Countdown to Baby Time!

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Boy!

My sweet boy...

We got to see your cutie face today on the ultrasound. Talon is going to have a little brother! You have been named and now it's just waiting the wait until you arrive. 19 more weeks to go!

You're healthy; little feet, little hands, a big growing head and brain, a pumping heart, two kidneys, a teeny stomach, femur bones all froggie'd up next to your chest. You're perfect.

I can't wait to squish your adorable little face and give you kissies until you're soaked! 

Daddy, Mommy, and Talon love you, Little One! See you in about 5 months.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

And let's do it again!!

I get why people have more than one baby. It was Mother Nature's goal for us to forget how difficult it is to have a newborn at home those first few months. A stretch? Maybe, maybe not. I forget how much sleep I did or didn't get; I do remember that heart wretching feeling when I heard Talon cry two, three, four, five times a night when he was so itty bitty. You want to jump up and hold him all night long then you also just want to sleep.

The 4 day hospital stay was a blur but I do remember a majority of it. It was my cocoon of Babyland and I loved every minute. Well, maybe not the puking after surgery. I could totally do without that! I'm almost 5 months along with you now and I am soooo excited to meet you! Day of surgery has been tentatively set for May 23rd, the day after my birthday. Two Geminis in the house. Woo hoo, Darling! Talon was born at 41 weeks and 2 days. You, my dear, if all goes as planned, will be 39 weeks and 1 day. I am thinking you won't be as big as Talon since you won't have those extra 2 weeks to gain more weight in there!

I know what to expect for the most part. There will be no induction, no Pitocin (Thank God!), no labor, no waiting. Just walk into the O.R, squirt a big needle in my back, then have a baby. Knowing the experience in some shape or form helps. I laugh nervously now remembering when I excitedly told my nurse the first morning how Talon slept through the night! She looked at me with soft, friendly eyes and said, "Oh honey, you should have been waking him up to get the feedings going..."  Eek. Did I know that? Maybe I did and I got swept away in Babyland. Nevertheless, I'm prepared now!

Back to the original intent for this post...so excited to meeting you and knowing what to expect for the most part. I know what it'll feel like taking you home, getting you home, and I'll know what to do with you when you get here! I'm excited to do all of it all over again. Baby snuggles, baby burps, baby baths, baby naps together.

Dads and I decided on a name yesterday for you if you are a boy. Just like that; it was pretty quick. Super cool. Whether you are a boy or a girl, your name will is pure awesomeness.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Wow.

Dear Baby,
We are SO excited to meet you! I looked at a picture of an ultrasound again today and it just hit me how real it all is! And we're close! Almost half way there! Totally awesome! We find out next week if you are a boy or girl. YAY!

Any visions from the universe on eliminating dumb people from your life when you work with them? Remind me to breathe again...right, inner simplicity. *breathing in....breathing out*

Love,
Mommy

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy New Year

I am not really a resolution maker. I am not that person on January 1 who says, "This year I'm going to (insert big drastic event or same goal as last year)." I guess I prefer the experience, the journey, of constant self-evaluation. Maybe it's just easier for me to digest that way. My personality can be all-or-nothing and I learned a long time ago that that gets me nowhere. Over the years, I have become more aware to be tolerant and patient with myself. I had a temper and when I don't check myself, I end up breaking stuff. So, I let it rolllllll. Sometimes I ebb, sometimes I flow, sometimes I'm just stuck. Within the recent years, I have consciously been working on my energy and how that affects everything and everyone around me.

The holidays have been tough and it's usually my favorite time of the year. I'm the person who puts up the Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving and doesn't take them down until mid-January. I adore the lights, the music, the snowmen, the trees, the brighter the better. I can be a worry-wart sometimes which, judging by previous posts, is obvious. This brings me to this blog entry.

2012 was the first year since we moved in to 10327 Bailey that we hadn't gone back to Columbus for Christmas. The holiday break has been relaxing and lonely at the same time. Between all that and the passing of Vader, I couldn't wait for the holidays to be gone for now.

Sometime back in 2004, I was somewhere in downtown Denver searching for (more) inner peace. My level of self-awareness was not what it is today but I always look for something that makes sense. I had just started my first real job with a salary and benefits as a physical education teacher. I was clueless. Miserable. Stressed. Living alone. Dealing with emotional issues. I went to school to be a exercise physiologist. What that meant when I graduated I had no idea. Being a teacher was the toughest role I'd ever be in and frankly, I was drowning. I knew I was not born to be an elementary and middle school teacher but I loved physical activity so I think I hoped my passion would come through and eventually, I would learn better teaching techniques.

During one of my usual weekend outings in Denver to find the next funky shop, I came across a book inner simplicity by Elaine St. James. It is a physically small book like 4" x 6" and may have been intended to be bathroom reading. Nonetheless, I probably thought, 'This will help'. I may have skimmed through it. I may have taken more satisfaction in that I owned it versus actually reading and absorbing it. Nine years later as I'm cleaning out my basement, I come across it. I sit down, start reading and get it. It sinks in. After nine years, it finally makes sense for my life right now. It makes sense for you, Baby, and for us.

The book is divided into chapters then smaller numbered sections.
Chapter 1- Things you'll want to do
  1. Simplify your life
  2. Spend time each day in nature
  3. Connect with the sun
  4. Create beauty in your life
  5. Create simplicity, not austerity
  6. Learn to enjoy the silence
  7. Have a family meal in silence
  8. Figure out what you need to do to get well
  9. Get in touch with your creativity
  10. Latch on to synchronicity
  11. Slow down
  12. Learn to receive
  13. Be realistic
  14. Figure out what you don't want in your life
  15. Enjoy each moment
  16. Take time to read
  17. But don't read in bed
  18. Sleep a lot
Chapter 2- Easy things to think about doing

  19. Have a weekend retreat at home
  20. Consider a family retreat
  21. Remember, growth isn't always a family affair
  22. Don't get caught in the righteousness of your own path
  23. Form a support group
  24. Create a positive structure for your group

This is where I stopped today. Well, I was reading in the tub and I was starting to turn into a prune. I especially like #21. One paragraph said, ...How you proceed will depend to some extent the level of communication that has already been established. Go slowly, and don't be too attached to having them join you. It may be that the most you can hope for is their understanding and acceptance. If you can't get even that for the moment, learn to keep your own counsel and don't make anyone else wrong in the process. (I love this next line) Learning to deal with the reaction of the people close to you could be a major part of your growth. Your biggest challenge may be to accept the situation as it is and continue on your way. I like #22 as well. It's important to be careful to remember that we all might have the same goal but a different path.

I feel the vortex of 2012 and the holidays behind me. I'm leaving all the twinkling holiday lights. I feel like a kid whose parent is in the midset of taking off my winter jacket and I'm itching to break free. I've got one arm out, I feel one hand on my shoulder like 'wait, we're not done quite yet' and my other arm reaching out ahead of me. Then with one swift move, my other arm is pulled out of my coat and I'm running. Not necessarily out with the old and in with the new...more like OUT with fear and worry and thinking I can fix things that aren't my problem and IN with continuing to take care of myself and fostering the loved ones around me.