verdemama — green around the edges

Belly Watch: 39 Weeks, and Then Some…

by verdemama on May 23, 2011

Sorry I’ve been pretty quiet over here; my head has been wrapped around gearing up for the hard work that lies ahead. I’ve been re-reading my books on natural birthing, packing my hospital bag, spending time with Orion and otherwise preparing for the big changes about to take place.

I’m finally starting to feel ready now, but that’s not to say I’m feeling impatient. Sure, I’m excited to meet the little lady, but I also realize that life is about to change in ways I can’t quite fathom yet, and that’s not something I necessarily need to rush into. As eager as I am to once again be able to bend over at the waist and walk across our old hardwood floors without sounding like a thundering elephant, I just want to enjoy these last few days of life as I know it.

After some time spent looking inward, I’m feeling at peace with the task at hand. A few days prior I was re-reading some materials on natural birthing when suddenly I just started sobbing at the memory of how intense and painful it was last time. It was a joyful experience, for sure, but getting to the payoff was a long, frightening process.

I had always intended to write about Orion’s birth story but I never got around to it. Seeing as how I’m about to have even less free time, I’ll go ahead and give you the super short CliffsNotes edition of his arrival:

~February 12th, 2009, I went to see my OB for my 37-week checkup. She told me my amniotic fluid was running out and my baby could be in danger. She said we’ll need to induce… like, right now.

~I immediately started to panic because, 1) my baby was possibly in danger, and 2) we were smack in the middle of wrapping up a deadline at the magazine where I worked. My maternity leave was supposed to start the next day, and I had a long to-do list to finish prepping for the baby’s arrival.

~After running home to pack up some things, I checked into the hospital. Upon settling in, a nurse inserted a pill into my cervix that kick-started labor. (I’m told by multiple sources that this produces a really harsh labor.)

~The first ten hours or so were not a big deal; it was like having menstrual cramps. The next twelve hours were super intense, like, the most pain I’ve ever experienced in my life. Like, IMDYING, HOWDOWOMENSURVIVETHIS kind of pain. Then I had to push, exhausted, for two very long hours.

~Total time from induction to birth: about 24 hours. No painkillers. I used self-hypnosis to manage the pain, but I’m not sure I really “managed” it very well. I merely endured it. And I honestly do have a high pain threshold.

Of course there’s a happy ending: a beautiful 8 lb. 1 oz. baby boy, and a feeling like I could conquer pretty much anything after surviving childbirth. The memory of the pain quickly faded. Until lately, that is.

I did recently have a brief moment of freakout brought on by the thought of having to endure that much pain again for such a long time. My doc assures me, nay GUARANTEES, she said, that labor and delivery will be quicker and easier this time. I’m praying she’s right.

I’m now feeling confident once again, and I think I’m totally gonna kick childbirth’s ass. Bring it.

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Belly Watch: 38 Weeks

by verdemama on May 12, 2011

Chasing a toddler + 38 weeks pregnant = ridiculously tired. Seriously, I pretty much can’t avoid the afternoon naps these days. I’m like a robot whose power source has just been pulled and I simply shut down, slumped over in my chair if I’m not lucky enough to make it as far as the bed. Other than that, I feel pretty darn good. The sciatica and heartburn that plagued me during my first pregnancy is nowhere to be found, although I do have plenty of aches and pains.

My biggest complaint is that my poor belly skin is stretched to the max and is so, SO itchy. Like, driving me insane itchy. Rip my skin off itchy. I’ve been dousing myself in the Belli Elasticity Oil samples that I picked up at the Pregnancy Awareness Month event I went to in Santa Monica a couple weeks ago — which does help, but the only thing that will truly put out this fire is childbirth. Which can happen any time after the 24th (when my mom arrives in town), as far as I’m concerned.

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Chez Verdemama || Orion’s Room

by verdemama on May 10, 2011

Or I guess I should call it “the kids’ room,” because they’re going to be sharing it in a few months, once Baby J moves out of her co-sleeper in our bedroom.

Anyway, our home tour continues with THE KIDS’ ROOM (gah, it feels so weird to type that).

In my last home tour post, I explained a bit about how we bought and moved into this house just days before Orion’s birth, and how it was in major need of a facelift. The room that was to be Orion’s was certainly no exception. It had god-awful green paint, huge divots in the wall, a BAMBOO MAT STAPLED TO ONE ENTIRE WALL and a huge mystery stain on the hardwood floor.

See for yourself.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Add several coats of paint, tons of spackle for all those staple holes, and a refinishing of the hardwood floors, and we now have this.

