Birth in America

http://www.pregnantinamerica.com/index.php

Someone posted this link on a board I'm a member of and I watched the trailer and was excited to see something like this being made. I think it's a great thing especially for pregnant women to see. I had no clue when I became pregnant with Ava what I was doing. I thought that my doctor knew all but it wasn't until I started really looking into childbirth and went through it that I realized what a miracle and natural thing it is, not a medical problem but something that women have been doing since Eve.

We tend to use so many interventions and medicalize (I know thats not a word) it so much more than necessary in today's society. I'm not saying that doctors and hospitals aren't a good thing and that no one should have their baby in a hospital. I think you should be where you are most comfortable, but I do think that its scary how quickly it seems women are starting to want to just sign up for c-sections, for no medically necessary reason whatsoever just because they feel its more "convenient" for them. Some doctors it seems do this too, telling women they NEED to have a c-section because the baby is "too big", your body in most cases is made to birth. I have heard stories from women the same size as me birthing 10 pound babies, some without even tearing.

I think that doctors and medical interventions are great to have when you need them, its amazing to hear about the miracles of babies born extremely premature and surviving thanks to the advances in medicine, and other like stories.

It always cracks me up when people tell me "you are so brave" having your baby at home. I know they are trying to say something nice, but it's almost as if they think I must be doing something slightly dangerous. I think a lot of women are brave having their babies in hospitals where non necessary interventions are so much more likely to occur. Where you are more likely or your baby is more likely to pick up an infection. I just want to reiterate: I'm not condoning or trying to put down anyone who has had or is planning on a hospital birth. It is a personal choice, but I do want to put to rest that homebirth is dangerous.

I love how people like to tell me that "if my child was born at home he/she would be dead". While it may be true in a few cases, it makes me think that they think my next door neighbor is coming over to deliver my baby. Midwives are trained professionals in child birth. They know how to deal with serious situations. Cords do get tangles around the necks, babies can have meconium, etc. They are trained for these situations, and in an extremely serious situation, which they are also able to recognize they will transfer with you to a hospital.

Anyways I look forward to watching this film, and hope it enlightens many that had no idea!

The Sun is Back!

Hurray we woke up to the sun, which is getting rid of the snow, which makes me ever so happy!! Although I think I woke up before the sun today. I really can't sleep well at the end of pregnancy, its awful. I woke up wide awake at 6 a.m. and could have slept for at least another hour and half but it wasn't happening.
Ava got to bring her valentine cards and candy to school today, which was quite exciting. Her cubby was filled with cards and candy from her classmates which she was most excited about. Luckily Yaya (Steve's mom) is picking her up so I don't have to be the one to explain why she can't eat it all in one session, which is also nice for me.
I went to the Chiropractor this morning, and my back is very appreciative, It was killing me before hand. Although she uses the activator, and it freaks me out some, it doesn't hurt or anything but just freaks me out!
Anyways we are going to Steve's moms for dinner tonight, it was her birthday yesterday. Don't think we have too much planned for the weekend, its supposed to be nice so maybe we will take the kids to the zoo because Ava is dying to go.
Here are some silly pictures from this morning.

Snow, Snow, Go Away!

My Valentine!

We woke up to snow this morning, which I would normally be thrilled over if it was still December. I really hope that this is the last snowfall we see until next winter. I get cabin fever because Mateo refuses to play in the snow and Ava's school was canceled so we are stuck in doors. Steve took the SUV cause it drives much better on the icy and snowy roads, which means are only option is to stay indoors!

I got my Janie and Jack order which was fun and took some pictures of Mateo in his sailing stuff but Ava was more excited over the great valentine goodies that the mail man brought from Auntie Debbie. They loved getting valentine cards especially after watching Dora and Diego with their valentine cards on T.V.
I would say we could make some oatmeal raisin cookies but my mixer broke after my baking spree for the Super Bowl party, so we will have to figure something else out, maybe finish our Valentine projects for the grandparents! Either way I'm hoping that it warms back up to good ole New Mexican weather and that this baby gets to be born on a sunshine day!

Busy as A Bee

Sorry I haven't been posting daily lately. We have been so busy getting things ready for this baby. It's unreal to me that I'm now considered full term and could go whenever. We still have a couple last minute things that we need to get including a van!
We really need one as of yesterday being that we are so close. We really want a 2004-2005 Honda Odyssey but there are none out here so we either have to get one shipped from another state or expand our search which we are likely going to do to include a Toyota Sienna and possibly a 2006 Kia Sedona. Personally I'm ready for any car with seven seats at this point!


