2 doses of antibiotics you're supposed to get...so Bella and I had to stay in the hospital longer, just in case...but everything was fine.
4. IF I make it to 39 weeks, we have decided that we're ok with me being induced. I did some research on precipitous labor on my own this week. Now I understand more about the rarity (2% of all labors...hardly ever happens with a first child), trends (faster each time), and risks (more risk of tearing, bruising of baby's face, VERY painful, lack of ability to use either natural childbirth education techniques or drugs because of the intensity and short time, and the risk of unassisted home or in-car births that can lead to other problems) of precipitous labors, and therefore why my doctor is so concerned. Now my biggest concern is HOW they do the induction, so that it doesn't make my labor even faster. We'll just have to tackle that one If/when the time comes. I know it all depends on dilation, etc.
4. Speaking of dilation... I'm not even quite 36 weeks... and I'm at 1cm and 25% effaced.
5. My next appointment is tuesday.
Now, it's just a waiting game...
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Prego update
So I haven't really written a lot of info about this pregnancy, I've realized.
Well, I went to the doctor today, and here's the stats:
1. I'll be 34 weeks on Saturday - Due September 19.
2. I need to gain more weight, apparently. I've only gained 19 lbs. so far, and I haven't really gained any weight since May. They want me to gain at least 25. I gained 30 with Bella. even if I gained a pound per week, and I made it all the way to 40 weeks, that would put me at barely 25 lbs. total weight gain. hm...we'll see how that goes...
3. I'm measuring a bit small (top of pelvic bone to top of uterus). They aren't too concerned about this though, because my ultrasound 2 weeks ago showed that our baby boy is growing wonderfully.
4. Dr. D. wants to induce me at 39 weeks. She's afraid that because of having a precipitous birth (less than 3 hours of labor) with Bella, that I won't make it into the hospital on time with this one. She'd rather induce me a bit early and have my labor under her control than me go naturally and not make it to the hospital in time :) I, however, do NOT want to be induced, and I will find any and every means possible to keep that from happening...I'll start running at 36 or 37 weeks if I have to...do jumping jacks...or find a chiropractor that is skilled in pressure points. of course, he may come before 39 weeks anyway, so we'll just have to see what happens...
...and be ready with a shower curtain if necessary :)
It's just so crazy that I'm going to be having another baby in a matter of weeks!
Ready or not, here he comes!!
oh, and one more thing...names. we have a first name. Neil and I have different ideas about what the middle name should be though. My opinion: Neil chose Bella's entire name AND chose the first name of this baby...I think it's only fair that I get some say in the middle name.
Neil says that back in the day the men named all of the babies... we may just have to wait until he gets here to decide.
Well, I went to the doctor today, and here's the stats:
1. I'll be 34 weeks on Saturday - Due September 19.
2. I need to gain more weight, apparently. I've only gained 19 lbs. so far, and I haven't really gained any weight since May. They want me to gain at least 25. I gained 30 with Bella. even if I gained a pound per week, and I made it all the way to 40 weeks, that would put me at barely 25 lbs. total weight gain. hm...we'll see how that goes...
3. I'm measuring a bit small (top of pelvic bone to top of uterus). They aren't too concerned about this though, because my ultrasound 2 weeks ago showed that our baby boy is growing wonderfully.
4. Dr. D. wants to induce me at 39 weeks. She's afraid that because of having a precipitous birth (less than 3 hours of labor) with Bella, that I won't make it into the hospital on time with this one. She'd rather induce me a bit early and have my labor under her control than me go naturally and not make it to the hospital in time :) I, however, do NOT want to be induced, and I will find any and every means possible to keep that from happening...I'll start running at 36 or 37 weeks if I have to...do jumping jacks...or find a chiropractor that is skilled in pressure points. of course, he may come before 39 weeks anyway, so we'll just have to see what happens...
...and be ready with a shower curtain if necessary :)
It's just so crazy that I'm going to be having another baby in a matter of weeks!