I must confess, much of the furniture in this room was either purchased at Ikea (all the shelves), or is used Ikea furniture (the toddler bed) acquired from Craiglist. Not very inspired, I know, but also not devastating when a toddler draws all over it in black sharpie.

The wall decals are from Blik. Considering I was nine months pregnant when we were prepping the house to move in, I couldn’t contribute much physically at the time, but this is the one thing I insisted on doing myself. It was a labor of love.

The Flor rug is a new addition. I have a thing for yellow and gray together. [continue reading…]

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How I Spent Mother’s Day Weekend

by verdemama on May 8, 2011

Green tea latte-ing

Stuffed French toast-ing

Spa-ing

Ah-ing

Faux cocktail-ing

Playing, loving, cuddling

I hope your weekend was just as good.

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A Few Quick Updates

by verdemama on May 5, 2011

No, I didn’t sneak off and have a baby in the past few days, I’ve just been feeling a little lazy in the blogging department. Sometimes after a long day of momming, I just want to sit in front of the boob tube at night and catch up on some Netflixed Parenthood DVDs.

So until I can scrape together a proper blog post, here are a few quick updates:

~RIP snail. You were a good pet while you lasted. Apparently living outside in a jar in 90+ degree heat didn’t agree with you. Sorry ‘bout that.

~I hate to jinx things, but I wanted to share that Orion has been peeing in his potty for the past four days in a row, totally of his own volition. It will probably be a while before we move on to pooing in the potty, but I love that he’s taken this first step, and of his own free will. Little smarty, that guy.

~I go back to my OB for my 37 week checkup tomorrow, at which time she’ll check my lady parts to see what, if anything, is going on there. I’ve been having tons of Braxton Hicks contractions, and I can feel some changes happening down south. I should probably pack my hospital bag.

~In other baby news, my SIL just gave birth to her first child on May 3rd, an adorable little lady named Denae Braylee. Congrats to Denise and Jim! And one of my besties, Eliza, is due any day now. Hooray for new babies!

~We finally received our long-awaited, tax refund-funded iPad 2 today, which I will no doubt spend the rest of the day playing with. Now if you’ll excuse me…

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Belly Watch: 36 Weeks

by verdemama on April 28, 2011

Okay, so I’m technically still a day away from the official 36 week mark, but I just so happened to have five extra seconds today to snap a photo of myself and I figured I should probably take advantage of it.

So. I’m thisclose to being 36 weeks, and some days I feel great, and others I feel like a narcoleptic beached whale. Everywhere I go, people are still commenting on how I look — mostly of the “You poor thing. You look like you’re ready to explode” variety, but I’ve really stopped caring. You’re right, people, I DO feel ready to explode. I’ve gained 33 pounds. My belly skin is all stretched out and itchy, I officially waddle, and I haven’t been able to gracefully bend over to pick dropped things off the ground for many weeks.

(Plus, Orion was born at 37 weeks, so it’s blowing my mind a little to think I could have a newborn in a matter of days — although I don’t think the same scenario will play out again this time.)

It’s all starting to feel very real to me. And you know what? I think I’m ready.

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The Final Countdown

by verdemama on April 27, 2011

What have I been doing to prepare for Baby J’s impending birth? Not much, really. I’m stocking up on cloth diapers, a few pieces of new clothing, and rearranging Orion’s room to eventually fit two little ones. I got a new rug for their room (above) and I’m adding a few other finishing touches. (Pics to follow soon, I promise.) We re-borrowed a co-sleeper from friends that she’ll sleep in for the first few months; it’s the same one Orion snoozed in the first four months of his life. Eventually she’ll move into Orion’s former crib, while he sleeps in his Craigslisted toddler bed.

I’m planning to once again opt for a med-free hospital birth — kind of the best of both worlds, as far as I’m concerned. I get to labor and deliver naturally but with the comfort of medical doctors close at hand in case something goes awry. I’ve been procrastinating in studying my Hypnobabies CDs and workbook I used for Orion’s birth, but considering I’m 35.5 weeks along now, I guess I best be breaking out those bad boys, pronto, before I run out of time.

Other than that, it’s pretty much business as usual. Everything is so different this time around — I’ve hardly had any time to really marinate in the idea that I will soon have a second little person to devote my everything to. Fortunately I know from experience I don’t really need much material stuff to care for a newborn, because all she needs is a place to sleep, warm clothes, unfettered boob access and loving arms to cradle her.

I’m not exactly winging it this time around, but I’m not trying to plan and control every last detail, either. And I’m cool with that.

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Smoothie Operator

by verdemama on April 25, 2011

Like most two-year-olds, Orion is going through a finicky phase. Once a ravenous eater of practically anything, he now turns his nose up at pretty much all veggies (unless they’re swimming in ketchup — which works, too, for now).

