Stressed out kids

This week has been very stressful. I got nothing done as far as housework, and we are practically living in filth. But Monday through Wednesday we we in the car almost all day. The first day was supposed to be a day of fun, it just turned out to be two very long car drives with a  lot of waiting in the car while my husband bought some stuff for work. He didn't have fun either. The sales people just took forever to wait on him.

The next day we had a valentines party in the morning, then shopping immediately afterward. My number 2 pulled a shopping cart down on top of herself and bruised her arm pretty well. We followed that horrific trip with a trip to the grocery store. A few hours later we went to my grandpa's wake and got stuck in traffic. We were in the car for 3 hours, just on the way to the wake, making us two hours late.

Then on Wednesday was my grandpa's funeral. We had a beautiful mass and burial. At the luncheon following, my children had so much fun playing with their cousins. Too much fun, they ran around and around laughing and having fun until number 1 and number 2 threw up. The people at the banquet hall were really nice about it, and at least it happened on the dance floor and not on the carpet.

Then we went home. We decided that now was the time to relax for the first time in days, when we were welcomed by a call that my husband's grandmother had passed out, and was now fine, in the hospital having tests done. As far as we know she is ok. They are still unsure as to why she fainted.

I was expecting the get the week on track today. When I woke up I was so tired. So I didn't start my morning routine and my number 2 was complaining about feeling cold and achy. She didn't have a fever. She ate breakfast. After a little while it occurred to me that my kids might be just as spent as I was. Sometimes I forget that children have a breaking point too. They are very resilient and usually a good night's sleep fixes all the woes of yesterday, but I think this time they needed another day to release. So I decided, maybe for my own benefit as well, that today was going to be minimal. I made play dough, which was a stressful activity in an of itself, and then set the kids to play with it. They have been quietly playing for an hour and a half.

Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to get back on track. But today was a minimal day and I think it's better that way.

The Birth Box

I some how didn't realize that some people may actually want to know what a birth box is. Or at least what I call a birth box. Basically it is all the stuff needed for the birth, other than emergency medical items that will be brought by the attendant. I'll tell you what is in my awesome birth box that I am so proud of.

• Trash bags,                
• lots of towels (i'm having a water birth so I need extra),    
• wash cloths,
• underpads,                 
• plastic dish pan,                                                                       
• depends,                              
• plastic drop cloths,  
• inflatable birth pool,                                                             
• flannel sheet,                       
• cord band,                  
• bulb syringe,                                                                         
• paper tape measure,            
• peri bottle,                
• born at home birth certificate,                                         
• disposable foot printer,           
• pool thermometer,     
• water hose,

two ziplock bags: 1with pink blanket and hat the other with blue, a ziplock bag with 4 cloth diapers + a blue diaper and hopefuly a pink diaper 

birth plan, and birth supply check list.

I know what each item is used for so I better understand what my midwives will be doing when the baby comes. I'm working with them, and they are working with me. Our goal is to safely bring this little baby into the world.

33 weeks let the birth prep begin...

I have decided that now is the time to get in gear gathering my birth supplies and getting ready for the arrival of my 4th baby. I have been thinking about the things needed for my birth looking at my birth supply list, starting to create a birth plan, planning the things that will be needed before and after labor and birth. It has occurred to me that 'normal' women probably don't do everything that I'm going to do. They get ready for the baby and postpartum, but do normal people prep for labor?


So anyway I will have a birth ball, a birth pool, a list of acupressure points, a set of very comfortable clothes, a top to wear in the pool (most likely a sports bra), food, popsciles, and vitamin water. Also I'm going to have aroma therapy this time. I'm thinking clary sage, myrrh, and lavender.

The one issue I having been having is picking music. I cannot decide what I want to listen to. I want something that will relax me, but I don't like that new age music they use for yoga. I really don't know what to pick. The stuff I like to listen to, I just can't imagine listening to through a contraction.

Although I don't think they are a big deal, there are a couple downsides to birthing at home. The house has to be clean, the dishes have to be done, and someone will have to clean up the mess that results. The waterbirth is very easy to clean up we've discovered. We line our birthing pool with a plastic drop cloth. Then after the birth we drain the pool into the garden. Wrap up the liner and throw it away.

Any way that's what I've got for now. I'm really excited about creating a great labor experience.