Thursday, November 14, 2013
Fish Sticks
So, the other day after preschool I asked Will the name of his buddy and his response was, "Um...fish sticks...?" Four-year-olds are awesome.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Halloween 2013
We had a great Halloween holiday - granted, it was curtailed a bit by Will's bout with pneumonia (no church party, sadly), but what we were well enough to attend was fun. As usual, we carved pumpkins and Spencer decorated our front windows for the enjoyment of our neighbors and trick-or-treaters.
The first photo shows Spencer's pumpkin. Feeling particularly ambitious this year, he decided to freestyle a zombie on his. Below that is mine and Will's. We did ours together - I did the design and Will helped me cut it out. He was delighted with our efforts and requested that we light them up outside to enjoy them in their full jack-o-lantern-iness. So we did, and they were awesome. Unfortunately, we trooped back inside and completely forgot to extinguish the six-inch tall pillar candles inside. So, they burned all night, eventually turning the insides black and making the cut edges look like they'd been outlined with a Sharpie. Whatever. They still were fun and looked fine on the actual Halloween night. Oh, and you can see that a portion of the lid on Will's and my pumpkin was burned away. Gives it some street cred, I think.
Here is a shot of Spencer's window creation. It took a ridiculous amount of time, and yes, being tiny pieces of cut-out paper, it was all thrown away the day after Halloween. That said, it got rave reviews, prompting many to take photos in front of our house, several to ask, "how did you DO that?!!" and one woman to request a new one for Christmas.
I got to take Will trick-or-treating this year. We were out for about an hour and a half, and though he got tired, he wouldn't stop. Fortunately the weather cooperated, and Will was dressed very comfortably for the evening. Here are a few of him:
And last but not least, here are a few photos of our family gathering at Aunt Carolynn's house the day after Halloween. She was great to host us, Aunt Marcie, and Grandma and Grandpa. We had our traditional chili, doughnuts from Fresh Donut and Deli, wassail, and other treats. It was so nice because it gave the younger cousins a chance to see each other without preventing them from trick-or-treating on the holiday. Thanks, Aunt Carolynn!
The one I like to call "sweet baby James..."
The hostess with the mostess...Aunt Carolynn!
Grandma and Grandpa - they should take photos like this more often. It's how I like to think of them.
The usual suspects
Cute baby Joshua, AKA "teddy bear"
Susanna and me in our first attempt at the Moby wrap. She was dressed as a Federation officer (Star Trek, people!), but her costume is of course covered by the wrap.
Anyway, it was great and we had such a nice holiday! Yay!
The first photo shows Spencer's pumpkin. Feeling particularly ambitious this year, he decided to freestyle a zombie on his. Below that is mine and Will's. We did ours together - I did the design and Will helped me cut it out. He was delighted with our efforts and requested that we light them up outside to enjoy them in their full jack-o-lantern-iness. So we did, and they were awesome. Unfortunately, we trooped back inside and completely forgot to extinguish the six-inch tall pillar candles inside. So, they burned all night, eventually turning the insides black and making the cut edges look like they'd been outlined with a Sharpie. Whatever. They still were fun and looked fine on the actual Halloween night. Oh, and you can see that a portion of the lid on Will's and my pumpkin was burned away. Gives it some street cred, I think.
Here is a shot of Spencer's window creation. It took a ridiculous amount of time, and yes, being tiny pieces of cut-out paper, it was all thrown away the day after Halloween. That said, it got rave reviews, prompting many to take photos in front of our house, several to ask, "how did you DO that?!!" and one woman to request a new one for Christmas.
I got to take Will trick-or-treating this year. We were out for about an hour and a half, and though he got tired, he wouldn't stop. Fortunately the weather cooperated, and Will was dressed very comfortably for the evening. Here are a few of him:
And last but not least, here are a few photos of our family gathering at Aunt Carolynn's house the day after Halloween. She was great to host us, Aunt Marcie, and Grandma and Grandpa. We had our traditional chili, doughnuts from Fresh Donut and Deli, wassail, and other treats. It was so nice because it gave the younger cousins a chance to see each other without preventing them from trick-or-treating on the holiday. Thanks, Aunt Carolynn!
The one I like to call "sweet baby James..."
The hostess with the mostess...Aunt Carolynn!
Grandma and Grandpa - they should take photos like this more often. It's how I like to think of them.
The usual suspects
Cute baby Joshua, AKA "teddy bear"
Susanna and me in our first attempt at the Moby wrap. She was dressed as a Federation officer (Star Trek, people!), but her costume is of course covered by the wrap.
Anyway, it was great and we had such a nice holiday! Yay!
Sleep
This will be short and sweet. Susanna - my darling, sweet, compassionate Susanna - sleeps twelve hours a night. She's been sleeping at least eight hours a night since she was about eight weeks old. What a blessing my children are!
P.S. These photos are here only because I know my mother will want to see how she's grown since the last time she saw her. They're not great shots, but you can still totally see the chin dimple she got from my Dad.
P.S. These photos are here only because I know my mother will want to see how she's grown since the last time she saw her. They're not great shots, but you can still totally see the chin dimple she got from my Dad.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
The blessings of "one more time..."
If you're like me, you read the word "illness" and think cold, flu, stomach bug, migraine, or something equally common to children. However, this weekend, pneumonia invaded our household.
