SUPER SAVER

Ok... I think I will go ahead and pick my ponies. Based on my favorite jokey... I will be rooting for Calvin Borel riding Super Saver. I really like the horses named Dean's Kitten and American Lion. Joe Talamo is riding Sidney's Candy... which could be a smart pick, but a risky pick. Joe Talamo is a young jokey. He takes risks... sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't. Paddy O' Prado is another horse on my radar. I don't know who should be my number two pick. I'm leaning towards Dean's Kitten. I'll make my official number two pick tomorrow after I've had some time to sleep on it. Ha ha h.

Good News

Great news. Our new neighbors are not drugs users/dealers. Our landlord told us that he rented out the adjoining duplex to a lady he rented to a few years ago. Apparently it will be her and a roommate. He said she was really great. Do you have any idea how much better I'll sleep at night now. Well... I actually won't sleep any better, but I sure am happy about it. That was an answered prayer for sure.

Nathan is now officially the Photo Editor of the Midland Daily News. Today was both Ryan and John's last day. That means Nathan is the only person in the photo department for at least the next week. He made his first hire today, the candidate accepted, and will probably be starting in a week. He is close to hiring the second, but still needs to make a few reference calls. Our friend and former intern, Briana, is staying with us this week while freelancing for the paper. Having her here to shoot for Nathan this week is huge. She came the whole way up from KY to help and we are very grateful! All in all it looks like everything is going to work out just fine for Nathan at work.

Tomorrow is my favorite race day... The Kentucky Derby!! I always pick two horses, one based on the horses name and one based on some other random factor. If Calvin Borel is a jokey tomorrow... he will be one of my picks for sure. He is just so cute when he wins!! And he really seems like a good, hard workin' guy. So after I scope out the line up tomorrow... I will be announcing my official picks. I've been on a roll the last couple years. If it weren't for the second hand smoke factor of the casino, I would totally be placing a bet on the race. OK so maybe I wouldn't. I never have... but I should because I would have done well in years past. Anyway... I hope you'll watch the race. It should be a muddy one!

35 Weeks

I am 35 Weeks today. Can you believe it? I sure can't, although I feel every bit of that 35 weeks. I'm really starting to slow down, and I'm feeling like my body is definitely preparing for the big show. The baby's movements are getting stronger, and a bit slower... as if the babe's running out of room. I know its only going to get worse... but I'm really starting to feel the pressure on my ribs. Its not awful and any discomfort belly wise is still moderate. And even if I am miserable for the next five weeks... I still cannot complain.

We had our last childbirth class this week and feel as equipped as possible for labor and delivery. The house is organized so I feel like we're ready in that aspect. I just need to do some final things like get everything washed, have the car seat properly installed, and finish packing my hospital bags. I'm just at the point now where I really just cannot wait to meet our baby.

Nathan is right in the middle of the transition at work from staffer to photo editor. He will be officially hiring his two new staffers very soon, and hopefully they'll be able to get up here pretty quickly. Once he gets through the next two weeks, I think Nathan will feel much better. And as far as the baby goes... he is also just really excited. Its still so hard to believe at times. We are finally finally finally going to have a baby!

My parents had a jury duty scare this week. They just made it back after Mom's travel assignment in TX... and in the mail they found Dad had been summoned for jury duty beginning next week through the beginning of June. Not only would that mess up their plans to visit in a week, but that could really mess things up as far as them being up here as soon as possible after the birth. Fortunately he was allowed to choose what month in the near future he'd like to serve. Crisis averted!

I'm just rambling now. Hope all is well in your home.

Finally some motivation

For the past couple weeks now I have been really needing an energy boost or a motivation boost. I desperately needed the nesting instinct to kick in. I don't know if I felt too overwhelmed and didn't know where to start... or if I just lacked the energy. Regardless, this weekend I found the energy and motivation. I don't know if it was nesting... maybe it was more the nesting spirit after getting the motivation from Nathan. But I got it! Nathan and I have worked really hard the past two days and made so much progress. We did some basic cleaning, detailed cleaning, organizing, rearranging, and packing. I still cannot believe how much we got accomplished. Of course Nathan did the heavy lifting. When we were rearranging, I was actually sitting in a chair pointing.

