Thursday, January 31, 2013

Thankful Thursday: January edition



  1. Sun after the rain!
  2. Yummy food prepared or sent by friends and family!
  3. Caitlin largely seems able to sleep through her siblings antics.
  4. Jaundice resolved without light -therapy!
  5. Caitlin largely skipped the cold everyone else got.
  6. My blog got a very nice shout-out, voting still open :)
  7. Lastly & importantly: Caitlin's safe arrival!!

My thanks also to Rebecca for inspiring the meme!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Sheenazing, maybe?


   I've been nominated for a Sheenazing Blogger Award sponsored by Bonnie of A Knotted Life, and I love my category Most Unappreciated Blog because I'm not sure I could actually win and still claim to be unappreciated.





While I ponder such questions please head over and vote for some of the many wonderful blogs nominated in the different categories ~ including mine (happy dance, but not since currently a baby is sleeping in a sling I'm wearing)!

Sunday, January 27, 2013

What I Wore Sunday Vol.1


Having enjoyed these posts very much over the past weeks I decided this week to overcome my hesitancy about self-photos and join the link-up in honor of wearing non-maternity pants for the first time in months! (please ignore messy state of bed-much laundry to fold)!


Details:
 Pants ~ Mossimo (?target) ~ hand-me-down
 Tank ~ Target
 Sweater ~ Old Navy
Boots (not seen) ~ Kohls
Earrings ~ Grace Adele

Please visit Fine Linen and Purple for other great WIWS posts.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Caitlin's Birth Story

For those interested, and my own memory

Background: When my due date came and went, and knowing that given my status as an older mom that the perinatologist preferred that the pregnancy not go past the 41st week, an induction date was chosen by our midwife and us.

So on the morning of the induction I called the hospital to find 'no room at the inn' and was told to call back later in the morning.  Actually around 11 am my midwife called to say 'Come in but bring lunch since nothing would probably happen until the afternoon', so we packed a lunch and headed in.  

Around 1pm I was given a dose of Cytotec and after an hour I was beginning to feel stronger contractions, that I needed to focus on breathing through, but my cervix was essentially the same so we ( midwife, Charlie and I) decided to try low dose Pitocin ~ as the baby heart rate monitor was showing the occasional decelerations.

So around 4 pm the Pitocin was started and the contractions did become more regular and stronger, was doing okay with breathing & relaxation but when at 6 pm my cervix was barely changed know that it was going to be awhile opted for an epidural.  Luckily was able to catch the anesthesiologist between cases and by 7 pm was mostly comfortable and all was calm until just after 9 pm when whatever had been occasionally effecting Caitlin's heart rate caused it to REALLy drop for a bit ~ so followed a nerve-wracking hour as I flipped side-to-side, and was given oxygen, and first the midwife and then an OB tried to place internal monitors (he was successful).  This was all very reminiscent of my labor with Liam ~ a period of high anxiety with me worrying about the baby and at what point would the decision for surgery be made and wishing I would just dilate already (!), followed by an eery calm as the baby's heart rate returns to a reassuring pattern and everyone takes a deep breath.

I loose the timeline here a bit, by 10 pm I  think everything had calm down again and I believe around midnight the Pitocin was restarted ~ I know around 12:30 I gave up on trying to sleep and started watching Friends as I was feeling the contractions and a bit 'pushy' and was trying to figure out if I indeed was feeling to urge to push or simply was aware of stronger 'Pit' contractions.  Finally after a half-hour or so I mentioned to my nurse and she went to get my midwife to check and...(cue angels) it was indeed time to push ~ and after approximately 3-4 contractions worth of pushing at 1:26 am out came Miss Caitlin, revealing a nuchal cord and arm (both the umbilical cord and her arm were wrapped around her neck) solving the mystery of why she was occasionally so unhappy with the contractions. Happily with just a bit of drying and stimulation she was willing to cry and in every respect behave as a happily transitioning newborn! (Funny aside: with everyone focused on drying and stimulating the baby, and her laying facing away from me, after a couple of minutes I finally just asked Charlie if we were welcoming a boy or girl.)  


Following the usual immediate postpartum business of placenta delivery, and her being 
dried, footprinted and ID under the warmer came the lovely quiet of a longer snuggle, 
attempt at nursing and marveling that once again we had ridden the labor roller coaster to a successful completion and were cuddling the newest blessing in our lives.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Four years later..

