Thursday, September 29, 2011

STITCHING!

I have closed my blog to all but familiar stitchers and followers, If you can see this in your feed but not when you click on my blog, email me at rushforth3_26@hotmail.com and Ill add you to the list
Reason? well I find it difficult to post about JUST stitching, and I don't want to do another blog.  I think my children are adorable and I suspect unscrupulous persons might think so too:

 EDITTED: OK I have opened it back up for now, cause I am not happy with the process of limiting readers, I think I have to do some more research into this.




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So turns out the second kid isn't always like the first HA!  Annabeth SLEPT her first few weeks, Hudson...not so much, he was more of a snacker, falling asleep at the breast after a few sips and waking immediately upon removal, so MUCH less stitching.  but since I have not posted any stitching since 2010 (gak!) Here is what i have completed so far this year (pre baby):

Christmas Joy needle book, Cherished Stitches, JCS 2009:
Christmas Joy Needlebook--Back
Christmas Joy Needlebook --Front

I finally finished a stitched Engelbreit house (completed a few years ago) into a fob:
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And finally a scissors keep about which i cannot remember  (or find anywhere) the name of the piece: it is Cats Whiskers design studio (now closed), it is the 2009 scissor pocket for the "bianca" ghinger scissors. I had enough floss left to make a fob too.


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since the baby I have been working on several WIP, but that is the next post ~~

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Hudson : a Labor Story

This post has been in the works for 3 months now, I hope you will forgive the delay:

As I mentioned 4 years! ago when my daughter was born, I found a lot of comfort on the internet through blog posts about natural labor and so I wanted to add to that so I posted her labor story here. I was able to have another natural childbirth this past June, so this is my son's story:

This pregnancy was a bit different than my first, I was more uncomfortable due to a number of reasons, more and earlier Braxton Hicks contractions, extreme round ligament pain on my right side, random sharp pains in my cervix, and a lower carry in general. (I gained less weight this time but got more stretch marks, yay me!). This time I also planned to have a midwife instead of a OB, and try for a water birth to help with possible thigh labor that I had with my last labor.

My son was due June 14th, and when I went in for  my first pelvic check at 36 weeks and was already at 3 cm.  My midwife was not worried yet so I went on vacation to Charleston w/ the family.

1 week beore my due date I as at 4cm, "Any day" my midwife said.  A long weekend later, the day before my due date, I was clocking in at 5cm, 100% effaced...with membranes bulging.  I was sure this boy would be like his sister and be on time but just in case, Tanya, my midwife and I came up wih a plan in case nothing happened in the next 24 hours, a "natural" induction, so I could ensure a water birth.

We ended up needing that "plan".  Wed- morning  June 15th, Ian and I dropped off Annabeth at daycare (routine for her) and checked with Tanya, I was at 6cm and my water still did not break. (I wasn't too surprised, with Annabeth the OB broke my water when i was about 9 cm.). She stripped my membranes and we checked in to the hospital at 10 am and the next 5 hours were BORING. Which I realize now is why they tell you to pack food and music and reading etc. I walked the halls trying to get things started, and rocked on the birthing ball. I had mostly painless contractions (some lower back pain) and they were not very consistant or regular. But everytime Tanya checked me I was a cm bigger.

By 3pm (at 8 cm) I was tired of waiting and ready to go.  So we filled the tub, (I requested it as hot as possible cause that is how I like my baths) and she broke my water.  3 contractions later I was hurting enough to get in the tub. 2 more contractions later I was unhappy and wishing I had asked for an ice bath instead of a sauna. I got up on my knees and had a couple more contactions before I got out to go to the bathroom (If you are planning a water birth - let everyone on your team know you need to do this!).

In Labor

  I got back in the tub and the contractions were in their "Why did i decide to do this naturally?!" phase. they were REALLY bad, in long, hard waves--but within the next 3-5 contractions i had one that did not stop and finally figured out that I was pushing and straining against the pressure and not the pain and physically backed off enough to realize that the head was sitting right in the pelvic opening - what a strange sensation! I then announced to everyone that this baby was coming out on the next contraction (I was DONE). On the next contraction I pushed and felt the head pass through, but when I relaxed everyone kept telling me to push more?!. So I did but there was nothing to push against, but they kept saying PUSH, and I guessed that there was a shoulder caught or something --it ended up that his right hand was up against his head so it was out first (hence why i had all the cervical pain ---he had been poking me with that hand for 3 months!. but finally he was out and it was OVER!

He was a funny color - blue/purple but most water births are like that because they hold their breath.Once he finally breathed he pinked up quickly - freaked Ian out though. I knew he was fine because his eyes were wide open :)

hudson

I know what you are thinking-  I look good, right?   Remember,  I knew that morning I was going to have a baby, so I showered and put on makeup and earrings -cause i remembered the pictures after Annabeth was born- not pretty.  I also was in hard labor for only an hour and a half ---barely broke a sweat. 

We had a short list of names, but his did not come easily like Annabeth's did.  The next day we announced the name:
Hudson Robert  8lb 10 oz, 21 inches long.
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My 2 babies

 He is now 3 months old and is doing fabulous, I will be posting an update on both my babies and some STITCHING! in the next post (and it will not take me 9 months).