Archive for September, 2008
I had an appointment with my midwife (Erin) yesterday. She says my belly is measuring at 34 cm. (And, for those who don’t know or have never had babies, usually you can judge when the baby is going to get here by the number of centimeters from the top of the uterus to the pubic bone; this number is supposed to correlate with how far along you are. Meaning, I’m supposed to be 34 weeks along.) But, if you’ll look at the calendar, I’m only ’supposed’ to hit 33 weeks tomorrow… my ticker says I hit 33 weeks on Saturday, only based on my ultrasound results.
So I asked Erin about how much stock she takes into measurements, ultrasounds, and the “old wives’ tales”. I was curious to know if she had any predictions about when a mom would go into labor. She said she doesn’t have a crystal ball, fair enough, and she also said that this was my third baby. (Before you give the obvious “duh”, here’s why she said this.) Erin said that when she did her midwifery internship, she would come into the room of a mom in labor and sometimes the (main) attending midwife would give her some sort of sign, letting her know that this was the mom’s third baby. When Erin would see that sign, she and all the other interns would know to throw everything out the window, that whatever was on this mom’s chart for the previous two pregnancies would probably not be seen for this one.
I think it’s pretty funny how on many different levels this is true for this pregnancy -
I have had 2 dreams that this baby is going to be a boy. And, my friend Amanda just had a hilarious dream that she was present for my home birth (and if you know Amanda, you’ll know how much that would freak her out…). She dreamed that her Aunt Connie delivered my baby, after me having just a little stomach pain, and Aunt Connie pulled the baby out from between my legs via a Ziploc freezer bag to announce “Congratulations, it’s a boy!” and then Amanda woke up in a cold sweat.
I have felt so ‘different’ during this pregnancy, which is why I originally thought I was having a boy. I haven’t gained as much weight, I am carrying the baby not too high and not too low (which is great, so I can manhandle the other two!), and I feel like I look better than I did previously. (Be sure and remind me of this in about 6 weeks when I complain about my swollen ankles, ok?) 
I keep attributing feeling good to this time of year, but really, I just feel much more relaxed and calm than I did when pregnant with the other two. The weather has been absolutely beautiful lately, so I’m able to wake up and go outside to enjoy God’s beautiful creation. Plus, I feel much more rested, much more prepared, and much less stressed. (That’s also because I’ve released some responsibilities that were cluttering my life and not allowing me to focus on God and my family.)
But, this could just be because God promises us that no two babies are alike!
“For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.” - Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV)
This is definitely true; no matter what “flavor” this baby is (as Maria says), I know he/she will be different from big brother and big sister. I am so excited to meet her (I’ll keep calling it a “her” until delivery date..) and I can’t wait to hold her in my arms.
September 30th, 2008
Well, not really. We went to California back in July, and I’m just now getting the pictures up. I have 253 of them, but only 165 uploaded and captioned so far. Unless you have absolutely nothing to do, it will probably take a few rounds of viewing before you actually get through them all. So hopefully I’ll have the last 88 up there before you get through them all. Enjoy!
September 29th, 2008
This is the question I am asked At Least once per day. (And it’s not by my sweet hubby, either; he knows better and asks how the kids are doing.) And the answer to this question is best identified in multiple choice:
a. Tired.
b. Good and tired.
c. Exhausted.
d. Never felt better!
e. All of the above.
It depends on the time of day, what I’ve eaten that day, and whether or not the kids have taken naps that day.
Seriously though, this pregnancy has gone by so fast. I can’t believe there’s only about 7 weeks left and I’m trying to enjoy them as best I can. I am still having those pesky little contractions, but they’re minor and go away quickly. I am also still having some heartburn issues, but the baby has dropped quite a bit and it’s better now. My dad (aka my chiropractor) gave me some wonderful enzymes; the bottle is labeled Betaine HCl - Pepcin - Gentian Root Extract. I take 2 of these twice a day (morning and night) and love them, especially since they’re natural and don’t have side effects. The papaya enzymes also help in between.
I guess my main complaint is not being able to sleep well. I’m pretty uncomfortable and can only lie (lay?) on my left side without feeling nauseous. “This too, shall pass,” I know.
I get to take my glucose test on Monday and then we’re going to eat donuts at the new Shipley’s! Midwife’s orders! Wahoo!
(PS - Sorry if I’m a little link happy.)
September 26th, 2008
September 19th - International Talk Like a Pirate Day.
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September 19th, 2008
I started having Braxton-Hicks contractions about a week ago… 31 weeks. Wow. This baby girl will be here before I know it. I am excited and a little nervous, all in the same breath.