Will started getting sick on Wednesday evening - of course, directly after our well-baby check for Susanna. It was mostly a fever, and I didn't think too much of it simply because he's had fevers before and they never lasted longer than about eight to twelve hours and they've always been low-grade. This one, however, lasted through Thursday and into Friday. Along with that, he became lethargic, sleeping more and lying down while he was awake. Also, he stopped eating and getting him to drink anything became a real struggle. He often complained his head hurt, that he was chilly, and that his body ached.
On Friday we went in to see the doctor. We weren't able to see his pediatrician (whose office is closed on Fridays - WHY?!!!), but we got in to see our family practitioner, who immediately took his temperature and discovered it to be over 104 degrees. Initially they thought strep, but discounted that after a rapid strep culture. Then they thought perhaps flu, but that was also a no go after another rapid culture. They were playing with the idea of bacterial meningitis when the doctor checked his lungs "one more time to be sure." Lo and behold, down at the very bottom of his lungs he heard the "crackle." The PA who had started the visit hadn't heard it and was still unable to even after the doctor showed her where to listen. In any case, he determined that it was moderate pneumonia, likely a complication of a very mild upper respiratory infection.
During all of this, Will was just on fire. The medical assistant, physician's assistant, and the doctor all commented on just how hot his entire body was. He cried, too - large slow tears that rolled down his face. He wasn't upset; he was just so uncomfortable that he couldn't control the crying. It was so sad - I felt like crying, too.
For treatment, they gave him a shot (in his bum - he handled it as manfully as he could in his weakened state) as a jumpstart and then three days' worth of azithromycin. Fortunately, he began feeling better very quickly as the doctor had said he would. We kept him on alternating doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen to combat the fever for the first twenty-four hours, and fortunately his fever has disappeared and he's much better. He's still not wanting to drinking and eating as much as normal, but he's improving.
Unfortunately, we missed a swim lesson, a family baptism and the ward Halloween party, but we weren't interested in taking any chances. We want to make sure he's well enough to enjoy the actual holiday later this week. Anyway, bless modern medicine. It's frightening to see your child in such pain and so unlike himself. I'm grateful to the doctor who wanted to check just one more time.
Will started getting sick on Wednesday evening - of course, directly after our well-baby check for Susanna. It was mostly a fever, and I didn't think too much of it simply because he's had fevers before and they never lasted longer than about eight to twelve hours and they've always been low-grade. This one, however, lasted through Thursday and into Friday. Along with that, he became lethargic, sleeping more and lying down while he was awake. Also, he stopped eating and getting him to drink anything became a real struggle. He often complained his head hurt, that he was chilly, and that his body ached.
On Friday we went in to see the doctor. We weren't able to see his pediatrician (whose office is closed on Fridays - WHY?!!!), but we got in to see our family practitioner, who immediately took his temperature and discovered it to be over 104 degrees. Initially they thought strep, but discounted that after a rapid strep culture. Then they thought perhaps flu, but that was also a no go after another rapid culture. They were playing with the idea of bacterial meningitis when the doctor checked his lungs "one more time to be sure." Lo and behold, down at the very bottom of his lungs he heard the "crackle." The PA who had started the visit hadn't heard it and was still unable to even after the doctor showed her where to listen. In any case, he determined that it was moderate pneumonia, likely a complication of a very mild upper respiratory infection.
During all of this, Will was just on fire. The medical assistant, physician's assistant, and the doctor all commented on just how hot his entire body was. He cried, too - large slow tears that rolled down his face. He wasn't upset; he was just so uncomfortable that he couldn't control the crying. It was so sad - I felt like crying, too.
For treatment, they gave him a shot (in his bum - he handled it as manfully as he could in his weakened state) as a jumpstart and then three days' worth of azithromycin. Fortunately, he began feeling better very quickly as the doctor had said he would. We kept him on alternating doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen to combat the fever for the first twenty-four hours, and fortunately his fever has disappeared and he's much better. He's still not wanting to drinking and eating as much as normal, but he's improving.
Unfortunately, we missed a swim lesson, a family baptism and the ward Halloween party, but we weren't interested in taking any chances. We want to make sure he's well enough to enjoy the actual holiday later this week. Anyway, bless modern medicine. It's frightening to see your child in such pain and so unlike himself. I'm grateful to the doctor who wanted to check just one more time.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Three Years and Ten Months of Will
What's new with Will, you might be wondering?
Well, preschool just started back up, and he's an old pro this time around. I admit that my heart swells a little when I see him square his small shoulders, sling his backpack on, and head into his classroom. He's really good at the alphabet and is starting to put together words for spelling and reading. He knows his numbers, but is still working on recognizing the numeric symbols. Will enjoys the songs and rhymes that the students learn at Miss Dana's, and I often hear him repeating them around the house.
Will is going to start swimming lessons soon, and he's really looking forward to it. This past summer he did tumbling and soccer, and really maximized the opportunity to run around and exhaust himself. So, since Susanna was born, he's been going a little stir crazy since we haven't been going out and about as much as we usually do. So, swimming lessons should be great!
His imagination has absolutely blossomed over the course of the past six months or so. He tells himself stories, and often transforms mundane objects into fantastical weapons and tools for fighting imaginary dangers. He also uses Legos to build all kinds of objects, motor vehicles, and buildings - airplanes, guns, our house, temples, etc. sometimes after he goes to bed I can hear him singing to himself (both well-known ditties and self-styled originals) and telling himself stories. Of course, he is always the hero of these epic tales.
