Monday, February 22, 2010

A man with an opinion

This weekend we entered into a new phase of toddlerhood: The "actually, I don't want to wear that...I would rather wear THIS!"
It started this saturday when Stephen and I were desperately trying to get Lincoln into pants. Normally Lincoln is all about wearing his pants, or "pa!" as he calls them. He loves to try and put them on and we have never had a problem getting him dressed. But for some reason this Saturday he was fighting us tooth and nail. So we stopped and said, "Ok buddy, show us what you want." The little monkey walks around his room for a minute and then comes across his winter boots. "Shoes!" he exclaims. We look at each other, "alright bud. But we gotta put some socks on first" So he comes over happy as clam sits down on the itty bitty room that I have left on my lap, and we proceed to put socks and then winter boots on. Still without pants. And that is how he liked it, all day! Even at nap time he wouldn't let me take them off, he insisted on wearing them! He looked hilarious!
Later that day we needed to run some errands, so he let me take his boots of to put pants on. He was already wearing a t-shirt and a zip up. But he found his flannel button up shirt, and put it on top of his zip up. So that is how we went to do errands... I think this will continue for sometime. But that's ok, I love this stage. I love seeing him expressing creativity and independent thought and choice, even if its over silly things like wearing his winter boots with his diaper!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Home Birth here we go!

So we decided for baby #2 to do a home birth. I can't believe those words are even coming out of my mouth.
We have only been considering the home birth thing for about the last month, when our midwife brought it to our attention that we may not have a choice, since Linc came in under 5 hours. Having a first birth in 5 hours is considered fast, and when you take into consideration most second births come in at least half the time - we may not have time to get to the hospital. And as my midwife said, "Better to birth at home than in a car!"
It took a few weeks of really thinking it over, and switching my mind set from envisioning this baby being born in a similar hospital setting as Lincoln to what it would look like birthing this baby at home. But after a few weeks I decided, with Stephen saying he would back me up with whatever I thought was best, that yes, I wanted to try a home birth.
It just makes sense to me now. I have always believed that birthing is a natural process, not a medical procedure. I have read a lot about the history of birthing, and what happened to it when it moved into the Hospital and Dr's took over the delivery. Once you go into the hospital birthing is viewed as a medical procedure, when women have been doing this for thousands of years. And women around the world continue to birth, without hospitals, Dr's and modern techonology every single day. It is astounding how much your odds of having an epidural, major tearing, infant injury, c-section, ect increase when you birth in the Hospital.
I think I live in the best time to have a baby. I have to option of choosing a midwife and a natural home birth, but still have the miracle of medical technology and Dr's etc... available to me, in the small chance something doesn't go quite right.
I am suprisingly very excited to birth at home, now that we have made the decision to do so. To be able to just rest with my baby as much as I want. To not be interuppted in the middle of the night by nurses taking vitals etc... I think it will be an incredible experience.
Because of everything that I have read, learned, and experienced with my first pregnancy, and now my second, I have realized that I would love to be a midwife. If I could do anything right now, I would become a midwife. But I know its not the right season, especially since in Canada BC and ONT are the only places that offer training. Its a 4 year course, and would be quite intensive. But I am hoping, and trusting that at some point I will be able to take my training and do it. In the mean time, I might become a doula - just to see if I am really up for it!
So here's to you, my little baby, may birthing at home bring you into the world in the most peaceful and natural way possible!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Lil Bean

I'm 34 weeks prego - and it feels like the next 6 weeks couldn't come fast enough! I'm pretty sure I am not any bigger than I was with Lincoln, but I sure don't remember it being this uncomfortable. My braxton hicks (practise contractions) are strong, and regular. Hoisting my body out of bed in the middle of the night to see Lincoln or use the washroom is getting harder every day! My little body just isn't used to supporting this much weight, and I'm generally quite sore. Getting up the stairs while caring Lincoln is almost impossible - not sure how many more trips I can take before he will have to crawl up himself!
We are so curious as to whether we are having a boy or a girl. We didn't find out with Lincoln, but Stephen and I both knew that we were having a boy. We didn't even have a girls name picked out! So this time around, I thought I would have the mother's instict, but unfortunately have no idea! All I know is I will be over the moon with whatever gender the baby is!
It would be incredible to have another boy, a baby brother for Lincoln!! It would be amazing to see what type of personality and characteristics he would have that would be so different from Lincoln!
It would be incredible to have a girl! I want o experience having a daughter so badly! I want to see why type of daughter Stephen and I would cook up! I also think giving Stephen a daughter would be an incredible experience for him - I can't wait to see him melt as she wraps him around her little finger!
We haven't settled on any names for this little bean yet either - which was so different than Lincoln. With Lincoln, we were confidint we were having a boy, and we were certain we were going to name him Lincoln. This time, we have a few names for a boy and a girl - but nothing is certain. Even middle names we haven't settled on. But I'm not too stressed about, I'm sure once we hold our little bean we will know for certain which name is meant for them.
We are also considering a home birth this time around. We were just going to do the Hospital birth like last time, until our midwife pointed out it would be wise to plan for a homebirth, as we may not have enough time to make it to the Hospital even if we wanted too. Better to birth at home than in a car, as she would say. So we had the 'scary talk', as they call it, where she takes us through every possible scenario of what could go wrong, what action they take, when we would call an ambulance etc... We need to decide soon though. I am comfortable doing a homebirth, and the more I think about it, the more I would rather do it. But Stephen still has some hesitations, and we have agreed that we won't commit to a homebirth unless we are both 100% on board with the idea.
I just can't wait to have this little bean out of my belly and into my arms, sleeping beside me all swaddled up. Discovering his/hers big brother....seeing those first smiles. but at the same time, I am reminding myself to enjoy the now. To enjoy the pregnancy, becuase for some bizarre reason i sure miss being pregnant when I'm not!
So here's to you Lil' Bean. May you come on time and faster than your brother!

Lincoln's Latest Antics - 21 Months

The other night we were spending some time together as a family on the couch. Stephen had a glass of pop, as well as the can sitting on the coffee table. Linc was thrilled to be able to help himself to drinking out of the cup. He picked up the can, realized there was some in it and poured the remainder into the cup. He did surprisingly well, but still spilt a little bit. So I told LInc he had to clean up. So he runs off, returns a few minutes later with a clothe and cleans it up!! It was awesome - we were just laughing and laughing!

Linc has started a nightly routine when we put him to bed. We do our usual song (Jesus Loves me) and Stephens prays. Linc has started giving us kisse - but doesn't take his soother out. And then he waves and says "Buh-bee" (which is how he says bye!) so darling!

This morning, as we were getting ready for work, Stephen and I looked into the bathroom (which is in the middle of renovations) and saw our little boy trying to sand the mudded walls with Stephen's sanding paddle! About a week ago I found Lincoln in our room with 2 of Stephen's trouls trying to do the Venetian Plaster just like he saw his dad do the day before!

Linc knows 3 animal sounds! Monkey - ee, ee! Dinosaur or Tiger - ROAR! Puppy woof, woof!

Today I brought in Linc's clothes to get him dressed. He grabbed the pants and said, "PA!" He is getting so close to having some new words!

He also knows where the baby is, and always gives my tummy a hug and kiss whenever I ask him too.