Home Brewed Smittle: Week 38. 2 to go.

So, we're here. The end of my last pregnancy. It's a little bitter sweet, but I feel so peaceful about our decision for Eli to be our last baby. As I get prepared to welcome him into our home and family I know for sure that he will be loved and cherished by Manly, the littles, and me. I CAN NOT wait. At this point I want to make it to our baby shower at church this Sunday afternoon. Once we're finished with that Eli can feel free to come any time. I'd still like to make it to March just so I'll have a baby born every other month of the year! I know that sounds crazy, but I think it'd be cool!
This past week I've had a few friends ask some really good homebirth related questions I thought I'd take the time to answer for anyone else wondering the same thing. If you have any other questions feel free to ask and I'll try to get them answered.

1. What is the purpose for having a birth photographer? Will they take pictures of everything or just the baby? What made you decide to have one? This is an easy one to answer! I wanted a birth photographer because I've started seeing some of the most amazing pictures that capture that unbelievable love between spouses and the baby. I want those moments captured forever. Especially since this is our last baby! The birth photographer won't be catching the nasty stuff! Her stuff is all very tasteful and beautiful, and I look forward to having her pictures. Believe me, if you'd told me I'd have a birth photographer at my first birth I would have laughed in your face. It's something I've come around to. AND, she's a friend who's very pro midwife, so I feel good about having her be part of my birth experience.
2. What will happen with your other kids during deliver? Will they be home and/or have someone to watch them? I'm not questioning your ability to take care of them, I'm just curious how all that works.  The kids will be here. Our house is set up in a way that they won't know what's going on if they are upstairs in their rooms. Aunt Steph(Scotty's sister) will come at the first signs of labor and be there to meet any needs they may have. Most of my babies have been born in the wee hours of the morning, so they will likely wake up to a new brother. That's what happened with Mia. They WON'T be in the room while I'm having the baby! That's just too much for me! I don't want to do ANYTHING that will scare them about birth or give them too much at such a young age. They will be the first to visit with the new baby though, and we love those moments as a family with our newest member. I can't wait to have Paula(our photographer) capture those moments!!
3. How to you labor without meds? You must be superwoman! Believe me, it's just as painful for me as it is for you! I just take my time, focus, and BREATHE! I actually like the feeling of being able to know how the process is moving along and know when my body is ready to deliver. The two times I had an epidural I HATED not being able to feel my body, and it took forever to feel "normal" again after the baby was here. With Mia I was able to deliver, then have a bath and get in and out of the tub with little help. With all of my natural births I was up walking around sooner and recovered sooner.
4. Do you have fears about delivering at home? Nope. The first time I did. Mostly I was afraid that my carpet would get stained or there would be a huge mess! Ha! I know that sounds crazy. I'm telling you, my midwife answered all my questions and then some, and because of the amazing care I'd received from her throughout my pregnancy(last time and this time) I have absolutely NO doubt about their capabilities to help me welcome my baby safely. They come to our house equipped with everything they might need including oxygen tanks. AND, we're really close to a hospital if an emergency with me or the baby should arise. BUT, most all homebirths have wonderful outcomes, and I have no fears of the "what ifs."
5. Why didn't you just deliver in a birthing center? If there were birthing centers in our area I would likely chose that rout with a midwife, but there are no birthing centers anywhere close to us! I hope to have a hand in changing that some day, but for now, my home is just fine.
6. Will Eli be circumcised? Yes. We will wait a few days, but our ped has already said he was happy to do it in his office.
7. Do you do immunizations? If so, how does that work? Yes, we do immunize. We wait a few months to begin, but we immunize all the kids. We don't do ALL of them, but most of them. We do all of the required. We don't do flu shots, but that's a different story. That's not a topic of conversation I'm interested in having with anyone, because I'm at peace with that decision.

Our birth photographer took some maternity pictures for us this week that I thought I'd share. I haven't taken a SINGLE belly picture this time, so this as my first time to see myself pregnant! Ha! I thought Paula did a great job catching our personalities and love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I decided after these pictures that I have the "Chandler smile." I get so nervous taking pictures!! Ha! If you are interested in having Paula(Sweet Serendipity Photography) take pictures for your special occasions you can get in contact with her here.

So, Eli is getting plumper by the day. Babycenter says he's ready physically and just getting chubby and hanging out. They say he weighs about 6.8 pounds and is over 19 1/2 inches long. About the size of a leek??? What in the world? Well anyway, we are ready and waiting for our precious boy!

 



The Thoughts in My Mind that Won't Go Away

• Sometimes I hide in the pantry to get a quick snack without sharing with the kids. I mean, they already get two snacks a day, that's enough. Sometimes Momma needs a cracker!
• Speaking of snacks, people often ask how I eat my Nutella. I always respond the same-with a spoon.
• I am choosing not to do a water birth because I have issues with water temperature. I've mentioned before, but the feeling of cold water makes me hurt.
• Olivia getting older makes me sad. She told us a story about something that happened with some of her friends at church on Sunday that was a "big girl" issue and it made me want to cry and keep her locked up so her heart never has to hurt.
• I hate Valentine's Day. Always have. Well, not when I was a kid. My parents used to get KILLER Valentines. I remember having to go to the office to pick up my package they'd left and all the other kids being in awe of my cool stuff.
• I like singing with Manly. We were able to sing together this past weekend at my BFFs wedding and it was so much fun.
• I am obsessed with planning our Disney trip this year. I can't WAIT to go again.
• We've had a free month of Netflix DVDs. We haven't watched ANY good DVDs. There are so many bad movies out these days.
• I want new TOMS. I would say I need them, but I'm not walking around without shoes...
• I like Biggest Loser. I usually watch while eating a snack.
• I'm going to shop at Rhea Lana's for Valentine's Day. Yeah. I already mentioned I hate the "holiday."
• I can't WAIT to see my new baby boy! I hope he has dark hair. I need ONE child to have my hair!!
• Manly works 13 hour days every Tuesday. It's tough not only on him...
• Manly also works 13 hour Friday's most of the time. That's a lot of hours...
• I'm ready for summer break.