That reminds me - he's developed a passion for all things cowboy. This includes"cowboy songs," which in my collection means music by the Riders in the Sky. I don't think he gets the humor, but he absolutely has tuned into the ideas of wide, open spaces, ranches, livestock, and the cowboy's horse and gun. In fact, he said to me the other day that he would be a cowboy when he grows up, but that he "really needs a horse." Hmm.
Other things on his radar...cooking dinner with me ("Can I help, Mama? Can I? Can I?"), stories about Jesus (thank you, illustrated scripture story book), and his baby sister. He mostly calls her that..."my baby sister." He adores her, lying on the floor beside her and talking to her in baby talk. He brings her toys, takes out her used diapers, and wants to hold her and touch her every second. We're really fortunate that he has reacted so positively to her.
I took him and Susanna (reclining in her carseat during waketime) outside into the yard today while I weeded and cleaned up the yard for the coming season. Susanna mostly dozed, but Will jabbered and played and kept me entertained all afternoon. He's a gem!
Well, preschool just started back up, and he's an old pro this time around. I admit that my heart swells a little when I see him square his small shoulders, sling his backpack on, and head into his classroom. He's really good at the alphabet and is starting to put together words for spelling and reading. He knows his numbers, but is still working on recognizing the numeric symbols. Will enjoys the songs and rhymes that the students learn at Miss Dana's, and I often hear him repeating them around the house.
Will is going to start swimming lessons soon, and he's really looking forward to it. This past summer he did tumbling and soccer, and really maximized the opportunity to run around and exhaust himself. So, since Susanna was born, he's been going a little stir crazy since we haven't been going out and about as much as we usually do. So, swimming lessons should be great!
His imagination has absolutely blossomed over the course of the past six months or so. He tells himself stories, and often transforms mundane objects into fantastical weapons and tools for fighting imaginary dangers. He also uses Legos to build all kinds of objects, motor vehicles, and buildings - airplanes, guns, our house, temples, etc. sometimes after he goes to bed I can hear him singing to himself (both well-known ditties and self-styled originals) and telling himself stories. Of course, he is always the hero of these epic tales.
That reminds me - he's developed a passion for all things cowboy. This includes"cowboy songs," which in my collection means music by the Riders in the Sky. I don't think he gets the humor, but he absolutely has tuned into the ideas of wide, open spaces, ranches, livestock, and the cowboy's horse and gun. In fact, he said to me the other day that he would be a cowboy when he grows up, but that he "really needs a horse." Hmm.
Other things on his radar...cooking dinner with me ("Can I help, Mama? Can I? Can I?"), stories about Jesus (thank you, illustrated scripture story book), and his baby sister. He mostly calls her that..."my baby sister." He adores her, lying on the floor beside her and talking to her in baby talk. He brings her toys, takes out her used diapers, and wants to hold her and touch her every second. We're really fortunate that he has reacted so positively to her.
I took him and Susanna (reclining in her carseat during waketime) outside into the yard today while I weeded and cleaned up the yard for the coming season. Susanna mostly dozed, but Will jabbered and played and kept me entertained all afternoon. He's a gem!
Susanna Judith is one month old!
I'm going to follow in the footsteps of my sister and do a little to record monthly milestones as they pass. Since I don't really keep a journal, at least doing this will allow me to preserve some memories of my daughter (it feels so weird to write that!) as she grows. If her childhood is anything like Will's, I won't remember many of the small things and when she's grown and asks me questions about her children and how I handled similar situations with mine, I'll maybe be able to use what I've written to help guide her in raising her babies.
>
Will just loves his "baby sister," as he calls her. One of his favorite things to do is to just hold her.
On Friday Susanna Judith passed the four-week mark. It's funny - I do remember that those first weeks with Will passed in a blur of dark, wintry days and seemingly endless cycles of nursing on the sofa, diaper changing, laundry, and often-truncated naps. It wasn't necessarily unpleasant - just a blur. This experience with Susanna has been different - perhaps it's the time of year, perhaps I am blessed with perspective and experience, and perhaps having Will to help and get me out of the house makes the difference, but it is different. It already feels like time is flying by and that she's growing faster than I really want her to.
It's really hard to get two children to face the camera for a photo, so this is about as good as it gets. I think it turned out pretty well!
I don't know if Spencer or I will have more children, but even if we do, I find myself a little sad sometimes at not being pregnant and feeling her move inside my belly. I expect that I will have more of these feelings as she continues to need me less and becomes her own person.
The fashion show begins!
Anyway, she is a month old. As far as stats go, she was weighed at her last appointment on the 11th of September and came in at 10 pounds and 6 ounces. That was a total weight gain of 1 pound and 8 ounces over the course of two and a half weeks. She seems to be putting on an ounce or more per day, so when we go in for a check-up on Tuesday, I'm thinking she'll be somewhere in the 11+ pound range. She's also gained little more than an inch in height. I don't know about her head circumference, but it was in the 75-90% range when she was born, so I bet it'll stay close to that.
Snuggly on the floor
Her skin peeled a lot when she was first born - it was a surprise to me since that didn't happen with Will. That said the peeling is virtually done now and her skin is super soft and smells sweet - like baby skin! Her hair is hanging on and is a soft medium brown, like mine. Interestingly, her eyes seem to be getting lighter and might even turn out to be blue. That is possible, since my Dad has blue eyes and Spencer's mom has blue eyes. In fact, though mine are decidedly brown, Spencer's are hazel and have a lot of blue in them. It would be kind of fun to have one with blue or even hazel eyes.
