First Night Sans Pacifier

SUCCESS!!!! Complete SUCCESS!!!

Previously, the pacifier has stayed in bed. Sariah got it for naps and bed.

Well...it usually made its appearance at 6:30, for the last 30 minutes before she went to bed. This is because she was SO tired, and needed that comfort to last her until bedtime.

Last night, 6:30 rolled around...and no pacifier.

We did a quick FHE (because Sariah has a 10-second attention span), a scripture, and a prayer.

At 6:45, she melted down. We put her to bed.

Sans pacifier.

She cried, but only for about 20 minutes (instead of 45 at naptime).

I was expecting her to wake up several times looking for it.

She woke up once, at 10:40. She cried for about 20 minutes, but eventually gave up and succumbed to sleep.

She woke up at 7:05 her normal self! She happily played in her crib for 30 minutes! Once she started calling for me, I got up and got her.

Maybe naptime will go a little smoother today. One can hope, right??

Sorely Missed

Pacifier.

Binkie.

Plug.

Comforter.

Security.

Friend.

All words that describe the one true love of an 18 month old.


However, some relationships must come to an end. Well...this type does anyhow.

Today was the first day of no pacifiers.

This morning, after Sariah woke up, I cut the tips of both of her pacifiers.

She found them, and discovered they were broken.

Together, we threw them away.

Then comes naptime. Yikes.

What usually takes 30 seconds, took almost 45 minutes - falling asleep.

Crying. Sobbing. Screaming. Banging on the wall.

Silence.

She did it...she fell asleep. Or so I thought.

When I went in to check on her, this is what I found.


She protested by taking her clothes off.

She eventually did fall asleep, but took only half of her normal nap.

Looks like we'll do it all over again tonight.

Wish me luck...strength...patience...we'll do this together!

New Level

Sariah has taken her obsession of taking clothes off to a whole new level.

She has started to de-pants OTHERS.

It's starting with Emerson...



What next? De-pantsing unsuspecting girls and boys in junior high?

Mom? What Mom?

Today was Sariah's first day of nursery!

Needless to say, she LOVED it. She loves the kids, the toys, the bubbles, all the action.

Jared dropped her off and she wiggled out of his arms to get down and play.

When he picked her up, she cried because she didn't want to leave (and it was nap time).

Our little girl is so secure about herself, and definitely does not need mom or dad to nudge her into independence. She's been there from day one!!

I do have to admit that it was nice to sit through Sunday school and listen, and have it a little quieter in Relief Society!

Here's our girl, all spiffed up with everywhere to go!


(Please excuse the hair - it's a tad curly and has a mind of its own.)

Mother's Intuition

I went to the doctor on Wednesday for my 16 week checkup.

Everything is going according to plan!

Baby is growing.

Moving (although I can't feel it yet).

Thriving.

I feel fantastic, except that I do not have my energy back and am constantly exhausted.

But something unexpected happened.

We know something now that we shouldn't know for 4 more weeks.

I feel kind of sneaky!

My doctor was 1 1/2 hours late to my appointment.

I was her last patient of the day.

I asked if she could peek in there and see if she could see pink or blue parts.

She got a gleam in here eye, and enthusiastically stated "YES!"

Mother's intuition was right this time.

We are having a BOY!!!

Little James.

I will scan the photos soon.

But for now, here's me at 16 weeks, with little James.




I still don't look pregnant...just an expanding belly.

Oh well...I'm the one who knows and that's enough.

Decided

Decided. I have made a decision what to do regarding my birthing options. Here is how my conversation went yesterday with my doctor:

Me: Dr. Hutchison, I have a few more questions for you. I'm still trying to decide what to do!

Doc: I am so glad you are putting so much thought in to this. I'll try to help.

Me: You know I want a natural birth, and part of that being a success is getting up and moving around. If I deliver in the hospital, do I HAVE to have an IV? Is it hospital policy for me to have one? Can I hydrate myself while I'm in labor?

Doc: Nope. You do not have to have one. The nurses automatically put one in, so please don't be afraid to ask them not to. However, you do have to have the port (access). In case something happens and you need anything given through an IV, it needs to be set up and ready to go. Please hydrate all you want.

Me: Awesome. What about those annoying belly monitors?