We rearranged the living room to make room for the La Z Boy my parents are bringing up which really opened the living room area back up. Then we took out our 'office nook' and relocated the computer to the kitchen counter/bar area we were not using. And I think it will really work well for us. In the space formerly known as the office nook... we created the 'play nook.' We'll make that the primary play area for baby and Anya (after my time off.) We took the rug we originally bought for the nursery in our other place here in Midland because of the hard wood floors and placed that in the play nook which really defines the space. It worked fine in the nursery but I think it works much better in the play nook. Now I just need to figure out some wall art issues.

Then I worked in the nursery! Its not a huge concern immediately since we'll start the baby out in the crib in our bedroom. But it still needed a lot organization, cleaning, and stuff taken out and put in the basement. We managed to do it all. The next big task is really just to get everything washed and then put in its place for good. I've just been holding off on that because I want things to be fresh when we bring the baby home. So I'll wait maybe a couple more weeks on that.

And finally I started packing my hospital bags. I have two bags... The first for the things I'll need immediately during labor, and the second for post delivery items. I have all that I can pack now, packed. Again I need to wash a few things and there are other items that we'll be using over the next few weeks, but I feel satisfied with what I have at this point. If I were to go into labor earlier than expected, it would be simple to add the final items or at least have Nathan go back for the final items on my list. All in all I am thrilled with all that we were able to accomplish. I really feel like we're as ready as we can be.

According to the books, the baby now weighs about five and a half pounds. And boy do I feel every single one of those pounds and then some! Tomorrow is our final childbirth class (sad day!) And I have been having more frequent Braxton Hicks contractions. They are absolutely painless... just a lot of tightening. Its just getting so exciting as we get closer and closer to meeting our little bitty babe!

I'll end with a very special thanks to my wonderful husband for all of his hard work with me this weekend!!! I love you <3

Thoughts on Labor

I had a friend ask me this week if I was nervous about labor. I instantly replied that I am not nervous, which she found surprising. And I've kind of been of pondering on that as to why I am not nervous. So this post will be my rambling thoughts on why I am excited about labor.

While I don't have a fear of the unknown, I do like to be prepared for things. And while very little can truly prepare you for labor, I feel like I have a good understanding of what is likely to happen. I understand what my body will be doing, I understand the different stages of labor, and I understand potential problems, complications, and related decisions that may need to be made. I have seen multiple births thanks to my childbirth classes. So I really feel like as much as I can do in the way of educating myself, I have done.

I also have a lot of confidence in my support team for labor. I have mentioned this before, but during our infertility testing and IVF, I had to rely on Nathan for a lot of support. Not just emotional... but physical support. I would not have been able to make it through my HSG had it not been for Nathan. And we didn't have to talk about what he should do, whether he should be quiet or talk to me, etc. He just knew. Nathan and I have this bond where we are constantly thinking the same thing. I don't know how many times one of us says exactly what the other was thinking. We are having some discussions about what I think will be helpful to me during labor... but what I think will help me may not... so I will be relying on Nathan to read me and adapt to my changing support needs. And I know he will be able to do that. The second part is having confidence in my midwives. I don't know whether Denise or Lynda will be on call when I go into labor, but I feel very confident in their support. Once I am in active labor the midwives are pretty much there for the duration. Its not like regular OBs who come in every now and then, then show up just in time for delivery. And our midwives have so many more tools in their bag for natural pain management. We had our first discussion with Denise about our preferences for birth. I expressed that I want to keep drugs an option, but not until I have exhausted all other natural pain management methods. And I know I have her total support in that.