I think this sums up how Will feels about her.
You know how baby appendages are often kind of spindly? Susanna's were, too, but now they are starting to fill out and show some soft roundness. Her fingers and toes and still teeny, but she knows how to use those fingers - her strength surprises me sometimes.
Spiderman wanted to get in on the love, too.
Personality? Hard to say. When the bulk of your day is spent sleeping, individual traits are hard to distinguish. She's not overly demanding, but she can be persistent. Imagine that! She has a marked preference for a particular blanket for tummy time, and doesn't like having her clothing changed. However, she does like baths and if given the choice, wants Mommy. She has smiled a few times. Not reacting to anything that we've done, but particularly after eating. It's cute to get an idea of what she's going to look like as time goes by.
She's an extremely efficient eater (like her Daddy), and a pretty good sleeper. We usually get somewhere between three- and five-hour stretches at night and for the most part, she naps well during the day. We are looking forward to transitioning her to her crib in the nursery at night. She uses it during the day to nap, but we keep her downstairs with us at night. It'll be nice to reclaim our bedroom in a few weeks. I think that like Will, she's naturally clean, as she actually enjoys diaper changes. She relaxes and stretches out while we clean her and put on a fresh diaper.
Our baby girl is a good one, I think. We are enjoying her and are looking forward to the coming months or her young life!
>
On Friday Susanna Judith passed the four-week mark. It's funny - I do remember that those first weeks with Will passed in a blur of dark, wintry days and seemingly endless cycles of nursing on the sofa, diaper changing, laundry, and often-truncated naps. It wasn't necessarily unpleasant - just a blur. This experience with Susanna has been different - perhaps it's the time of year, perhaps I am blessed with perspective and experience, and perhaps having Will to help and get me out of the house makes the difference, but it is different. It already feels like time is flying by and that she's growing faster than I really want her to.
I don't know if Spencer or I will have more children, but even if we do, I find myself a little sad sometimes at not being pregnant and feeling her move inside my belly. I expect that I will have more of these feelings as she continues to need me less and becomes her own person.
Anyway, she is a month old. As far as stats go, she was weighed at her last appointment on the 11th of September and came in at 10 pounds and 6 ounces. That was a total weight gain of 1 pound and 8 ounces over the course of two and a half weeks. She seems to be putting on an ounce or more per day, so when we go in for a check-up on Tuesday, I'm thinking she'll be somewhere in the 11+ pound range. She's also gained little more than an inch in height. I don't know about her head circumference, but it was in the 75-90% range when she was born, so I bet it'll stay close to that.
Her skin peeled a lot when she was first born - it was a surprise to me since that didn't happen with Will. That said the peeling is virtually done now and her skin is super soft and smells sweet - like baby skin! Her hair is hanging on and is a soft medium brown, like mine. Interestingly, her eyes seem to be getting lighter and might even turn out to be blue. That is possible, since my Dad has blue eyes and Spencer's mom has blue eyes. In fact, though mine are decidedly brown, Spencer's are hazel and have a lot of blue in them. It would be kind of fun to have one with blue or even hazel eyes.
You know how baby appendages are often kind of spindly? Susanna's were, too, but now they are starting to fill out and show some soft roundness. Her fingers and toes and still teeny, but she knows how to use those fingers - her strength surprises me sometimes.
Personality? Hard to say. When the bulk of your day is spent sleeping, individual traits are hard to distinguish. She's not overly demanding, but she can be persistent. Imagine that! She has a marked preference for a particular blanket for tummy time, and doesn't like having her clothing changed. However, she does like baths and if given the choice, wants Mommy. She has smiled a few times. Not reacting to anything that we've done, but particularly after eating. It's cute to get an idea of what she's going to look like as time goes by.
She's an extremely efficient eater (like her Daddy), and a pretty good sleeper. We usually get somewhere between three- and five-hour stretches at night and for the most part, she naps well during the day. We are looking forward to transitioning her to her crib in the nursery at night. She uses it during the day to nap, but we keep her downstairs with us at night. It'll be nice to reclaim our bedroom in a few weeks. I think that like Will, she's naturally clean, as she actually enjoys diaper changes. She relaxes and stretches out while we clean her and put on a fresh diaper.
Our baby girl is a good one, I think. We are enjoying her and are looking forward to the coming months or her young life!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Will Clark - cowboy of the Wild West
Recently my parents equipped Will with some boots and a cowboy hat from the local Tractor Supply back home in Tennessee. Obviously, that meant that sometime during the summer, Will morphed into this gun-slingin', slow-walkin' desperado with his hat tipped low over his eyes. Fortunately for future generations, Spencer was smart enough to photograph the seriousness with which Will takes his newfound profession.
He's taking this VERY seriously. Don't mess with this guy - he will take you down.
Contemplating the vista ahead of him.
Here's the happy cowboy, exploring the open range with a cheerful mein.
Will also enjoys the occasional gardening foray. The trowel is both an offensive tool against weeds and a defensive weapon against varmints in black hats.
He could've been in any Western right alongside the Duke - dead-eyed scowl and all.
Stump-jumping.
Frolicking in the yard.
I think this is my favorite shot. I love his face - something wistful and childlike and yet the look of a boy is growing, too.
