Having Babies

A great friend posted this on her blog recently and I completely agree. Woman have got to become informed and make intelligent decisions. Don't just do want everyone else is doing or what is convenient.


Enough.

My stance on childbirth has been stated pretty clear here.

Well, maybe not clear enough, because I hear I'm labeled - so let me restate it in a way it won't be missed in the skimming:

I don't care what method of childbirth someone chooses or where or how they give birth.

Okay?

Really. I don't. I don't look down on anyone for going to a hospital or staying home, having a C-section (but good glory, I hurt for you if you did) or not, getting an epidural or having the babe sans medication.

I care about the pregnant woman, the woman giving birth and the baby. I like our species and the cute little babes that keep the race of man going.

I am slightly passionate about making informed decisions. Other than that?

I believe the options for childbirth are as varied as the number of people making them.

The only bodies I have to worry about are my own and my families. We will make our choices. I will not sit back and let someone else drive my body through this life, no matter their stand, experience, education, or favorite dessert.

I have a thirst for knowing what else is out there. I think it is smart and polite to listen to different views and experiences, but I'm going to check the sources, okay?

I'm that annoying person who wants to know if the references in the bibliography are factual or not.

Does that mean I think every other women on planet Earth should do the same?

No.

Let me state that again: NO, I do not think every woman should do exactly what I have done in exactly the same way.

I'm weird, people. I'm me. And the world doesn't need more than one of me. I'm sure of it. It's been trying to take me out for years and I keep bouncing back. Ha-TA!

I can't make or talk anyone into doing anything, nor do I believe I should. Good gravy, don't push that much responsibility on me, I won't have it.

For the very same reason, I refuse to let anyone do the same for me.

I believe a degree does not always an expert make. (Hang in there, my graduate-schooled friends, I'm going to make myself clear) Think about your schooling. I'm sure you could name more than a few people you were surprised to see in cap and gown.

However, persistence is commendable and a good many people do a world of good with their education. (See, I like you and your degree and I know what a good load of junk you lived through getting it.)

I simply wish more people gave themselves credit for living in their own bodies for all the years they've been alive. I wish they trusted their intuition more.

I wish I did. I'm still working on it. I'm a big time second-guesser.
Shocked you there, didn't I?

Please don't tell me what I am. I'm still working on that. Too many cooks spoil the pot.

And I need to get this as close to right as I can.

Thank you.

Dreaming

of racing a Porsche Boxster through Wyoming...


...can't you tell by his face?

Just in time for Daylight Savings...

Matthias, my second child, Matt, wait wait let me put a photo just so we all know who I'm talking about, no confusion...


This child.

Slept until 7:56 am. Seriously. James even said to me, "I tried to get Matt up to play with me, but he wouldn't. I turned on the light. I made noises."

Mornings have been getting a lot later recently...like 6 to 6:30, but whoa. He has never slept that late in his life believe me.

And on Tuesday when he had woken up at 5:30 he fell asleep on the way home from the gas station (4 blocks) and when we got home he walked into his room, changed into his pajamas and said "I'm cold and tired. I wanna take a nap." At 11:00 am. He was not sick (and still isn't). He's finally decided to value his sleep...and mine. Too bad 6:30 will again be 5:30 in a couple days...

Trick or Treat

The boys and I fully made Halloween Sugar Cookies while listening to Christmas music. I almost pulled out the wrong cookie cutters...if you look close you can see our trick for Taylor.

Lasik

This post is long overdue, but I thought I would mention that I finally got lasik on 09/09/09. I planned it that way. Too bad there is no 20th month...

Anyway, I have been really hesitant because I didn't want to be blind (even though there aren't any recorded cases of blindness from Lasik that I have been able to find) and I didn't want dry eyes for the rest of my life. But Taylor has been hassling me for years so I researched back in like April. Then ignored it. Then researched some more. Then decided to just do it and get it over with. Great attitude I know.

I went with my eye doctor's recommendations. I have no idea if his rates were even competitive, but he is one of the best out there, helped design the latest laser to be FDA approved, has done like a million lasik surgeries, started in like 1980s, etc.

My one promise I extracted from Taylor was that if I were to end up blind he tell me that Hannah's hair came in a golden blond color regardless of actual facts.

At first I didn't really notice much since I always wear contacts. Everything just seemed the same, I would go to take my contacts out or try to put my glasses on when I woke up. I even felt like I couldn't see in the middle of the night. For a couple weeks I seriously forgot to wash my face at night because my whole bedtime routine was thrown for a loop (and I am a routine person, to put it mildly).

One night I cried because I missed my fuzzy world I got to retreat to every night. It was like an escape from reality when I just took out my contacts and became disconnected with everything.

But now I am totally used to it. I take it almost completely for granted. Except for the occasional "WOW" moment I don't even think about it. At all. After less than two months of 20/15 vision...going from 20/800 which started when I was 8. I don't even remember being able to see before this and now I don't even think about the miracle that is my perfect vision. It's crazy. I am also actually now +1 in my left eye so I'm far sighted. Ha, ha. So far I haven't even noticed except if I try to read something like 2 inches from my face, then I can't focus.

One last note...I used to have nightmares that my contacts broke in my eye or they were super huge and I couldn't put them in. Or other weird things like that. Now I have dreams that everything is fuzzy...it looks just like how I saw the world prior to 9/9. And it scares me. Then I remember I really can see. Phew. How was I so blind for so long!?!

Growing and Learning

Today within the space of two hours Hannah began scooting across the floor while sitting up (it's really funny to watch), saying uh oh, she also signed 'light' for the first time and 'more' for like the second or third time. All within two hours! I am so glad I get to stay home with my kids and be with them everyday. I love watching them grow and spending our moments together. I would be so sad to miss out on our time with each other.

(sadly we were out of batteries in the camera so none of this is documented!)

Bath Time!

I would like to say that I do realize I blog almost exclusively about Hannah these days, but she does change the most.

Anyways...my better signing techniques are already paying off. I can tell she understands several of the signs. Also on Friday I read her a book before nap time about a baby who takes a bath. Then I changed her diaper and she was all happy, but as soon as I started putting her diaper and pants back on she started screaming. Then once I had her pants back on she got really angry and totally signed "bath". It was pretty hilarious. I was like, you aren't having a bath right now it's nap time, we just read a book about baths. But she kept crying and signing so of course I gave in because she's the princess so she got a bath. Plus she needed some positive reinforcement for her skills, right? I'm telling you she is really obsessed with baths.



(those empty bath crayons she's holding are like her favorite toy in the world, so maybe she would want less baths if she could play with those outside the tub.)