Welcome Ava Grace

Ava Grace

October 27, 2007, 7:05 a.m.

8 pounds, 9 ounces, 20-1/2 inches

Born natural, drug free!

Alternative Birthing Center, Southfield, Michigan

Nothing exciting, just pictures and video :-)

No real news going on here. We have had some practice labor (i.e., "false labor") going on most of the week, but my midwife says this is normal for women who've had babies before, it could go on for weeks. (GREAT.) I've had plenty of uterine surges (i.e., "contractions"), but nothing regular or strong enough to be actual labor. My doula has been by twice this week to chat and work on some relaxation techniques; she's been wonderful about learning the HypnoBirthing lingo and using this terminology instead of mainstream medical birthing vocabulary. It's been extremely helpful! We have been hitting it off very well, too, I may have a new friend when all this birthing stuff is said and done. :-)

So other than that, nothing exciting, no trips, no big events...just pics of my cute kid. :-)

Watching "The Wiggles" on a DVD I borrowed from the library.
I SO want to take her to see them in concert now....
10-24-07

In her "new, big-girl room." Papa C. made the table and chairs for her a long time ago. She really, really loves them. The room is quite bare, there will be a dresser, nightstand, and hutch delivered for her new room on Wednesday. Also a headboard for when she gets her "big girl bed," which we are not in a rush for. For now, Squidgie will sleep in a borrowed bassinet while Liesl keeps the crib.

Just smiling. :-) 10-24-07

Signing "toast." (Note the extremely intelligent look on her face, too.)
10-26-07

Squidgie won't be naked

My 36-week appointment with the midwife was yesterday. While she'd like me to hold onto the baby for another week to be considered full-term, I am now 100% eligible for the Birth Center and can labor and birth there when the time comes. Based on Liesl's birth and my exam yesterday, she thinks I could go into labor at any minute. So, the bag's packed and the outfits are purchased. I splurged and bought a boy's ensemble and a girl's ensemble; each complete with a matching sleeper, hat, bib, and booties. Both are now packed in my Birth Center suitcase; Grammie has the assignment of taking the unused outfit back to Carter's.

For Liesl's birth, I didn't really pay attention to the all-important going-home outfit, and packed a simple green sleeper. So when Liesl arrived quite a bit early, 3 days before Christmas, Tom made an offhand comment that she needed a Santa hat to go home in. Never say these things within my mother's hearing. She was out and about in every store you can think of to buy baby clothing, TWO DAYS before Christmas, searching for a "Baby's first Christmas" outfit and a Santa hat. I am forever grateful that she took the time and energy to do that; especially since she had been up from 6:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. the night before, attending Liesl's birth. Liesl's newborn portrait is very much treasured, as is the story behind the outfit.




Not to be outdone by news of Squidgie, here is a cute picture of Liesl in the bath. She LOVES water --be it a bath, a swim in Torch Lake, sticking her head in a wheelbarrow full of dirty rainwater...you name it. The child should have been born with gills.

Happy Halloween to my fellow Moms!

I just had to post these pictures. I'm a member of the Farmington Area Mom's Club. Farmington/Farmington Hills always has tons of festivals, competitions, and other family-friendly events to celebrate the current times of the year. Over the summer, the FAMC's float won second prize in the Founder's Festival parade. This is the FAMC's contribution to the town scarecrow display and competition. And yes, there really is a baby scarecrow in that sling. (That "scarecrow-ess" is one BUSY but happy Mom!)

I am sad to say I could not participate in building this lovely scarecrow family due to time and body constraints. However, once Squidgie is out and about, I will get to do more of these fun activities. The Mom's Club has been a great source of friendship and activities for both Liesl and I, we have met so many wonderful (and colorful!) moms and kids through this amazing group of ladies.

Hitting the sauce...HARD

The herbs and veggies are in full swing, so it was time to make and freeze homemade spaghetti sauce for the year. We wound up with approximately 12 quarts to go into the freezer. Whenever I make sauce, even with my best efforts to clean as I go, I end up with a disastrous kitchen. This time was worse than usual--it has become hard to lean over Squidgie to reach the counters and sink to scrub, peal, dice, chop, and wash. However, the extra work for the fresh home-grown herbs is definitely worth the taste, not to mention dried herbs are terribly expensive at the grocery.

My darling Mom came out to help take care of Liesl, and even made me a double batch of meatballs for Tom to keep in the freezer. For dinner tonight, we had 4-cheese ravioli with the fresh sauce, and Tom had fresh meatballs. It was delicious! The rest will be put in the freezer for quick, tasty, healthy meals for the rest of the winter. This will be especially helpful when Squidgie is born. The house smells heavenly today!

With any Italian meal comes the requisite baby-eating-tomato-sauce photos. Cleaning up the kid and the high chair (and a 40-foot radius around the high chair) is always a source for discussion. Tom wants to bring out the power washer; I usually suggest renting a convertible and going through the nearest car wash. We opt for a bath instead...and getting her upstairs and into it without covering our stairs, furniture, walls, bedspreads, and clothes with tomato sauce is the next problem to be solved. But at least she had a good healthy meal.