Susanna Judith Clark - four days old
Susanna's Birth Story
I awoke early at about 6:45 a.m. on Thursday morning, August 22, 2013. As usual, I knew I needed to visit the bathroom to relieve myself and the ever-shrinking bladder. However, I knew as soon as I had completed my quick trip to the bathroom that something had changed. This wasn’t just overwhelming incontinence – my water had broken and that meant something huge – our second child and our only girl – was on her way and would join us sometime in the next two days.
Quick phone calls were placed to Nana, Papa, Aunt Becca, and Grandpa and Grandma to apprise them of the situation and to make arrangements for Will to have somewhere to stay when labor began. Everyone was excited, happy and full of anticipation and expressed well-wishes for baby girl's arrival. I, too, felt those same things but also experienced a deep sense of calm. I had had the same emotion when my water broke with Will. I felt flooded with peace and well-being, knowing that it would come out alright and that both this child and I would be healthy and safe.
After several calls to the birth center, we determined it would be best to wait for contractions to start – to get to the 5-1-1 stage – meaning 1-minute contractions at least every 5 minutes for the duration of an hour. Also, the contractions needed to be hard enough to impede walking and talking. I spent the next five hours cleaning, doing laundry and packing bags for our impending time at the birth center. Unfortunately, I had NO CONTRACTIONS and still didn’t by 3:30 p.m., when I went in for another quick appointment with the midwives to try to jumpstart labor. Will had gone to Grandma’s house equipped to stay the night earlier that afternoon, so it was reassuring to know that he was cared for and enjoying himself with his extended family. At Better Birth, Suzanne swept my membranes, took me from 2 to 4 centimeters in dilation, and gave me some homeopathics to get contractions going.
Almost immediately, I felt the effects of her efforts. Mild contractions began very quickly, and I was delighted at the prospect of giving birth six days early and owing no money after the fact, too. For distractions, Spencer and I had dinner, took a walk through the neighborhood, and even went on a drive down Wasatch Boulevard through a fantastic lightening storm. Per the request of my Dad earlier that morning, Spencer gave me a most welcome Priesthood blessing, promising me comfort and that my caregivers would be blessed to know what to do and how to go forward in our birth. Spencer would’ve offered to do that even without my and my Dad’s request, but it was reassuring to be reminded of the power of Heavenly Father’s love and care.
However, despite these efforts, my labor never really took off. Contractions came quickly, but were simply not intense enough to prompt check-in at the birth center. Finally, in fear that we would end up in the hospital if things didn’t kick it into gear soon, we had one last labor check at 10:45 p.m. that night with Lea and were at last admitted to the birthing suite at Better Birth.
With the application of further homeopathics and exams, labor progressed oh-so-slowly but surely. I tried relaxing in the tub and watching movies, but to no avail as neither activity seemed to really improve my labor pattern. I used a birthing stool, a birthing ball, the jetted tub, the bed, the wall, Spencer – you name it, and I tried it. The birthing ball seemed to be the most effective for warding off pain without slowing down the contractions, so I used it while Spencer held my hands, allowing me to push and pull against him with the waves of the contractions. However, after a few hours, I moved into the transition phase, and labor progressed swiftly from there.
By about 4:00 a.m., I was fully dilated and felt compelled to push. I say “compelled,” and that is an accurate word, but it was really more like having no other options. I couldn’t stop myself from straining against the contractions. I couldn’t think of anything else but the baby's progress and finding some way to hold on to myself during the most intense pain and pressure of my life. Having had an epidural and some narcotics during Will's birth, I had no real idea what hard contractions were going to be like, and I was so dismayed to find at times that I wasn’t sure I would be able to get through them.
I was blessed to have such good help, though. Our two midwives, Lea and Trinette, and a student, Amy, attended me during my stay at the birth center, and they were wonderful. Equipped with damp towels, water, homeopathics, tricks for alleviating pain in virtually all positions, offers of even more water and constant reminders to breathe, they stayed with me, in the room and on the bed, through the whole thing. Spencer was a huge help, too, bringing me even more water, also reminding me to breathe, supporting me, holding my hands, and never once leaving my side. He simply accepted what I needed and gave it to me, sometimes at the expense of his own skin. I continue to be deeply grateful to all three, as they are the reason I was able to deliver baby girl naturally.
In that last little time before her birth, I experienced basically one single, long, incredibly painful contraction with an urgent need to push. With little to no discernable progress, I despaired that I was completely incapable of giving birth naturally and by myself. I remember that I cried as I prayed that Heavenly Father would give me the strength and the courage to accomplish this task I had set for myself. At some point, in the last half hour of labor, I gave myself over completely to the experience and put my trust in both the Lord and the knowledge and guidance of my caregivers, and real progress began. I alternated strong pushing with breaths, and quickly my water fully broke with an enormous gush, and the baby began to move further and further down. Soon, I was able to feel the top of her head with my fingers, and from that moment I was determined to finish as quickly and strongly as my remaining strength would let me. I felt screams rip from my throat as I gave those last pushes everything I had. I was sure that I was being torn in two as baby girl emerged from my body – that "ring of fire" thing is no joke. However, baby girl's progress gave me new force and energy, and I recommitted to delivering the baby at whatever cost. With the encouragement of Spencer and the midwives, baby girl quickly crowned and within two or three more pushes, I felt her leave my body forever.
