walking

my beautiful little emerald took her first step yesterday! a bit early @ 9.5 months, but not as early as her dad at 7.5 months. excited for this next phase. time really flies. savor every moment. it's too sweet not to! pictures soon.

one thing i loved about having my baby at home: privacy

i am a very outgoing and extroverted person, but one thing i loved about having a home birth was privacy. my midwives really respected me and my space. i labored with just matthias most of the time with them checking on me every now and then. i was only "checked" twice. once at about 6 or 8 centimeters and again at 10. i had been sitting in the shower on the exercise ball for hours...right through transition i guess. the hot shower was my epidural!

when it was time to push, both midwives were there and made suggestions, but never were screaming push or do this or do that. i pushed standing up for a while and emerald crowned, but got pretty tired and laid on the bed on my side while matthias held my leg up and that's how emerald came out! the midwife simply "caught" her and laid her on my chest. i still remember that feeling. probably the most amazing feeling in the world. having my naked baby laid on my bare chest...oh the emotions. i then asked if it was a girl or a boy and they told me to see so i reached down to feel (lol) and i think matthias said it was a girl. WOOOOOOWW....i had no clue! we had planned to call her Lucy if she was a girl but i said...i just can't call her lucy!

the midwives suggested we take pictures (woops) and we did. since i had been in the shower, i was completely naked, so those pictures aren't really public. lol.

my midwives just let my brand new baby lay on me...didn't try to wash her or anything like that, just let us be for a while. loved that. no machines, monitors, IVs. just us in our home.

nursing feet

So the other night as we were sleeping Emerald sat up and started fussing a bit wanting to nurse so pulled her to my other side to nurse her. At this point I was definitely still half asleep because as I tried to nurse her...I realize I had got her turned around and was trying to nurse her feet...lol. I though... aw poor Emerald and turned her around to nurse her the right way. Funny funny.


I want to make a Valentine's Day scrapbook...does anyone have any easy but cool ideas on how to do this? PLEASE SHARE!!!!

random

today i went to a le leche league meeting. 'twas a nice time with all the nursing ladies. we talked about how some moms who adopt infants have nursed them. (WOW!) i'd love to do that some day. 1. adopt 2. nurse that baby. talk about strengthening the bond and some good nutrients!

my wonderful hubby got home early from work just as emerald took a nap so we got to spend some time together. he made a fire in our apartment fireplace and we all snuggled up next to it all night. we even had dinner there. i made cabbage and italian sausage. so random and greasy, i know, but it was good! emerald had apple sauce and some sweet potato and some cheerios.

nights by the fire are nice. matthias read our devotional "daily  light for the daily path".

old, but so funny. she always blinks with a flash!

my family is asleep in the bed. i should be too! goodnight!

Oh well. :)

My little baby got dedicated to the Lord at church this past Sunday. We were going to show this sweet picture of her, but for some reason it did not show! Her name would have been with it so I think people probably think her name is "Emeril" now. Oh well. ;)

She is giving me a hard time right now. She fights sleep like it's a game. I'm talking unless I am nursing her, she wont sleep...working on that. Oh well.

I need some serious help with my blog. It looks crazy. Oh well.

breastfeeding "fun" (a somewhat graphic post)

Here is a few fun and gross facts about me and breastfeeding:

-My daughter is 9 months and still breastfeeds day and night.
-I loveeeeeeee the breastfeeding hormones that make you feel so amazing, sleepy, relaxed. (Unless your breast is killing you, see below).
-I have had two lactation consultants look at me and say that my "injuries" were "some of the worst they have seen"
-I don't know if it is fair skin or genetics or what but I have had a harddd time with torn or injured nipples. The whole first two months I had open wounds.  :D
-Emerald got teeth at 4 months, top ones at 5 or 6 and unfortunately bit me a couple times. Open wounds take TWO.
-I have had my share of plugged ducts, thankfully to be resolved by a baby who LOVES to nurse!
-I just had my first bout with mastitis this past weekend. I thought it was the flu, then noticed red streaks and a swollen duct. Aha moment!
-I have nursed so many places: shoe isle at Wal Mart, restaurants, in church, in the nursing room at church, at coffee shops, on a walk, with family, with friends, airplanes, etc etc
-I plan on breastfeeding for at least around 2 years (Did you know that the World Health Organization recommends nursing for at least 2 years)
-Emerald is 9 months and I have not started my period back yet!! I blame that on all day, all night nursing.

Nursing little Em at the State Fair. Mom hiding her face!

I'll add more later if I think of it...

Emerald is almost 9 months!

Our pitiful Christmas picture.

The first few months seemed to go by pretty slow, but here lately it has all seemed to fly by. My little baby is growing up. We are seeing so much of her personality. She seems to be very spirited, maybe a little strong willed. :) Is she sleeping through the night? Well, um, yes...as long as I'm right there beside her and nurse her a couple of times. Don't judge us!

Speaking of nursing, I have wanted to make a post about nursing for a while now. I love nursing and since becoming a mother I have become even more of a nursing advocate. Now, I'm more of the never use a bottle or pacifier and nurse when your baby (or you) wants to type of mom, but that doesn't mean I think that is the only way. Certainly I know that a baby with a bottle and a pacifier can be just as loved and cared for! I know breastfeeding can be challenging and inconvenient and boy, do I have the stories to prove it! I was so stubborn the first few months that even if it mean continual, all day nursing (just about), never going anywhere, and intense pain, I was going to do it if that's what I thought my little one needed. I've learned so much, I feel like whenever God blesses us with another child, it will be a bit easier.

If you want to breastfeed your baby...don't give up! Talk to other moms who did it--with challenges--cracked, torn nipples, mastitis, low milk supply, poor latch, plugged ducts...there is (almost) no problem that cannot be overcome. Check out the Le Leche League. The outcome is truly worth it. The relaxation hormones you get are worth it!!

Hopefully I'll be able to blog more. I'm always thinking of something I'd like to blog about. We'll see.

***Also, something I think new parents (like myself) should know: If you feel tired, like your world has been turned upside down, like you have hardly any time for yourself, inconvenienced, or anything of the sort YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. It will get better, just relax, nurse again and try to enjoy your little one!