Four years ago I started this blog, and four years later:

  • I've finally created an about page
  • I'm still finding my voice
  • I'm proud of myself for staying with it through dry spells
  • I'm starting to understand the story I want to tell
  • have many post ideas in the works
  • I'm grateful beyond words for the friends & fellowship found
  • I'm excited for what the coming year might bring.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Quick Takes #124



  1. A week in and all is well, so we are taking it to the next level ~ Dr. Daddy went back to work this week and the second grandmother (Bonne Mammy) left yesterday.  Prayers welcome!
  2. Seriously she nurses like a champ and is looking less yellow everyday ~ and a weight check later today will hopefully show her nearly back to birth weight.
  3. Lisbeth now calls the baby Caitlin, though we did go through a brief period of "Caitlin Pencil".
  4. Lacking the forethought to arrange for guest posts I will do the next best thing and point you to Camp Patton who did, and a wonderful post from our lovely host Jen.
  5. While I still need to find a re-run of Episode 1, having now seen Episode 2 of Downton Abbey season 3; I no longer feel a step behind and in constant fear of spoilers ~ so go ahead and feel free to discuss in my presence.
  6. And just to show that I am aware of outside events through my postpartum haze: Go Patriots!!!
  7. Have been a fan of Laurie Berkner in general and this song in particular for awhile but it is especially poignant to me right now as I have a few day old and a four year old simultaneously.

Please visit Conversion Diary hosted by the lovely Jen for the rest of this week's Quick Takes

Friday, January 11, 2013

Quick Takes #123 ~ New Baby Edition



  1. Born January 8th @ 1:26 am ~ started a recommended induction Monday afternoon and rode the labor roller coaster throughout the afternoon and evening!
  2. Caitlin Therese Margaret; named for grandmothers, great-grandmothers ~ and herself!
  3. Weighing in at 7lbs 9 ozs she bests both her older siblings entry weights by a pound and half ~ and helped me to fully understand how her squirms could hurt my hips and give me heartburn at the same time.
  4. Lisbeth is thrilled by having a baby sister whose OFFICIAL name is still according to her Pencil Player, though we are allowed to call her Caitlin.
  5. Liam has charmed me by several times walking over to greet her quietly and asking to hold her.  We are working on getting him to say 'Baby' and he is actually showing interest in adding to his vocabulary.
  6. Caitlin currently has a decided yellow tinge which we are working on eliminating, and otherwise sort-of looks like both her sibs but mostly like herself.
  7. I am sure there are many a rough day ahead but at the moment I am grateful beyond words and feeling blessed beyond description.  Thank you to all who held us in love and prayers during her birth and first days.



Please visit Conversion Diary for the rest of this week's Quick Takes.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Quick Takes # 122



  1. Prayers for our sponsor Jen of Conversion Diary, her baby, and family as they deal with hospitalizations and pregnancy complications.
  2. Still here ~ still pregnant! The baby clearly wants a January birthday and has no respect for due dates.  Have discussed with the midwife when best to issue eviction notice ~ probably some time next week.  Updates as warranted, prayers welcomed!
  3. Thanks to visiting grandmothers, managed a date night in celebration of our anniversary.  Good food & conversation and came home to find 50% of our extra-uterine children asleep. 
  4. Spent a lovely New Years Eve at home with both our moms enjoying a three course fondue dinner (family tradition in C.'s family), some football and watching the ball drop.
  5. Having again consulting the Patron Saint Selector on Conversion Diary was given Saint Benedict for 2013, it has been awhile since I've read the Rule of the Benedictine Order but remember much of the daily schedule is about balancing prayer time and work.  Yay! I think his intercession and wisdom will be most useful in the months to come.
  6. Have not settled on a word for the year ~ but Rae of There is no wealth but life may have given me my motto for the year ~ Wait out the bad days, give thanks on the good days and never let go of hope.
  7. Plans for the weekend: get car inspected and start cleaning up Christmas stuff ~ or you know give birth.
Please visit Hallie's place Moxie Wife, who is hosting this week's Quick Takes while Jen (now home) recovers.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

2012 ~ Photo review & link-up


 Joining with House Unseen- Life Unscripted with a look back on the past year thru pictures:

January ~ house renovations


February~ cooking with Daddy

March ~ Birthday Girl

April ~ Easter

May ~ Picking Strawberries

July ~ Belgian Fest
August ~ Summer Vacation
September ~ Birthday Boy
October ~ Smart Girl




November ~ Giving thanks










December ~ Saint Nicholas