Lea swiftly placed our baby, covered in white vernix, blood, and amniotic fluid, directly on my bare skin. What I had always thought would disgust me instead gave me the deepest and most intense feeling of elation and satisfaction. I knew intellectually that baby girl wasn’t yet clean, but I didn’t really see any of that. I devoured her features, her skin tone, the perfect shape of her skull, and her alert eyes. I rejoiced in my baby's birth, and tears slid down both mine and Spencer's faces as gratitude and happiness filled our hearts. Instead of screaming or crying, baby girl simply lay on my chest and looked. She looked at her Daddy, at the ceiling, even at the towel surrounding her, but mostly at me. She stared at me – with deep, wise eyes, and I knew she was my daughter.
Quick phone calls were placed to Nana, Papa, Aunt Becca, and Grandpa and Grandma to apprise them of the situation and to make arrangements for Will to have somewhere to stay when labor began. Everyone was excited, happy and full of anticipation and expressed well-wishes for baby girl's arrival. I, too, felt those same things but also experienced a deep sense of calm. I had had the same emotion when my water broke with Will. I felt flooded with peace and well-being, knowing that it would come out alright and that both this child and I would be healthy and safe.
After several calls to the birth center, we determined it would be best to wait for contractions to start – to get to the 5-1-1 stage – meaning 1-minute contractions at least every 5 minutes for the duration of an hour. Also, the contractions needed to be hard enough to impede walking and talking. I spent the next five hours cleaning, doing laundry and packing bags for our impending time at the birth center. Unfortunately, I had NO CONTRACTIONS and still didn’t by 3:30 p.m., when I went in for another quick appointment with the midwives to try to jumpstart labor. Will had gone to Grandma’s house equipped to stay the night earlier that afternoon, so it was reassuring to know that he was cared for and enjoying himself with his extended family. At Better Birth, Suzanne swept my membranes, took me from 2 to 4 centimeters in dilation, and gave me some homeopathics to get contractions going.
Almost immediately, I felt the effects of her efforts. Mild contractions began very quickly, and I was delighted at the prospect of giving birth six days early and owing no money after the fact, too. For distractions, Spencer and I had dinner, took a walk through the neighborhood, and even went on a drive down Wasatch Boulevard through a fantastic lightening storm. Per the request of my Dad earlier that morning, Spencer gave me a most welcome Priesthood blessing, promising me comfort and that my caregivers would be blessed to know what to do and how to go forward in our birth. Spencer would’ve offered to do that even without my and my Dad’s request, but it was reassuring to be reminded of the power of Heavenly Father’s love and care.
However, despite these efforts, my labor never really took off. Contractions came quickly, but were simply not intense enough to prompt check-in at the birth center. Finally, in fear that we would end up in the hospital if things didn’t kick it into gear soon, we had one last labor check at 10:45 p.m. that night with Lea and were at last admitted to the birthing suite at Better Birth.
With the application of further homeopathics and exams, labor progressed oh-so-slowly but surely. I tried relaxing in the tub and watching movies, but to no avail as neither activity seemed to really improve my labor pattern. I used a birthing stool, a birthing ball, the jetted tub, the bed, the wall, Spencer – you name it, and I tried it. The birthing ball seemed to be the most effective for warding off pain without slowing down the contractions, so I used it while Spencer held my hands, allowing me to push and pull against him with the waves of the contractions. However, after a few hours, I moved into the transition phase, and labor progressed swiftly from there.
By about 4:00 a.m., I was fully dilated and felt compelled to push. I say “compelled,” and that is an accurate word, but it was really more like having no other options. I couldn’t stop myself from straining against the contractions. I couldn’t think of anything else but the baby's progress and finding some way to hold on to myself during the most intense pain and pressure of my life. Having had an epidural and some narcotics during Will's birth, I had no real idea what hard contractions were going to be like, and I was so dismayed to find at times that I wasn’t sure I would be able to get through them.
I was blessed to have such good help, though. Our two midwives, Lea and Trinette, and a student, Amy, attended me during my stay at the birth center, and they were wonderful. Equipped with damp towels, water, homeopathics, tricks for alleviating pain in virtually all positions, offers of even more water and constant reminders to breathe, they stayed with me, in the room and on the bed, through the whole thing. Spencer was a huge help, too, bringing me even more water, also reminding me to breathe, supporting me, holding my hands, and never once leaving my side. He simply accepted what I needed and gave it to me, sometimes at the expense of his own skin. I continue to be deeply grateful to all three, as they are the reason I was able to deliver baby girl naturally.
In that last little time before her birth, I experienced basically one single, long, incredibly painful contraction with an urgent need to push. With little to no discernable progress, I despaired that I was completely incapable of giving birth naturally and by myself. I remember that I cried as I prayed that Heavenly Father would give me the strength and the courage to accomplish this task I had set for myself. At some point, in the last half hour of labor, I gave myself over completely to the experience and put my trust in both the Lord and the knowledge and guidance of my caregivers, and real progress began. I alternated strong pushing with breaths, and quickly my water fully broke with an enormous gush, and the baby began to move further and further down. Soon, I was able to feel the top of her head with my fingers, and from that moment I was determined to finish as quickly and strongly as my remaining strength would let me. I felt screams rip from my throat as I gave those last pushes everything I had. I was sure that I was being torn in two as baby girl emerged from my body – that "ring of fire" thing is no joke. However, baby girl's progress gave me new force and energy, and I recommitted to delivering the baby at whatever cost. With the encouragement of Spencer and the midwives, baby girl quickly crowned and within two or three more pushes, I felt her leave my body forever.