Doc: Nope, you don't have to have those either. We have an intermittent monitoring policy where we will check the baby's heartrate with a Doppler monitor. In the event that you are not progressing, we will put a contraction monitor on you to see what's going on. However, you can request a WIRELESS (!!!) one so you may still get up and move around.

Me: Uh-huh, I see. What about wearing those silly hospital gowns? Do I have to labor in those or can I be in something different of my choice?

Doc: They are silly and gross, huh? No, you may be in whatever you like...preferably with no bottoms. If you'd like to be in a bikini top, which some mothers prefer, or a tank-top, go right ahead.

Me: I'm liking your answers! Now, what about delivering on my back? I have heard of a couple doctors around town that won't deliver you unless you're on your back. I have also researched and found that delivering a baby while on your back is the most painful way to do so. What are your thoughts on that?

Doc: Amber...do you really think I have that policy? (smiling) I will deliver you in any position that is most comfortable for you. If you want to be on your hands and knees, great. If you want to squat, I'll be right there under you. If something isn't working, I will give you suggestions. Your research was correct - giving birth lying down is difficult, without an epidural. Please give birth in any position you would like.

Me: Thank you for being patient with me and helping me through this.

Doc: You are welcome. Here's a tip: When you get to the hospital, ask for a nurse that specializes in natural delivery.

So...she answered all my questions wonderfully. I can get up and move around, I don't have to have an IV, I'll have a nurse to help me through it, and I can give birth in other positions. Thus, I have decided to stay with my beloved doctor. I really do love her, and I want her to deliver this baby. She is amazing and I'm very happy!!!

Parker Says

My nephew, Parker, has the funniest little personality. I know all kids do, but he's the family member I spend the most time with since I watch him a few days a week. Here are a few recent quotes.

"Aunt Amber, your legs have whiskers."

(With tears running down his cheeks) "Aunt Amber!!!! Aiden (his older brother) said he's going to EAT ME!!!!"

"Aunt Amber, what happened to your hair? You look like a clown."

"Aunt Amber, your lap smells so soft."

So sweet.

Caught on Camera

Part of Sariah's routine includes getting a sippy cup with milk after her evening bath. She sips on it in the evening before bed, and it calms her down while hydrating her for the evening. She carries the cups around with her everywhere, and has a tendency to deposit them in funny places. It's not until we smell them or realize we're missing a cup that we go hunting for the cup.

On Monday evening, Sariah had her sippy cup and was happily carrying it around while she played. We did our normal evening chores - picked up the living room/play room, cleaned the kitchen, put dishes in the dishwasher, made lunches for the next day, and laid out clothes. Somewhere in that mix, we noticed Sariah didn't have her cup with her. Uh oh.

After Sariah went to bed, we started to hunt for the cup. And hunt. And hunt. We COULD NOT FIND the cup ANYWHERE!

On Wednesday morning, I opened the dishwasher to unload it. I know, I should have done it on Tuesday but I didn't. Lo and behold...there was the cup!!! Sariah loves to play with the dishwasher and was playing with it while I loaded. She stuck the cup in the dishwasher, full of milk, and closed the door. The outside was nice and clean. The inside...gross...not so much. Half full of curdled milk. Cleaning out these cups doesn't bother me because she's hidden them in some interesting places.

One of the most interesting was at my mom's house - Sariah had been playing in my mom's huge tupperware drawer and deposited her cup in it. About 2 weeks later, it was found. GROSS.

Later that evening, Jared and I were having a quiet chat on the couch. He was working on his computer, and I went through the memory card on the camera. Jared had been taking pictures of Sariah playing with the dishwasher on Monday evening because it was actually pretty funny. He got the entire sequence of her putting the cup in the dishwasher and closing it up!!! We laughed and laughed while we went through the pictures.

Clearly holding her cup.




If you look closely, you can see the green lid of the sippy cup in the back right corner of the bottom rack.



Gone for almost 2 days!!


What will she come up with next (if I dare ask that question)?!?!

Quarry Solved

Remember how Sariah would take her pj's off and sleep naked?

Well, it needed to be fixed. Her room is really cold, and I felt bad when I'd go in there and wake her up to put her pj's back on.

We tried a few things. One thing we tried was putting a safety pin through the zipper and attaching it to her pj's. Well...that didn't stop our stripper. She quickly popped it open, breaking it and stabbing herself in the process.

Then my sister made a suggestion. See below.