The past two days of weather remind me of Washington. I miss the lovely green of that state, its soo much more brown out here so the gray of the sky makes it more dreary. It was gorgeous for most of last week so I'm hoping that weather comes back, it sure helps my mood, which is all over the place at the end of pregnancy, I'm definitely not a peach, and I'm sure Steve could back that up. . I'm pretty much at the summit of Mount Moodiness and can go from happy to pissy faster than it takes Mateo to eat a banana (which is pretty fast). I don't think going out in public is a great idea, as I'm quite short with the "well meaning" pregnancy questions.
"How are you feeling"? (like a bloated whale that can't move), "what do you think it is" (hopefully a baby), "Do you have any names?" (maybe or maybe not but either way I'm not telling for the sheer I don't feel like seeing nor hearing your response to what you might find to be a wonderful or terrible name). "Well take these couple of weeks to get some rest" ( do you have two toddlers in your house? and a baby that enjoys having a dance party at all hours of the night, not to mention the frequent pee breaks are back!) So as long s we stay away from any preggo topic in public I'm good.

I'm so uncomfortable this time around, this baby has filled up every possible area possible and likes to spend most of his or her time in my rib cage or on my sciatic nerve, which makes me look like a circus act when trying to walk! Thankfully Beth has been willing to listen to my daily rants about how the end is no fun, since she was in my place not even a week ago, luckily though she got most pregnant women's wish of delivering early and not going into overtime.
Beautiful Michaela Danielle Kluk was born on Friday and is just as gorgeous as can be with a full head of hair. I'm so jealous because Ava could not wear a bow unless it was attached to a headband when she was born!
Anyways my mom is coming in next week and I can't wait it will be so nice to have an extra set of hands around the house, and the kids will love all the extra attention. Thank you mom for coming earlier than planned and I apologize ahead of time for my major mood swings :)

A boy and His Cars.

Mateo is obsessed with Cars the movie. He knows the names of all the cars and will quiz you about them often, I often fail the test or end up calling Steve as one of my lifelines for the answer, although I'm getting better.
He really loves Mater and Lightening, we carry them wherever we go. He has also become my hardest target to photograph. He will not look at me no matter what, I can make a goofy face, sing songs and as long as the camera is in my hands he wants nothing to do with me. Ava is much more willing to do a photo shoot.
I love my new camera but it definitely comes with a big learning curve. I still get confused with my fstops, apeture, etc. It seems like I am slowly picking it up though, and out of the 800 pictures I take a day a couple seem to turn out okay, these are the ones from today. I want to take an online class or two but that will have to wait till after the baby comes. Either way I hope we get better before the baby comes so we can get some great shots during the birth and afterwards. Photography is quickly becoming one of my favorite hobbies along with digital scrapbooking in photoshop. I'm trying to do a scrapbook page a day but I've been so exhausted (more than I was with Ava and Mateo when I was pregnant) that I'm not doing so well. This is one one of my recent pages.

35 Weeks Gone By!

Okay so I have decided to start a blog. It sounded like a good way to keep in touch with family and friends we have scattered around the country.
We are getting excited approaching 36 weeks here.

It seems like time has just flown by of course for me the last month of pregnancy is always the hardest especially once you get to week 38 and know it could be any time now. This baby feels huge, the other night as we were lying in bed Steve and Ava were watching as my belly put on quite a show and all of sudden the baby kicked so hard you could hear it. Either way I'm fine with him or her being big, especially because a friend of mine had to deliver her precious baby boy born on the 30th at 29 weeks. At 2lbs 2oz he is fighting to make it through each day. It puts a lot of things in perspective for me. The doctors don't think he will make it but the past three days he has done well. Please keep baby Andrew and his family in your prayers. His mom's name is Jen and she is such a strong woman both in faith and character. I am in awe of how she is handling all of this, and just cannot imagine!
So needless to say whether this little peanut turns out to be 7 pounds or almost 10 I will be happy as long as he or she is healthy!
Okay its late here which is when this one likes to party in my belly but I'm going to try and get some sleep. We promised Ava to take her to the museum with the dinosaurs tomorrow, since she has been going on about it for the past couple weeks, I'll be sure to take some pictures (my new favorite hobby).