Lea swiftly placed our baby, covered in white vernix, blood, and amniotic fluid, directly on my bare skin. What I had always thought would disgust me instead gave me the deepest and most intense feeling of elation and satisfaction. I knew intellectually that baby girl wasn’t yet clean, but I didn’t really see any of that. I devoured her features, her skin tone, the perfect shape of her skull, and her alert eyes. I rejoiced in my baby's birth, and tears slid down both mine and Spencer's faces as gratitude and happiness filled our hearts. Instead of screaming or crying, baby girl simply lay on my chest and looked. She looked at her Daddy, at the ceiling, even at the towel surrounding her, but mostly at me. She stared at me – with deep, wise eyes, and I knew she was my daughter.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Baby girl, baby girl, baby girl...
Last week, I gave birth to a baby girl. Literally. I did it naturally, at a birth center, over the course of twenty-two grueling hours with my husband and two midwives in attendance. It was an incredible experience, and I am so grateful to have been able to deliver her naturally. It made all the difference in the world. Ready for some photos?
Just about a half hour after Susanna's birth. We both look pretty darn tired. Of course she's got that ointment they put in the eyes to prevent disease all over and she's already managed to scratch her face with those incredibly sharp newborn talons, but I love the shape of her head and her skin color.
Here's Grandma holding baby Susanna Judith. I think Susanna was only about twelve hours old or so at this point. She was so sleepy it was easy for Grandma to enjoy looking at her newest granddaughter.
Now you can get a good look at her face. She reminds me intensely of Will - there's something about the shape of her jaw, nose and chin that screams "Will." If she ends up half as good-looking as Will, I'll be happy. But Spencer assures me she's going to be beautiful, and I don't really care; like most moms, I think my daughter is stunning.
Grandpa was pretty impressed with the newest member of the Clark clan. And like most babies do, Susanna settled right in for a nap in his arms.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Where Have I Been Lately?!!
Summertime. Relaxation, no schedule, lazy days poolside, cool drink in hand, warm sun overhead, and the distant buzzing of bees somewhere in the distance. To go old school on you...NOT!!! The past few months have felt as busy as just about any other time of the year (working or not). We've been on vacation, had dinner parties, gone swimming at the neighbors', had playdates, attended neighborhood festivals, gone to museums and aquariums, had adult dates, gardened, harvested, frozen and canned food, taught piano lessons - the list goes on and on. Just about every week is filled with things to do. So, as usual, I'm behind on the blogging thing.
I don't have time for much, but just a couple of fun snippets of what's been going on around here. First, I saw a movie. I do watch movies, and I like quite a few of the ones that I see. Mostly because Spencer insists on reading the Roger Ebert review prior to viewing the film, so we typically only see things Mr. Ebert recommends. However, today I went out on a limb (because today I had time to watch an 88-minute movie) and watched something I came across on Netflix's instant selections. It's called Cairo Time, and it stars Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig. Now, I haven't seen much of Clarkson's work, but I was impressed by the restraint and luminescence she demonstrated in her role. Some of you, nerds you may be, might recognize the name Alexander Siddig from one of the Star Trek universe's less-lauded installations - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He played Dr. Julian Bashir for the duration of the series's seven seasons. I found him likeable then, but really enjoyed his thoughtful performance in this film. Let's call the movie an East-meets-West-star-crossed-lovers-without-hanky-panky-in-a-National-Geographic-photo-shoot kinda story. Plus, if you have any imagination at all and feel even the slightest pull towards Egypt, then you will at least enjoy the scenery. Go. Right Now. Netflix or somewhere else that has lesser-known films. Go watch and report.
Second, I thought I'd just tell you that Will has a new favorite song. We were in the car, and I had my iPod on, just on shuffle, playing a game of chance as to whether or not we would like the next song Apple threw our way. To Will's delighted ears came the muted strains of a guitar twang, a honky-tonk piano, and Tammy Wynette in all her nasal, country glory. Indeed, "Stand By Your Man" is now a regular request. A song hasn't been this popular with Will since Adele's "Someone Like You" earlier this year. He kinds of vocalizes the verses, but comes out loud and proud on the chorus. That said, he still seems to want me to sing along at the top of my voice, but he joins me wherever he can. That's my boy!
I don't have time for much, but just a couple of fun snippets of what's been going on around here. First, I saw a movie. I do watch movies, and I like quite a few of the ones that I see. Mostly because Spencer insists on reading the Roger Ebert review prior to viewing the film, so we typically only see things Mr. Ebert recommends. However, today I went out on a limb (because today I had time to watch an 88-minute movie) and watched something I came across on Netflix's instant selections. It's called Cairo Time, and it stars Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig. Now, I haven't seen much of Clarkson's work, but I was impressed by the restraint and luminescence she demonstrated in her role. Some of you, nerds you may be, might recognize the name Alexander Siddig from one of the Star Trek universe's less-lauded installations - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He played Dr. Julian Bashir for the duration of the series's seven seasons. I found him likeable then, but really enjoyed his thoughtful performance in this film. Let's call the movie an East-meets-West-star-crossed-lovers-without-hanky-panky-in-a-National-Geographic-photo-shoot kinda story. Plus, if you have any imagination at all and feel even the slightest pull towards Egypt, then you will at least enjoy the scenery. Go. Right Now. Netflix or somewhere else that has lesser-known films. Go watch and report.