The final, perhaps most significant thing that has allowed me to be excited about labor is hearing women who say how much they loved giving birth. Seriously. I have had maybe three women recently who have told me how much they loved giving birth. They make it clear that its painful and exhausting... but they loved it. And just like I didn't know if I'd ever get to have a baby shower of my own... I didn't know if I would ever experience giving birth. I see labor, giving birth to my child, as a gift... not something to fear.

I have also done a good bit of reading about the mind-body connection and how fear can be detrimental to a smooth labor. Fear is not just located in your mind... it manifests itself in the body. From my understanding, when you have fear and anxiety during labor, your body tenses not allowing it to do its job. Sometimes its enough to halt labor. And as my midwife echoed... its important to be able to truly relax in such a deep way where you are basically submitting to your body and allowing it to do what it was created to do. So I see fear or nervousness as a useless emotion towards something so natural.

But in all of this, I truly think that seeing labor as a gift is the biggest factor in my positive, excited attitude about giving birth.

Today's goal... packing my hospital bags or at least getting most of my stuff together. My childbirth educator said it absolutely needs to be packed by 36 weeks, but my friend last night said she couldn't believe I didn't have them packed yet. So I'd better get a move on it. I should also start getting things washed... sheets, clothes, etc. A friend from high school went into preterm labor and will be delivery at 34 weeks if not before. That opened my eyes. While I hope this baby stays in my belly for a few more weeks... I guess I should be prepared because it could happen any time from here on out.

Friday

Today is Friday... I do not have anything to do on Fridays. In theory, I could sleep all day if I wanted to. What time was I up and out of bed this morning... 6:30 am! My mind truly wants to sleep... but my body says UP UP UP! Not with great energy... just to be a pain. Then when I am up... there is not a speck of motivation running through my veins.

Luckily, the next town over is having their big community wide yard sale day. So I ventured out this morning and found a great deal on a bouncer seat. $8. And it has this mesh enclosure that zips up... which will be great this summer. We can take it with us to concerts in the park or whatever outdoor outing we might find ourselves attending without having to worry about bugs or mosquitos. I think it was a good find.

Oh but then... Pregnancy brain struck. After my yard sale shopping I had to take the Honda in to the garage for a repair on a recalled part. My appointment was at 10:30. At 10:25 I am driving down the road in Saginaw (Midland does not have a Honda garage.) and I start to think.... "Hmm. Something doesn't seem right." OH crap! The Honda garage is in Bay City not Saginaw... I'm in the wrong town! Needless to say I had to call and reschedule the appointment. The girl from the service department that I spoke with was also pregnant... so she totally got it.

And in happy, happy news... our neighbors... you know the ones who were arrested after a drug bust... are gone! We figured they'd be out as soon as the money dried up. Then we suspected they (well not 'they' because they are still in jail... but someone) were moving out after seeing a few car loads leave full of boxes. Now... I think it is safe to assume they are definitely out because it appears as though the crew is in to clean and repair the place in preparation for new tenants. So please say a prayer that we get good neighbors in next door. If not... the nursery will be moved into our bedroom. I can't bring myself to allow my baby's bedroom to share a wall with shady people.

This weekend should be pretty nice. Nathan has his three day weekend and we are saying goodbye to John and Ryan with a barbecue. We also have a new church we might try out. Its not that there is anything wrong with the church we have been attending... it was good enough when we didn't know how much longer we'd be here. But now that we are feeling like we'll be here longer... we really want to find the right fit. We want to find a smaller, more intimate community. We'll see. We're just going to keep praying that God leads us to the right place.

34 Weeks

Today was my 34 week appointment (I'll officially be 34 weeks on Thursday.) As always... it went very well, everything is measuring right on track. Compared with two weeks ago, my midwife believes the baby is starting to drop. We also took a few minutes and went over our birth plan as well as what we'd like to happen during the hour following the birth in terms of baby care. She seemed really happy with our plan and our sense of flexibility. I get that this is more about preference and things won't happen according to the plan... but its good to know we are on the same page.