Please pray for this home birth. I know it will be wonderful and I have so much peace about it all turning out wonderfully. I do want Alicia to be there, but she’ll have to drive at least 2 hours to get here, since she’s at TCC now. She’ll love being able to see how the human body works during labor. I’m keeping her away from a camera though, so she won’t be able to show her friends. ;) Please pray that God’s will would be done regarding her presence there. I’d also love to have a water birth, but only the Lord knows how I’m going to want to labor.
And pray for Kevin. He is pretty much powerless but the most powerful in this scenario, because as the coach, he can help my emotions or he can detain them. But he’s also never been through this before, and I feel for him because he can’t take any of my pains away and I’ve seen in his eyes that he so badly wants to. So please pray for him to know the right words to say during labor, or if he should say anything at all. I know for a fact I couldn’t have delivered our other two babies without him being right by my side.
Of course, pray for our kiddos who will be welcoming their baby sister into their home a lot sooner than “usual” for someone who stays at the hospital. (I forgot to list in my reasons for having a homebirth that Colby had such a hard time adjusting to a new schedule while we were in the hospital. And it was hard for him to leave the hospital without us.) Please pray for us to all adjust to a new baby in the house.
I have no idea when this baby will be here (do we ever have any idea?). If it’s during the day, our kids will go stay with my parents for awhile, until everyone can see the baby. If it’s at night, we won’t wake up the kids to go to my parents’ house. But, my parents are planning a trip the week before the baby is due. Please pray that God’s timing will be perfect (as it always is).
This winter is supposed to be a few degrees cooler than usual, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. I don’t know why, but I get a little skiddish when it’s cold outside, like I am totally locked into my house and can’t go anywhere when it’s cold. I’ve never had to dress a newborn in layers, since Colby and Kennedy were born with Texas summers right on our heels. And, last year we really didn’t have any sort of winter… Please pray that I am able to get out and about whenever I need.
Most of all, please pray for a speedy recovery for me and for the baby. I am so excited and I can’t believe there’s less than 9 weeks until she gets here… and we have so many things to do before then (pray for that too). But I also know that I will be so tired for awhile, and with Christmas coming up, I may be an emotional wreck. Luckily, the shopping is done (minus the gift-certificate buying!) and I am just going to plan on spending time with immediate and extended family and the new baby too.
Thanks so much for lifting us up. The Grubbs Party-of-Five appreciates it.
September 18th, 2008
Thanks to Hurricane Ike, this is the bread aisle at our Kroger. Oddly enough, this was the only aisle that looked like this.
September 15th, 2008
While Hurricane Ike was making its way through South Texas, we were stuck in the house all day. I have been wanting to take more pictures of the kids, specifically ones that are more professional looking that give me a chance to use more of my gear. So I’ve uploaded some pics to the gallery, but here are a few of my favorites. (Direct link to gallery below).
The rest of the photos.
September 14th, 2008
If you live in Texas, you have more than likely been affected by Hurricane Ike. If you watch Fox News, you have seen the reports on the flooding in other areas too. Lots of people without power in the Houston area, but more dramatically, lots of people without homes.
I am about 99% sure my best friend Amanda lost her house in the storm. (Her house was on the ground, on Bolivar Island.) She just moved down to the coast recently to begin her life after college. Now, well… I told her the other day it’s just stuff. But now I’m mourning the loss of her “stuff”, because I can’t imagine if my house were swept away in the flood waters.
The hard part about this hurricane is the effects are not yet over. Clean-up is beginning and I am confident the death toll will be better than with Katrina, mostly because a lot more people evacuated. Please keep the people affected by this hurricane in your prayers.
***Update: Amanda sent me an email yesterday and her house IS in fact gone. Every house belonging to her family in that area has been swept away. But she has the best outlook on things and is so thankful to be alive. From her email - “As my grandfather said, it was His to give and take and he decided to take. We came into this world without anything and we leave without anything, so I guess what does it really matter what we have in the middle?” I am so grateful she is so strong and I am thankful to have her as my friend.
September 14th, 2008
I get a grand departure and arrival each day as I leave and get home from work.
September 11th, 2008
I found this guy (gal?) under the grill today at work getting ready for our birthday lunch. Needless to say, we didn’t invite her to stay for lunch. For those that don’t see the red hourglass figure on her belly, thats a black widow. Legs and all, she was probably 2.5 to 3 inches.
UPDATE: Man, I didn’t realize how dirty the lens on my iPhone was until I saw Mark’s picture. I’ve cleaned it.