Second, I thought I'd just tell you that Will has a new favorite song. We were in the car, and I had my iPod on, just on shuffle, playing a game of chance as to whether or not we would like the next song Apple threw our way. To Will's delighted ears came the muted strains of a guitar twang, a honky-tonk piano, and Tammy Wynette in all her nasal, country glory. Indeed, "Stand By Your Man" is now a regular request. A song hasn't been this popular with Will since Adele's "Someone Like You" earlier this year. He kinds of vocalizes the verses, but comes out loud and proud on the chorus. That said, he still seems to want me to sing along at the top of my voice, but he joins me wherever he can. That's my boy!
Friday, July 6, 2012
The Veggie Patch in Early July of 2012
I love my vegetable garden. I love how it looks, how it smells, how it feels, and most of all, how it TASTES!!!
Because of our warm spring, we planted two to three weeks earlier than normal, and so things are really moving for our veggies. Here are some photos.
This herb barrel has rosemary, two varieties of thyme, Greek oregano, and two bolting and flowering cilantro plants. Both of the thyme plants and the rosemary have been recently harvested, so they're sporting a "shaved" look. The cilantro, because of our ridiculously hot weather, has bolted and I let it flower so that I can let it dry and then harvest the seeds as coriander.
This barrel has a Sweet 100 cheery tomato plant in the middle and which is then surrounded by three Genovese basil plants and three more chive plants. It's interesting, because the basil in this barrel never does as well as the basil in the garden. It's good, but the leaves are smaller and tougher, and have less flavor. I know the all-day exposure to sun may have something to do with this, but the only other thing I can think of is that the soil in the barrel may need a little amending. Thoughts?
This is one of three basil plants planted between four tomato plants in the garden. It's about 14 inches tall and at least a foot wide. The other two are just like it, and maybe even larger. Beautiful!!!
On the right side is a pink banana squash (squash pie, here we come!), under that are two wonderful sage plants, and then to the left are Early Wonder beets. Mmm!
On the right are more Early Wonder beets, just beyond that are Scarlet Nantes carrots, and the teepee has the best beans in the world - Kentucky Wonder - growing rapidly and happily. To the left of that is the world's five hugest parsley plants fronted by yet more beets.
I've harvested some of these beets already, but there are a few that aren't quite ready yet. Behind them is the humonguous parsley row, which is flopping over on three more thyme plants and three more rosemary plants.
Here are a few of the beets that I harvested that day. They range in size from 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches in diameter and are beautiful! Truly, there is little more satisfying than growing your own food. I'm going to be pickling and canning these little babies very soon.
For some reason I didn't get photos of my other four tomatoes. I've got a Cherokee Purple, a Mr. Stripey, a Roma, and an Early Wonder. All have good-sized tomatoes on them and they should be ready to start harvesting in a few more weeks. Yay for home-grown summer tomatoes!
As a plug, I'm reading Joel Salatin's Folks, This Ain't Right currently. He runs Polyface Farm in Virginia, and was featured in the documentary "Food, Inc." I'm really enjoying a lot of his thoughts on child-rearing, families, gardening as a family activity/industry, and commercialized agriculture. If those topics interest you, I'd suggest you try him out.
By the way, there are two more new posts below this one. Read on!
Because of our warm spring, we planted two to three weeks earlier than normal, and so things are really moving for our veggies. Here are some photos.
This herb barrel has rosemary, two varieties of thyme, Greek oregano, and two bolting and flowering cilantro plants. Both of the thyme plants and the rosemary have been recently harvested, so they're sporting a "shaved" look. The cilantro, because of our ridiculously hot weather, has bolted and I let it flower so that I can let it dry and then harvest the seeds as coriander.
This barrel has a Sweet 100 cheery tomato plant in the middle and which is then surrounded by three Genovese basil plants and three more chive plants. It's interesting, because the basil in this barrel never does as well as the basil in the garden. It's good, but the leaves are smaller and tougher, and have less flavor. I know the all-day exposure to sun may have something to do with this, but the only other thing I can think of is that the soil in the barrel may need a little amending. Thoughts?
This is one of three basil plants planted between four tomato plants in the garden. It's about 14 inches tall and at least a foot wide. The other two are just like it, and maybe even larger. Beautiful!!!
On the right side is a pink banana squash (squash pie, here we come!), under that are two wonderful sage plants, and then to the left are Early Wonder beets. Mmm!
On the right are more Early Wonder beets, just beyond that are Scarlet Nantes carrots, and the teepee has the best beans in the world - Kentucky Wonder - growing rapidly and happily. To the left of that is the world's five hugest parsley plants fronted by yet more beets.
I've harvested some of these beets already, but there are a few that aren't quite ready yet. Behind them is the humonguous parsley row, which is flopping over on three more thyme plants and three more rosemary plants.
Here are a few of the beets that I harvested that day. They range in size from 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches in diameter and are beautiful! Truly, there is little more satisfying than growing your own food. I'm going to be pickling and canning these little babies very soon.
For some reason I didn't get photos of my other four tomatoes. I've got a Cherokee Purple, a Mr. Stripey, a Roma, and an Early Wonder. All have good-sized tomatoes on them and they should be ready to start harvesting in a few more weeks. Yay for home-grown summer tomatoes!
As a plug, I'm reading Joel Salatin's Folks, This Ain't Right currently. He runs Polyface Farm in Virginia, and was featured in the documentary "Food, Inc." I'm really enjoying a lot of his thoughts on child-rearing, families, gardening as a family activity/industry, and commercialized agriculture. If those topics interest you, I'd suggest you try him out.
By the way, there are two more new posts below this one. Read on!
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