If you remember from my last appointment, I had gained six pounds in two weeks. I certainly anticipated another six or maybe ten pound weight gain. While we were in Kentucky we ate all kinds of deliciousness... Smokey Pig BBQ, ChicFilA, etc. then came home to a pretty stressful week in which I am certain I did seem stress eating. So I went in today, fully prepared for the worst. Would you believe no weight gain?

I know. I know. Stop worrying about it. My midwife today told me to just eat healthy, keep walking, and stop trying to figure it out, but I can't stop trying. So here are my theories: 1. I always have good weigh ins with Denise, so maybe she can't read Lynda's hand writing in my chart. 2. Maybe the scales are off between rooms. 3. Maybe Lynda is just out to get me so she steps on the back of the scale while I'm not looking. Of course I'm only kidding. I don't know that there is a good explanation. It seems like when I have a few days of bad eating and expect a big weight gain, I either stay the same or lose. Then weeks I think I ate well I have a big jump. Maybe I will finally listen and stop trying to figure it out. So my total weight gain is still at 17 lbs. I can't complain about that.

And I got good news last night... My parents are bringing me one of their La-Z-Boys! You have no idea how excited that made me... yes I realize how sad it is that I would get so excited about a La-Z-Boy. But I am! Thanks Mom and Dad. Oh and I did learn today that I can sleep on kind of a quarter turn where I prop up one hip just enough to shift the uterus to one side, which should take some of the pressure off of my hips.

Comfort

Let me first say that by no means am I complaining. I have had such a wonderful pregnancy. And while I have slowed down a bit, I still have a good bit of energy. However, I'm starting to have a more and more difficult time getting comfortable. According to the books, the baby weighs about four and a half pounds at 33 weeks. And the baby is still very high in my belly and definitely encroaching on my ability to sit normally. Its like the baby wants me to constantly be in a reclined position. If I don't lean back... baby will give me a few swift kicks to remind me who is in charge! While I was in BG at my parents house... their Lazy Boys looked like golden thrones! We just don't have any furniture that reclines and allows you to put your feet up.

Sleeping is another story. I haven't had any insomnia or anything like that... thank God! But my hips get so sore from sleeping on my sides all night. I know I have kind of dealt with this from fairly early on, but it really stinks. These are my final weeks to be sleeping in and napping, yet I don't because I cannot get comfortable. I have found that if I prop myself upright with pillows for the first stretch of night, until bathroom run number one, then it helps get me through the second stretch on my sides. So I guess that's what I'll have to start doing. If I had a reclining chair... you'd better believe that would be my new bed.

Like I said, I don't want to sound like I am complaining. I have enjoyed this pregnancy so much, and I would take twenty years of sore hips if it means I get to have my baby... but I just thought I'd share that I am becoming a little less comfortable these days. And I know it will only get worse over the next six and a half weeks, but again... that's OK. It's absolutely completely worth it.

A Welcome Change

I think anyone taking on a new position is going to have a little anxiety and maybe some self doubt. Since Nathan was first offered the photo editor job, he's gone through a lot of those emotions. We know there will be certain challenges with this position, and he has the extra pressure of maintaining a national award winning photo department. Anyway, he was supposed to have a meeting with the editor on Tuesday, but it ended up being pushed back to Friday. That meant Nathan had all week long to worry about it. I won't/can't really get into the specifics, but all of his fears were eased after a great meeting. He called me afterwards feeling so positive and encouraged. I cannot tell you what a blessing that was. He was finally able to take a deep breath and lose some of the anxiety. Which of course allowed me to take a deep breath and lose some of the anxiety.