Rhea Lana's Made My Day!

Yesterday began the Rhea Lana's season, and I started the day off at 5:45. I was showered and out the door in time to stand in a FREEZING COLD line with my super mom pass in hand. I chatted excitedly with the other moms in line around me about what sizes we were looking for and our experiences with finding the perfect bargains in the past. Then, 8AM came and we were off. It's most like shopping on black Friday, only everyone, for the most part, is a LOT nicer. With our lists in hand we each headed to our own respective areas of the VERY well organized PACKED store. I first went over to the exersaucers where I scored this exercauser for only $8!!(Baby NOT included.) These retail for around $119. That's a savings of $111.

After that I headed down "everything you could possibly need for your baby lane" and got this baby monitor for only $8. These exact monitors retail for $49.99. SO, we're at a savings of $152.99! That's just after TWO items.

I stopped and looked at random things I didn't really need, then went over to "diaper bag central" where there was every type of diaper bag you could imagine. I ended up with this one which was new with tags. It's by Carters, but is made identical to a skiphop bag. I wanted one with the stroller hooks, and this one has that and a lot more! It's big, cute but not girly, and it was only $7.50!! It retails at $34.99, so that's a total savings of $180.48!!

Next, I searched through blankets looking for my muslin swaddlers I've been wanting! I was praying the whole time for the Lord to bless my efforts to save our family money by giving me something that I didn't really NEED, but REALLY wanted. I was sad when I got to the last bucket, thinking that it was silly to think that I'd actually get some and THEN, I started to go through the bucket and found not one, but TWO sets. One of them was new with tags. Priced at.......$10!! I ALMOST bought a package earlier in the week with some of my shopping money for $49.99! I just wasn't going to spend that for blankets, and I'm so glad I didn't! We're sitting at a total savings of $220.47! And I hadn't even started looking at clothes yet!

I decided this time I'd not get shoes because the last two sells only about half of the shoes actually fit the kids and I ended up needing to go buy a different size. While there are some shoppers who will take a cut-out form of their kids feet I just have some picky feeted children, so I'd rather have them with me now when I buy their shoes. I did, however, flash by Bubby's size because he needed some summer shoes and he doesn't care too much what he wears. I found these CUTE Baby Gap flip flops sitting on the top. His are just plain khaki, but OH so cute! They retail at $16.95. I got his for $5. That's bringing our running total for savings to $232.42. Side note: I HIGHLY recommend buying Baby Gap if you plan to hand down clothing. It is, by far, the most durable of the kids clothes, easily laundered, and wears and fits well. It's totally worth the added expense if you ask me, which you didn't, so I'm just throwing that in for free...

The only girl I usually buy for is Olivia unless one of the other girls is in need of a certain item. Because we have stair step girls most of their things are easily handed down, so we do throw in a few items here and there to make them feel special, but this time I only needed to buy for the oldest thanks to a friend(shout out to HB) who totally loaded up my middle little up with fun spring/summer clothes. SO, I headed over to the(GULP) size 8s. BOOOO! I can't believe she's growing up so fast! She's actually a little small for 8s, but since there is no such thing as a 7.5 in girls clothes we are forced to buy 8s this year. I spent a total of $54.50 on 14 items including two pair of nice jeans(retailing at $20 each), 4 sets of CUTE carters pjs (retailing at $16 each), 3 shirts(retailing at $5 each),  2 pair of shorts(retailing at $19.99 each), 2 sun dresses (retailing at $16.00), an adorable 2-pc set that she said makes her look "more grown-up"(retailing at $35.99), and a BEAUTIFUL blue silk dress that she's going to wear for Easter(retailing at $35.99). You may be getting tired of my savings, but I'm NOT! That's a total of  $440.48! WOWZAH! By the way, these retail prices are both current and accurate. I looked up identical items online TODAY in order to get the prices.

Once I was finished shopping for Olivia I headed over to the JUMBO section of TINY baby clothes for boys. Since Isaiah was born in January and Eli will be born in March their sizes are a little off  to start with. I think they'll end up being OK in the long run, but all of Isaiah's newborn stuff is wintery, and I knew Eli would need some spring and summer stuff. SO, I was looking only at churchy/going out clothes. I got him 17 pieces(probably WAY too much, but I LOVE shopping little boy clothes!!) for $59.50. Almost all the things I got him were new with tags. Mostly Carters rompers, an ADORABLE pair of linen pants and a button-up shirt and a plaid romper both by Ralph Lauren, a new suit he'll wear for Easter, and a couple Old Navy and Gap rompers(do you see that I HEART rompers! They are SO easy!). All of this retails for about $361.50 plus tax bringing MY total savings to $742.48!!!

SO, to recap, I spent 152.50 and saved $742.48!! PLUS, because I follow Rhea Lana's on Facebook, and shared a post about the upcoming sale I won a $35 gift certificate which I used to go toward the total. That made the total out of my pocket $117.50!! So far, I've MADE $191.00 on my items I entered into the sale, so I'm in the positive by $73.50 and the sale opened to the public TODAY!

SO, RUN, don't walk to the GLR sale this week. You can get all the information for the sale including dates, hours, and location from the website. You can also learn how to earn your own early shopping pass for future sales. "Like" the facebook page for coupon savings and pre-sale passes!!

I'm so thankful to Rhea Lana and her staff for providing me an outlet to provide for my family in such an amazing way!