September 10th, 2008
I had no idea that 27 would be the big gift-receiving year. You’ve read my previous blog post about the birthday present Kevin bought me/I picked out for myself here, plus the comment (about another present I picked out for myself) from my friend Mandi (aka the Tupperware lady) at the end. And in about 2 weeks, I’ll be getting another big present… more on that later.
So check out my latest present.
That’s a king size, Doctor’s Choice mattress from the Denver Mattress Company. My parents gave it to us. I didn’t, for once, hint that I wanted a new mattress, nor did I even expect it, but Kevin and I are getting some of the best sleep in our lives since we picked this up a week ago.
Kevin bought the bedding for me; we picked it out at Linens N Things. The coverlet is a quilt, not a comforter, and the sham pillows are silky. We don’t use a big comforter and we can just add blankets for when it gets cold. If you can’t tell what color it is, I can’t describe it for you, other than the shams are a chocolate brown. You’ll have to see it for yourself. Come to our house, but don’t even think about jumping on the bed. Or sleeping on it.
September 9th, 2008
We’re doing it. We’re going against the norm (at least in America) and we’re defying the odds. We’re up for the challenge.
We’re having a home birth. (What’s this “we” stuff, anyway?) After watching The Business of Being Born (twice for me) and hearing our Super friends sing the wonderful praises of their midwife, Kevin and I have consulted a (different) midwife and we’re going to deliver this baby in our own house. I am so excited, and I just can’t hide it.
We decided to do this only about 6 weeks ago, which means I had to break up with my doctor (OB) recently. I haven’t seen him face to face, but I’ve had several calls from his office asking, “What happened?” and “What could we have done to prevent this?” The truth was, even though I had some issues with my doctor’s nurse not returning phone calls, I truly wanted to beat The System rather than get even with it. And here’s how:
1. I have fast labors. I felt like I was rushing to the hospital, only for them to make me stay a few days. I’ve heard too many stories of people who come to the hospital with nothing wrong and then die from staph.
2. Even if this labor isn’t fast, I’ll know what to expect from a natural birth. I won’t have to pack for the hospital or (hopefully) endure those painful contractions in the car. (Murder!)
3. I had episiotomies with both kids and I wasn’t even asked beforehand.
4. I had IVs I didn’t need placed into my arms and fetal monitors that didn’t work strapped around my body. (When I was discharged with Kennedy, the nurse looked at my arms and said, “Man, someone really wanted you to hold still.. you have some bruising here.”)
5. I’m not sick. I’m pregnant. I don’t need a doctor; nothing is “wrong” with me. (See Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:31 on this one…)
6. It’s ridiculous that doctors won’t let you eat or drink while in labor “in case you have to go to surgery”. I plan on eating as much food as I like and drinking even more liquids.
7. Hospital bills are insane. I was charged for an epidural with Kennedy, even though I didn’t get one. But my HMO only charged me $100 per day… And, surprise, surprise, the premiums went up and now we’re with a different insurance company.
8. American insurance companies… no words to describe… In a nutshell, our insurance doesn’t cover a midwife, but since we have such a high deductible, it will be cheaper to have a home birth than a hospital birth. And, anyone without insurance would be wise to take a look at home birth.
I read several books about this subject as well -
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin, specifically deals with the issue of “how” a home birth can take place in a normal, healthy woman. I loved her stories of twins and breech births she delivered in a home.
The Way of American Birth by Jessica Mitford, gives an incredible account of the evolution of birth in America. Wow.
Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon, does not advocate home birth primarily, but it gave me great stretches and things to do while in labor. And, you can bet I won’t be lying flat on my back, trying to push.
I’m also going to read Husband-Coached Childbirth by (the man himself) Robert Bradley, whenever I can get my hands on a copy.
So, when my doctor’s office called to ask about why we switched, I didn’t give her the list of reasons, although I gave her a few of them. She surmised, “Since this is the way of doctors and hospitals around the country, you don’t want to have anything to do with it?”
Correct.
September 9th, 2008
If you know me well you know how much I oppose abortion. I always have and I always will, with pretty much no exceptions. I know of too many couples who would love to adopt a precious baby and call it their own. I have heard too many horror stories of botched abortions. I don’t care if the baby has an incurable disease and will die anyway; it still should have the chance to survive.
Today I learned about this year’s 40 days for life campaign. I am excited that this has spread nationwide and I hope that even more abortion centers close because of this. Please click their link and look at the Coalition for Life’s website too to see how you can be involved or to find out more info. At the very least, add this matter to your prayer list. I heard today that 50 million babies have died since the legalization of abortion in 1973 (remember, Roe v. Wade?). It translates into roughly a third of mine and Kevin’s generation. Sad, shocking, and sickening.
September 1st, 2008