Ready or not, here he comes!!
oh, and one more thing...names. we have a first name. Neil and I have different ideas about what the middle name should be though. My opinion: Neil chose Bella's entire name AND chose the first name of this baby...I think it's only fair that I get some say in the middle name.
Neil says that back in the day the men named all of the babies... we may just have to wait until he gets here to decide.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
New Night-time trainers
So I've decided that during this "nesting" phase of my pregnancy, I'm going to be doing a lot of sewing. I've got a lot planned, and it's going to be a lot of work, but it will keep me from going crazy these next couple of months.
And after finding a good pattern to kinda go off of, and making a couple major improvements to it, I finally successfully made my first pair of night-time trainers for Bella:
Here's the plan:
12 fitted newborn diapers
6 newborn diaper covers
48 cloth wipes
12 pairs of cloth, waterproof, night-time trainers for Bella (like, cloth pull-ups)
Because of the crazy amount of sewing I'm going to be doing, and because I want it to be really good quality (to last through multiple kids), I finally broke down and bought a serger:
So far, I've finished the 48 wipes:
And after finding a good pattern to kinda go off of, and making a couple major improvements to it, I finally successfully made my first pair of night-time trainers for Bella:
I can make them to be pulled-on only (like the ones pictured) or, I can put Aplix (hook and loop, like velcro, only stronger) on the sides to be taken off easily for accidents.
She wore them last night, and they were a success in my book - they didn't leak at ALL, they had a good level of absorbancy to where she could feel the wetness, but she also wasn't sopping when she wet... and they fit good too! YAY! :) Maybe this will help her get trained at night finally.
The first fitted diaper is in the workings...I'm waiting on my Aplix to get here...
I'll post pictures when I get one done.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Cumberland Island
So I posted about Orlando, but never got around to posting about cumberland Island. The day that Neil's parents left us, my parents came to visit for about a week. It was fabulous to be able to spend that much time with them for a change. They have been here twice in the past, once when Bella was born, and once for her first birthday. Both times they were here a grand total of about 2 days. And when I go home to visit, they are usually both working, so I still don't get to see them nearly as much as we did this time around - so wonderful!
Then we headed to the beach. And let me just say, it was the best beach I have ever been to in the States. Of course, the Atlantic coast is much better by far than the Gulf, but this tops all of the local beaches by FAR! better than Fernandina Beach, and better than Jax Beach...and the best part of all, was that because the only way you can get to the island is by boat, there were hardly any people there. :)
We headed back on the 2:45 Ferry - fully content with the amount of time we spent - and promising that we would return sometime soon. :)
The biggest thing we did while they were here was go to Cumberland Island, finally! We've lived here for 3 years and haven't been yet. Isn't it amazing how we never really do the "tourist" stuff where we live unless someone comes to visit? It's just crazy.
We took the Ferry from Downtown St. Marys to Cumberland Island at about 9am. We took a guided tour of all the ruins, and the history behind the island, then stopped to have lunch.
ready for a day of hiking...
some of the ruins...I think this is called the Dutchess.
Just a glimpse of our hike. I learned that Palmettos can survive forest fires, and the trees get all twisty-like because of the winds off the coast. interesting... and beautiful too!
Bella taking a catnap on Daddy's back...
Then we headed to the beach. And let me just say, it was the best beach I have ever been to in the States. Of course, the Atlantic coast is much better by far than the Gulf, but this tops all of the local beaches by FAR! better than Fernandina Beach, and better than Jax Beach...and the best part of all, was that because the only way you can get to the island is by boat, there were hardly any people there. :)Me and my Daddy...
We headed back on the 2:45 Ferry - fully content with the amount of time we spent - and promising that we would return sometime soon. :)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
New Baby Sling
I have a baby sling that I used with Bella. It is from Annabearbabyware.com and it is great. Here's the link to the site:
Next, I'll be working on making a "Hooter Hider"... so check back on that later!