I'm usually pretty good about staying strong and being Nathan's rock when he needs me. I usually can give him the encouragement and support he needs when things get stressful. However, I had a hard time doing that once this week. I even said something along the lines of, I want to be your rock, but I can't. That was difficult. But while we had one day of shared stress and worry it was short lived when we refocused and realized no matter what... its all going to be OK. And of course the worry was based on absolutely nothing. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was the devil planting the seed of doubt. When God does something so wonderful and in such perfect timing... of course the devil is going to try to step in. But once we refocused on trusting God... those feelings were lifted. So thank you for your prayers.

Did I mention he'll have regular day time working hours, M-F. This was a 2-10 week... and his one day weekend... but you know what?! I don't mind... because I know it'll be one of his last. In the almost six years we've been married, we've never experienced regular work hours. (I know there will be times where he may have to work an evening or weekend a time or two... but I can handle that!) While he was in school... if he wasn't in class or working... he was shooting or working on school work. I was so worried about how that schedule would work having a baby. But now... we'll finally get to have regular dinners together, go to bed together, sleep in on Saturday mornings together (OH WAIT... maybe for a couple weeks), and we'll get to have a family bedtime routine once the baby's here. I just can't tell you what an answered prayer this change is for our family.

OK... It's 2:30 on a Saturday and I am still in my pjs. I really need to get a move on it!

In Three Parts

Kentucky
We had a nice trip to Kentucky over this past Fri-Mon. The weather was beautiful. There is truly nothing more wonderful than a warm Kentucky spring day. It was a quick trip and Nathan helped a friend shoot a wedding on Saturday, so it wasn't necessarily a relaxing, all fun trip, but it was still nice. My only complaint is that we ended up spending approximately 28 hours in the car... Way too much!!! Our next trip to Kentucky with the baby will not include all the running. Once we get to BG, we will be parking it at my parents house.

Big News
Last Thursday, Nathan was asked to step up as Photo Editor of the Midland Daily News! Its kind of a big deal. The current photo editor is leaving, as is the other staffer. This job change will include a pay raise and regular hours! While we consider this a great blessing and incredible opportunity, there is definitely a lot of stress involved. Maintaining an award winning photo department will not come easily, as most of the battles will be from within the newspaper. The success of a newspaper is now measured in website 'clicks.' So it will not be an easy task to keep the focus on good photojournalism and not doing whatever crap gets the clicks. We are excited, but there's definitely a lot of anxiety from both me and Nathan. Please pray that if this is truly what God desires for us, then He would give Nathan the direction, strength, and boldness to do what needs to be done, without causing too much stress. We're having a baby in about 7 weeks!!! This time should be full of excitement, anticipation, and rest in preparation for the soon coming lack of rest... not full of stress and anxiety from work.

Nathan will also be responsible for hiring two new staffers who will need to start at the end of this month! And of course that will then give him four weeks to get them trained and hopefully one of them trained to cover for Nathan while he takes time off for the birth. We've got a lot going on between now and June 3rd! I'm just glad I'm still sleeping well at night.

Baby News
Not too much to report here. Baby is moving like crazy these days. I had been feeling the hiccups down low, but now they are higher on my belly. Apparently Baby is still trying to find a good position... as long as in the end the position is head down. And we had another nice birthing class. We were told that our hospital bags should be packed by 36 weeks, so I think I'm going to start making my list and start getting organized in that area. No major baby complaints... just joy.

Toddlers

There is SO much I want to say right now. But I can't, not yet anyhow. I want to blog about that Garth Brooks song that says, "Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." But I think I'll go with this.

God must feel like he is dealing with toddlers on a regular basis. We think we are so wise and mature. But then something happens where you realize that to God... you're as simple as a toddler. Its like if you go to a fantastic children's concert with all kinds of wonderful songs and colors and movement. But you arrive twenty minutes too early. You keep trying to tell the child... 'Just wait... you're going to love it!' But they don't believe you. They lose patients and end up throwing a tantrum... and the whole thing is ruined. Or when you go to the zoo. You know how exciting it'll be if you just wait until one of the gorillas decides to get up and put on a show for the crowd. But that toddler... just doesn't understand. They don't know what they are missing. Instead they throw a tantrum and demand to be moved on to the next thing.