My solution? Super stealthy fruity green smoothies.

I don’t normally use a specific recipe — just whatever is in season that I’ve picked up at our weekly farmers’ market. Right now, a standard smoothie might include apples, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, some OJ for a base (or any other kind of juice or coconut water), a couple of ice cubes, and the secret ingredient — fresh greens, such as spinach or kale. Toss in a blender et voila! — a yummy treat packed with several servings of fruit and veggies slurped down in one sitting. The flavor of the greens is totally disguised by the natural sweetness of the fruit. Toddlers — and any other veggie loather, for that matter — are none the wiser.

I make smoothies for us several times a week and Orion always excitedly sucks down a good 12 ounces, and then I don’t worry so much if he only wants to eat a pile of ketchup for dinner. And they’re great for me as well, because I don’t have the time or bandwidth I used to have when it comes to feeding myself right.

I’ve also been experimenting lately with nutritional boosts, such as maca powder (a natural energy booster, full of vitamins and minerals) and chia (loaded with omega-3s, antioxidants and calcium). And I downloaded this cool iPhone app that provides smoothie recipe ideas for when I get tired of the same ol’ same ol’.

My latest fave is the Chocolate Supreme smoothie from the amazing raw food restaurant 118 Degrees down in Costa Mesa. I’m seriously OBSESSED with this creamy, chocolate-y concoction. It’s chock full of superfoods but it tastes like a milkshake — a pregnant lady’s dream, for sure. I make a pretty convincing imitation using almond milk (I use this kind, but I think I’m going to start experimenting making my own, because it looks so easy), antioxidant-rich cacao powder, a teaspoon of maca, banana, a touch of agave syrup (but this won’t be necessary if the banana is ripe and sweet), a handful of spinach and a couple of soaked raw almonds for extra nutritional value. It’s seriously freakin’ delicious, and loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Green smoothies are great for pregnancy nausea, too. A couple smoothies a week seriously saved me during my first trimester of this pregnancy, when I was so sick 24/7 I couldn’t even bear the sight of food.

Bottoms up!

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A Blast From My Past

by verdemama on April 18, 2011

Not many of my childhood keepsakes survived our many moves and purges of the past 30-odd years, but I’m grateful my mother kept a stash of my baby clothes in an old cedar chest in her basement, waiting for the day to pass them off to me. She brought a big bag of vintage goodies to me the last time she came to visit, and happily everything is still in pretty great shape, even after (ahem, cough, choke) 35 years.

Just wanted to share a few of those treasures here. I think it’s pretty amazing to be able to pass along a piece of my past to little Baby J.

Two pretty dresses. The green one on the left I wore at my first birthday party.

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Yellow dress by Polly Flinders

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A little blue number by Nannette.

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Handmade apron-style dresses, by whom I’m not sure.

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Baby sweater, hand-knit by my grandmother, I believe . This is teeny-tiny, like, newborn size, so I’m not sure Baby J will ever get to wear it. (I make big babies, plus the weather will likely be warm when she arrives.)

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Another hand-knit number (also by my grandmother?)— the sunniest little yellow cardigan, ever. I’m sure she’ll sport this one often in the cooler months.

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Hand-knit white hooded cardigan (again, grandma). This one will come in handy during the cool winter and spring months.

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These are the most tiniest and most adorable little Mary Janes. Unfortunately they are super rigid from age so it’s unlikely she’ll ever actually wear them. But they sure are cute to look at.

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Belly Watch: 34 Weeks

by verdemama on April 17, 2011

Despite my best intentions to document my burgeoning bump week-by-week, life always has other plans for me. I’d love to be able to craft the same kind of weekly photo shoots I’ve seen on other mom blogs, featuring me in soft focus standing in a field of flowers looking adorable in a vintage dress plucked from the depths of my closet that just so happens to still fit perfectly! In reality, I’m wearing sensible shoes and chasing a toddler (or waddling after, rather) 24/7, with very little free time or energy to smile coyly for the camera. So a boring un-Photoshopped self-portrait will have to suffice (hello, stack of to-be-filed papers on the desktop!).

Anyway, I’m 34 weeks and feeling good. I’m starting to get pretty tired by the end of the day, and my body certainly isn’t able to get around like it once did, but I have no serious complaints. The little girl is very active, and it’s crazy to watch my belly move and stretch as she dances around. She was breech at my last ultrasound a few weeks ago, and I’m hoping by this week’s appointment she’s moved head-down so we can move ahead with a natural, drug-free birth like I had with Orion.

I’m just trying to enjoy these last few weeks as a mother to a single child. Things are about to get crazy up in here.