Here's a picture of Bella in the sling the day she came home from the hospital:
My only complaint about this sling is the fact that it wasn't really adjustable at all. It worked great when she was a newborn, because all she did was lay in it anyway. But once she got older and I wanted to hold Bella on my hip with it, it didn't work so much. The top part was always too loose, and I felt like I needed to kinda hold her with my hands, even though I shouldn't have to. I followed the instructions on how to fold it at the shoulder to where it was tighter at the top, but that just wasn't comfortable at all.
Seriously though...I LOVE this sling...this is my only complaint. There are actually some things that I can do with the annabear babyware sling that I probably wouldn't be able to do with any other kind.
However, this time around, I decided to try to find one that was a bit more adjustable.
Funny thing...when I went home for Christmas, there was a lady at my parent's church that had a baby sling that had rings to adjust it - it was awesome! (this was around the time that Neil and I were trying to get pregnant) I asked her where she got it, and she told me that a friend had made it for her. So, I got home and looked around online, and found the Maya Wrap website, which features the Maya Wrap Ring Sling.
The most awesome part is that they feel so confident in their product that they post instructions on how to make one yourself if you're trying to save money! Here's the link:
So... guess what I did?
Instead of it costing around $60 plus shipping for one of these babies, I made mine, and it cost somewhere around $10-12 for 2.5 yards of fabric, thread, and metal rings.
And it is SUPER easy! Yes, I am a very advanced sewer, but it only took me about an hour at most to make. AND - it's so strong, that I can hold Bella on my hip in it, without supporting her with my hands... and she weighs 30 lbs!
Here's the finished product:
I even made a "mini" version for Bella to wear with her baby doll:
Next, I'll be working on making a "Hooter Hider"... so check back on that later!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Orlando
Nana and PopPop (Neil's parents) came to visit the first week of June. They got here saturday night. We spent sunday with them, then on Monday, they stayed at our house with Bella, while Neil and I headed down to Orlando for 2 days to OURSELVES!
Neil and I went to EPCOT that Tuesday.
We ate inside the upstairs of this building at a Hibachi restaurant in "Japan"
And here we are with the Epcot sphere as we were leaving that evening. I love the fabulous stain on my belly...ha. it's starting to get in the way :)
The first thing we did was saw the dolphin show. Bella got really freaked out. It was like when the people went under the water with the dolphins, she was afraid they weren't going to come back up! She warmed up to it all though, and ended up really liking it.
We also saw some sting-rays...
Here's Daddy and Bella at the Sting Rays:
We also saw some Manitees...
And Bella's favorite was the SEA LIONS! She LOVED the show, and we went and looked at all the sea lions for a very long time!
No pictures of Shamoo, but Bella really liked it. She just watched and watched. We almost didn't get to see the show, because of a really bad storm. We were just thankful that we were under cover at just the right time :)
Good time together....good time alone...just good.
Here is the resort we stayed at (taken from the screened-in balcony outside of our room)
Neil and I went to EPCOT that Tuesday.Here, the Jones family traditional picture in "Italy" at Epcot:
Chinese acrobats in "China"
We ate inside the upstairs of this building at a Hibachi restaurant in "Japan"And here we are with the Epcot sphere as we were leaving that evening. I love the fabulous stain on my belly...ha. it's starting to get in the way :) Nana and PopPop came with Bella and met us in Orlando on Wednesday morning. We spent Wednesday and Thursday nights there. On Thursday, ALL of us went to Sea World.
The first thing we did was saw the dolphin show. Bella got really freaked out. It was like when the people went under the water with the dolphins, she was afraid they weren't going to come back up! She warmed up to it all though, and ended up really liking it.We also saw some sting-rays...Here's Daddy and Bella at the Sting Rays: We also saw some Manitees...And Bella's favorite was the SEA LIONS! She LOVED the show, and we went and looked at all the sea lions for a very long time!No pictures of Shamoo, but Bella really liked it. She just watched and watched. We almost didn't get to see the show, because of a really bad storm. We were just thankful that we were under cover at just the right time :)We headed back to our house on Friday, and Nana and PopPop left on Saturday.
Good time together....good time alone...just good.
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