I can't really speak for anyone but myself... but I am like that with God. He might have something really wonderful and exciting in store, but I lose patients and throw tantrums and try to demand things be done my way. Thankfully God doesn't give in to toddler behavior as easily as we might. He loves us enough to sit through our tantrums so that we may see and experience the wonderful He has in store for us.

That is what God has shown me today.

And as for a baby update... Today's appointment with my midwife went well. Baby and I are both continuing to do well. I am still measuring exactly 32 weeks. I did have a six pound weight gain. I don't know. Maybe it was all the sweets at my shower. Maybe it was the delicious coffee cake I made for Nathan's birthday. Maybe it was the salt from the Easter ham. Maybe the baby just had a growth spurt. I don't know. But my midwife made me feel better by telling me to look at it as 4lb weight gain over 6 weeks since I lost 2 lbs the week before. I'm just going to continue to do my best with eating healthy and exercising, and not try to figure out exactly where those six pounds came from.

Childbirth Class 1/4

So this evening we had our very first childbirth class... and it was a blast! First of all, I really liked the instructor. There were probably 12 couples or so, and everyone seemed friendly. I was probably the third farthest along, which also felt good. The instructor did some talking, used some illustrations, and played a couple videos. Then it was floor time!!! Can I just say how much I love floor time! We started exploring different laboring positions and relaxation techniques. We had practice contractions where we had to hold a bag of ice in our hands for 30-90 seconds. We started out not using any relaxation techniques, then gradually added some touch, then massage, then breathing, then visualization, etc. I really enjoyed using the bag of ice. It sure stung my hands, but it gave me something to get my focus off of. I know holding a bag of ice is no comparison to a contraction, but it was really a good exercise to get an idea of how to use these relaxation techniques to relax and get my mind elsewhere. Nathan did a great job... and I only snapped at him once. He kept asking me how he was doing and I snapped back... We'll talk about it later! I just didn't want to keep whispering while everyone else was trying to focus. This, however, led to a very important aspect we needed to discuss. And that is Nathan cannot get offended or defensive if I snap at him or correct something he is doing during labor. I assured him there will be a please and thank you in my heart... it just may not be present during labor!

We already knew most of the textbook information that was presented, but having the floor time was really great. I think the practice will be beneficial and its just another opportunity to spend time together. And while I was afraid these classes might dampen my optimism, tonight's class did not. I think it is only going to help me feel more prepared and better equipped for the main event.

And as an added bonus... there were two other couples that seemed to be in our age range. Future friends?!

Now I need to make my way to bed. It was a long day. Anya from 8-4:30, a birthday party from 5:30-6:15, class from 6:30-9:00. I just hope I sleep better tonight than last night.... heartburn all night! Yuck.

Easter Sunday/Nathan's Birthday

Today was a beautiful Easter Sunday/Nathan's 25th Birthday. We woke up to a absolutely gorgeous sunny day, then made our way to the Easter Sunday service at church. I tend to like my Easter services to be special. Special music, special message... just something to say Hey... Easter is SPECIAL! I can't say that the Easter service this morning necessarily did that, but it was still nice. The service did include a hymn instead of all contemporary music, which satisfied Nathan.

After church our plan was to return home for our traditional Easter pizza. Seriously. Somehow over the past five years we've been away from 'home' we ended up with a tradition of eating Easter pizza. The first Easter after we moved to Kentucky, Nathan had to shoot a story on Easter Sunday. And since it was just the two of us, I ended up making homemade whole wheat pizza. And the tradition just kind of stuck. I can't say we have had Easter pizza every year but I think for probably four out of the past five years. But, this year our friends Kendra and Billy invited us to join them for Easter lunch at her parent's house. We had a wonderful time, and were so grateful for the invitation. As far as Easter pizza... I still made it for dinner.