That's right, we put her pj's on BACKWARDS! We flip the feet around so she can still walk...but it has worked like a charm.

Where did my sister get this wonderful thought? She said that my mom used to do this to one of us, but she couldn't remember who. Well, the other night, we were reminiscing and talking while the kids played. Out comes Sariah in her backwards pj's. My mom starts to giggle and says, "You know Amber, I had to do that to YOU too."

Great. She inherited this trait from me. Can't wait to see what else got passed down!

Godzilla

Torturing those poor people in that parking garage. At least she does it happily.

Depantser

My offspring continues to take off her clothes. Observe(she walked around like this for 30 minutes).




However, today, her depantsing took a turn for the better - it had a purpose. See, she's starting to notice the potty. Anytime anyone goes to the bathroom, she happily gives a helping hand. She wants to help you take your pants off, gives you toilet paper, helps you pull your pants back up, and flushes. It's way too early for potty training, but she's starting to understand that something VERY cool is happening on the potty.

That said, today, she depantsed and walked into my bathroom. Please excuse the bra hanging from my door. It had just been washed and was drying.



Don't you just laugh when little ones are obsessed with the strangest things?

Undecided

I need some help. PLEASE give me some advice!!!

First, let me give you some background.

When I was pregnant with Sariah, I truly wanted to have a natural birth. Personally, I believe that Americans are over-medicated and have a tendency to turn natural processes into medical drama. Please don't get me wrong - C-sections are mostly necessary, and hospitals are there for a reason. I wanted to have Sariah in the hospital, but I wanted to do it naturally. I had no idea what would happen, and I wanted the comfort of being in a hospital should something go wrong.

I did a ton of research, read many books, took birthing classes at our local birth center and was completely comfortable with the birthing process. Plus, my doctor is absolutely amazing and I didn't want anyone else there but her. My doctor supported me, and was on board with my desires. She had her two children naturally and was fully supportive of the process.

Delivery day came, and my doctor was out of town. Instead, one of her partners delivered me. This doctor is amazing, but extremely conservative. Here's what I didn't think needed to happen:

1. My water broke, and I was contracting regularly. When I arrived at the hospital, I was dialted to a 5 (after an hour of labor) and quickly progressing. This doctor wanted to give me pitocin - I asked her not to. I didn't feel it was necesssary. She would not give up, nor respect my decision not to have pitocin. Frankly, she made me feel stupid for wanting to have a natural birth. I gave in (silly me) and the pitocin came. Immediately, the contractions changed from bearable to unbearable and I broke down and asked for an epidural.

2. I didn't want an episiotemy. In my research, it was stated several times that tearing naturally was much better for the body than having an artificial cut. If I was going to tear, then so be it. My doctor told me AFTER she gave me one that she had done it. I was upset.

3. My nurse was...interesting. I felt like I was ready to push, and asked her to check me. She wouldn't call the doctor until she had checked. Her answer? "Honey, you've only been in labor for 4 hours. There is no way you are ready to push, espeically since this is your first baby." Thankfully, the doctor walked in 2 minutes later, checked me, and Sariah was out 3 pushes later.

All in all, Sariah's birth was picture-perfect. I was in labor for 6 hours total, and she was a healthy 8 pounds 2 ounces. I healed just fine, and things were great. However, I KNOW that I could have done it naturally, and am quite upset that I had a doctor who wouldn't listen to me. My doctor isn't that way at all, but there's always a chance that she won't be there again for this baby.

So here's where I need the help. Typically, labors with the 2nd baby are much quicker than the first. I am trying to decide if I want to go to the birth center (which is on a hospital campus here in town), or stay with my doctor. Or, maybe find a Doula to be with me at the hospital? I just don't know. My doctor won't deliver someone unless they are on their back (consequently the most painful way to deliver a baby). A birth center has most of the medical equipment needed for an emergency (crash cart, etc.) should anything go unplanned. Also, at the birth center, you aren't hooked up to an IV. I can get up and move freely, and deliver in any position I feel comfortable. At the same time, I love my doctor and know that things will be different if she is able to deliver this baby.

Any advice? Know of a Doula I can talk to? I'd love to hear it all!

Trampoline Fun

Jumping on the trampoline isn't any fun unless you end up looking like this...

Who Stole The Cookie From The Cookie Jar?

The evidence may be circumstantial...