Nathan said instead of a birthday cake, he'd like coffee cake for his birthday dessert. And boy did it turn out delicious... Good choice Nathan!

While our Easter was another low key celebration, we are really looking forward to next Easter when our little one will be close to turning one! Our belief is that you can celebrate holidays in secular ways while still teaching the real religious meaning. I grew up 'believing' in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny (and the Tooth Fairy,) and was still able to grow up and understand those were for fun, while Jesus is for real. And we hope to give our child/children the same thing. We are definitely looking forward to the new holiday traditions we'll be able to start with our child over the coming year.

We hope you each had a wonderful Easter with your family no matter how big or small your family may be.

Happy Easter

{Who wanted more pictures??}

I think I'm at the point where Baby and I are noticing things are getting a little crowded. Every morning I wake up and my belly feels even bigger and heavier than the day before. Baby no longer likes me sitting upright, but would rather I be standing or sitting, leaning back. And do you know what I would do for a recliner these days?? ANYTHING!! With the exception of a couple days, I've still had a normal amount of energy. Its more motivation I lack right now. I thought surely I'd be nesting with full force right now. Hopefully that'll kick in soon.

We start our childbirth classes on Tuesday at the hospital. We are looking forward to the time together and possibility of meeting other soon to be parents. But, I'm not sure how much we'll learn. Because of my obsessive reading over the past... umm... six years and my nanny experience with infants, I feel pretty comfortable with my level of knowledge. And even Nathan probably knows more going into this than most dads. He's heard a lot of "Hey did you know that..." and "Hey do you know what ___ means?" He knows the stages of labor, terminology, newborn procedures, etc. You should hear him while watching 16 and Pregnant! The comments that come out of his mouth tell me I have trained him well. I'm hoping to learn more about coping with pain during labor and the whole breathing stuff.

And even the role of the father in the delivery room... during IVF I saw a new kind of support from my husband. While I was in the most pain of my life during the HSG... Nathan stood beside me holding my hand. He kept constant eye contact and had the most calm, comforting smile on his face. He didn't say much, but he was the calm I needed to get through that. Afterwards he said how hard it was to see, but in the moment... he was seriously my rock. Same thing during the transfer... I was really scared because that procedure was very similar to the HSG and the other IVF procedures I was under anesthesia. Again, Nathan got me through it. That wasn't something he was told or taught. I think after being together ten and a half years, we have that natural understanding of each other's needs. Even if we don't learn a ton in our classes, I think it'll still be fun.

Overall, I'm feeling very good about labor. I've done a lot of reading about the mind-body connection and how fear and anxiety can have a dramatic effect on the progress of labor. I'd like to take the approach of intense relaxation and submitting to my body to do what it was created to do. And I know that I have two midwives who will be great allies in this attempt. Even if my understanding or ideas of labor are naive, it doesn't matter. I think the most important thing is that I go into this feeling optimistic and without fear. I know to be flexible and take each minute as it comes. And I am confident in my midwives and their support during labor.

OK. I think I've done enough rambling about labor.

Tomorrow is Nathan's birthday and Easter!! We'll be celebrating his birthday with dinner and a movie tonight, then watching the Mountaineers win and make it to the championship (I HOPE!) Tomorrow we'll go to church, then have our traditional Easter pizza. That's right... no Easter ham here. Since its been just the two of us for the majority of Easter Sundays, I somehow got into the tradition of having Easter pizza. I make homemade whole wheat pizza crust topped with lots of veggies. And we'll also color Easter eggs tonight as well. Tomorrow we'll also celebrate Nathan's birthday with a birthday coffee cake per his request.

I hope you each have a wonderful Easter as we reflect on the greatest sacrifice ever made by a parent in the history of our existence. Just like I looked at Mary in a whole new light at Christmas, thinking about Easter comes with an entirely different perspective this year.

Happy Easter